'electronic Pearl Harbor' on horizon?

Col. Dave Shaver:'electronic Pearl Harbor' on horizon?

"military officials say that a cyber attack by foreign enemies or terrorist groups would result in 'an electronic Pearl Harbor' that would shut down electricity, banking systems, cell phones and other tools of day-to-day life." The Department of Homeland Security has reported thousands of cyber attacks daily, as has our Pentagon, over the last few years. The Defense Department has been spending $100,000,000 annually to counter the attacks, but has had little success.

Finally, the threat has become so severe that a new 4-star command, the Cyber Command, has been formed at Fort Meade, Md, by Secretary Gates "to coordinate computer-network defense and direct U.S. cyber-attack operations." Is this a case of "too little, too late" or "closing the barn after the horses got out?" I hope not.

For many decades now there has been a difference of opinion on whether we are too reliant on high technologies and not enough on conventional military products. I sincerely hope our military has been finding ways to shield our weaponry electronic communications systems and/or developing mechanics to revert to manual control of our most powerful, computerized weapon systems.

If we haven't, we better get that "Plan B" dusted off and emplaced "pronto."

Col. Dave Shaver is a retired military officer and former instructor at the Army War College.

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Its much worse than Col. thinks:

Internet Anthropologist Think Tank: CYBER PEARL HARBOR POSSIBLE

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