Computers and American National Defense

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how the electronic defense system in America (one of the world's most powerful states) is protected and how vulnerable it may be. The paper explains what the consequences of a security breach could be, and what additional steps we should take to protect ourselves. The paper then discusses computer terrorism. The writer believes that being the world's hyper-power is a bulwark in many ways against attack, but the elevated position of the US does not leave it invulnerable. The writer concludes that the US needs to integrate its human resources and to "lean" a little more on the expertise and crime-fighting capabilities of allies, and if it does those things, the risk of computer terrorism will be reduced.

From the Paper:

"The most obvious step that the American military takes in combating hackers and terrorists is to prepare its young cadets for the challenges these individuals pose. Unsurprisingly, the Air Force Academy, the Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy, the Coast Guard Academy and the Naval Postgraduate School have all spent the last six years conducting something called the annual Cyber Defense Exercise. This competition pits student representatives from each school against professional hackers, with the school that enjoys the most success against the "pros" receiving top awards."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Diedrich, John. "Air Force Cadets Face Hackers in Cyber-Battle." InfoSec News. 24 Apr. 2002. Infosenews.org. 16 Jun. 2007 <http://www.infosecnews.org/hypermail/0204/5836.html>
• Freedman, David H., and Charles C. Mann. "Cracker: this computer geek could have taken down the networks of military sites, nuclear-weapons labs, Fortune 100 companies and scores of other institutions." US News & World Report. 2 Jun. 1997. Highbeam.com. 16 Jun. 2007 <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-19447628.html>
• Sanders, Kevin. "The 'Nightmare Scenario': What If the World's Y2k Nuclear Computer Problems Aren't Fixed." The Nation. 25 Feb. 1999. Thenation.com. 16 Jun. 2007 <http://www.thenation.com/doc/19990315/sanders>
• Taylor, Michael. "Deep in Mountain, Military Complex a Cold War Survivor." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 29 Nov. 1998. Findarticles.com. 16 Jun. 2007 <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_19981129/ai_n10472469>

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