06.08.12
President complains about his exposed cyberwar
From the wire:
President Obama angrily denied today that his White House team is the source of national security leaks on alleged terrorist “kill lists” and cyber attacks against Iran’s nuclear program.
“The notion that my White House would purposely release classified national security information is offensive,” Obama said at a brief White House news conference. “It’s wrong.”
Obama added the leaks were potentially criminal acts.
Putting viruses on the computers of others is a criminal act whether or not those who own the infected computers are popular or unpopular.
Always been this way, always will be. Eugene Kaspersky and the anti-virus industry know this well. Globally, they should triple and quadruple their efforts to expose cyberwar operations. It could be very good for the image and will make for interesting stories. Meting out embarrassment and odium where it is deserved is appropriate.
It might also eventually serve to deter lousy decision-making at the top in the United States. Or at least make it more risk averse. At any rate, it couldn’t hurt.
Obama continued:
“When this information or reports — whether true or false — surface on the front page of newspapers, that makes the job of folks on the front line tougher,” Obama said. “And it makes my job tougher. Which is why, since I’ve been in office, my attitude has been zero tolerance for these kinds of leaks and speculation.”
Only bad people care if those on the “front lines” of virus-writing have it tougher. The world, and this country, will not derive net benefit from more feverish and secretive military and intelligence malware manufacturing and distribution.
“We’re dealing with issues that can touch on the safety and security of the American people, our families or our military personnel or our allies, and so we don’t play with that.”
You’ll have to explain how the families or acquaintances of our state-run virus-writing operation are made less safe by its vague exposure in a newspaper, Mr. President.
Anyway, leaks and subsequent press on virus war won’t stop our virus-writing operation any more than bad press and damaged national reps stop the bombing of paupers with drones. At least not yet.
In the last ten years you’ll have noticed nothing impedes US weapons shops, so why should anything slow down state mischief in the virtual realm? Our ruling class does not care to exert true oversight and is quickly sold on just about any escalating military and secret solution to world problems.
This is because no one whose job does not depend on the expansion of armories and attack plans is ever listened to.