The following is possibly the most arresting opening paragraph I have yet read in a security article:
‘The wave of cyberprobes or cyberattacks against Pentagon networks and government computer systems in France, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom this summer appears to emanate from China, but no one in authority in the Defense Department or any of the other countries that have been victimized seems willing to finger the Chinese government or military as the culprit.’
While this sounds like a Tom Clancy thriller it is a serious account of a new front in the online battle, something that both governments and businesses need to be aware of. Military and industrial espionage are alive and well, and it is entirely plausible that businesses and even sovereign states will use the Internet both to gather intelligence and weaken their opposition.
This is a realization that would be worth spreading in the workplace. It can be hard to get all your colleagues to do their bit in safeguarding information assets. If more of them realized the nature of the foe they might feel more motivated to help out – we’re not just facing a threat from bored teenagers, but also from deadly serious criminals and even state agencies. If that sounds a little farfetched this article is worth a read, and BS25999 as a core component of an information security strategy makes real sense!
