Cyber arms race: the world is on the threshold of a new era of hostility

"Coming new kind of war: undeclared and uncertain, the battlefield where the ubiquitous and invisible at the same time. No one can say with certainty how such a war would begin, what methods will be conducted and what the outcome. But the war in cyberspace is approaching, and in some ways has already begun . It will have an equally dramatic impact on our world, as well as any conflict of those that happened before. If in the XIX century international relations is determined by a naval power, and in the XX century, the struggle between the two countries depend on the air battles, the battles XXI Ages power will play a crucial role in virtual space ", - wrote the correspondent of The Times, Ben Macintyre.

He talks about the functions of the British Government Communications Center (GCHQ), which is tasked to protect the UK against cyber attacks. "Kiberzontik" covers military and intelligence agencies, the government and key national infrastructure: energy, finance and other communities through which operates the country, such as the bodies of control over the movement of air transport, "- the article says.

According to Kirin Martin, General Director of GCHQ on cybersecurity, "any system in which there is a button on / off, potentially vulnerable."

"As any military analyst, purely defensive position can not be a guarantee of peace. The offensive capabilities in cyberspace have become part of the planning of combat operations. Methods of detecting cyber attacks and counter them very similar to those that GCHQ uses to fight terrorism and crime prevention. Arrays Communication Data combed for signs of threats, "- says the journalist.

"From the Internet depends on about 10% of UK GDP, that is, cyber criminals hacking bank accounts vymanivaya credit card data, stealing personal data, and make a lot of scams that could cause damage in the billions of pounds. The obvious magnet for criminals - social benefits: the volume billions of pounds they are conducted through the Internet. "

"In addition to the ordinary crime, there is cyber espionage against the government agencies and companies aimed at stealing property, market data, drawings and other information, the possession of which has the advantage - the author continues. - The extent to which these attacks are carried out by the state, the extent to which it creating conditions for these attacks or encourages them, and maybe just tolerate them - hard to say ... The traditional war is quite clear who fired. In cyberspace, there is no such clarity: all parties deliberately cover their tracks and hide behind the "foreign flags" . It is known that the Chinese army conducts sanctioned operation hacking, but this story of Chinese cyber operations in no way restricted. Iran has deliberately blurred the line between public and private operations. Russia has a very tolerant attitude to cyber crime, if it meets the interests of the state " . According to the author, Russia also has been seen in the use of network war as a method of intimidation (among other things, he says cyber attacks against Estonian websites in 2007).

"The third element kiberagressii" MacIntyre calls propaganda.

"The cyber attack may just cause inconvenience, but at the same time it can be just as devastating as a nuclear attack, but less predictable and uncontrollable - says McIntyre. - Imagine what would happen if you disable the air traffic control system or the national grid. " However, Kirin Martin, CEO of GCHQ on cyber security, compared with nuclear weapons does not approve. Kiberpotentsial, in his words, "a graded".

One of the problems arising from the growth of cyber threats, is to determine what is considered an act of war: "How strong the damage must have been caused cyberattack to be considered impaired 5th article of the Charter of NATO? And if it is difficult to reliably identify the source of the threat, What kind of reaction shall be excused? " - Formulate questions McIntyre.

Finally, cyber threat might come from, and "tech-savvy terrorist groups like" Islamic state ", adds the author. According to Martin, however," hackers can lift into the air the whole world, not yet ... To organize a truly disastrous attack, required organizational resources, training ... Among them there are people experienced in the media environment, and in IT, but they seem, there is no center of the development of cyber weapons. "After the" sinister "pause Martin adds," So far. "

Автор: Skladanny P. N. on the basis of Article Ben MacIntyre (The Times)