Concerned Citizen Directory
This is a directory for any person who is interested in learning more about cyberwar. Familiar or unfamiliar with the term “cyberwar,†this directory provides links to background information, speeches from leading cyberwar voices, different viewpoints about cyberwar and also a section about cyberwar gaming. The various documents give an overview of cyberwar issues and actions the government/military are taking to protect the United State’s infrastructure and government networks.
Using the glossary on this website will provide definitions of ambiguous and unfamiliar terms. It is not a comprehensive list, but a good foundation for common terms used when referring to cyberwar. Also, searching for "definitions" in the search-box will pull up more documents which define cyber terms.
Virtually Here: The Age of Cyber Warfare"
This McAfee report serves as a good foundation for understanding contemporary cyber issues. The author (Paul B. Kurtz) acknowledges that people disagree about the use of the term "cyberwar" and does not want to "hype or stoke unwarranted fear." While the report does imply that a future cyberwar is inevitable (which may not be true), Kurtz provides examples of past cyber attacks, criteria for what constitutes an act of cyberwar and does a thorough job of explaining the difference between cyber crime and cyberwar.
Overview by the US-CCU of the Cyber Campaign Against Georgia in August of 2008
According to many United State's leaders and security experts, the cyber attack on Georgia in 2008 was one of the first signs of cyberwar. This overview is a detailed account about an important incident that is often cited in cyberwar articles and reports. It remains objective by explaining the facts of what happened and how Georgian websites were affected. The Georgian cyber conflict is often exaggerated, so reading this overview will offer a realistic perspective on the event.
The Online Threat: Should we be worried about a cyberwar?:
Seymour Hersh is a world renowned journalist and quotes a variety of different officials in this article. He includes people who believe we are fighting a cyberwar today as well as voices of skepticism. This is a great article that includes a lot of information and opinions about cyberwar. Many documents and media articles do not criticize or question how cyberwar is being conceptualized or handled, Hersch's article does a nice job remaining objective in his assessments of how cyberwar is being conceptualized and addressed. Hersh provides a good background about cyberwar issues and uses credible, balanced sources.
This collection contains alternative opinions from the dominant voice that emphasizes the threat of cyberwar. Since there is a lot of media hype about the dangers of future cyber threats, being exposed to other viewpoints (from credible sources) is an excellent way of gaining a well-rounded understanding of cyber issues and cybersecurity.
U.S. Cybersecurity Policy and the Role of U.S. CYBERCOM:
General Keith Alexander is in charge of the recently developed U.S. Cyber Command. In this speech, he describes what the command is and what it will do to prepare for cyber attacks. As a strong voice in the cybersecurity community, knowing how Alexander thinks about cyberwar and plans to prepare for it is important for understanding U.S. cyber policy. He states that the "U.S. Cyber Command will centralize command of military cyberspace operations, strengthen DOD cyberspace capabilities and integrate and bolster DOD cyber-expertise." Much of his speech talks about various threats and what collaborations the Cyber Command will do to secure the nation. Alexander believes that the cyber threat is growing and the United States must do something to stop it from causing damage.
Remarks on Cyber at the RSA Conference:
William Lynn III is a leading voice on cybersecurity issues. He strongly asserts that cyberwar is inevitable and that the United States must prepare for dangerous attacks to its critical infrastructure and government/military. He has many speeches on this website, but this speech is particularly informative. Lynn claims with certainty that cyber attacks will cause physical damage based on the growing sophistication of threats, but does not give any empirical evidence to support his claim. While he does highlight certain cyber attacks that have happened in the past, he can only speculate what the future might hold. Also, the RSA conference is a security conference held around the world, and is a good source for different views on cyber issues. Many leaders and security experts speak at various RSA conferences, Lynn only being one of them.
Cyber Conflict: Challenging the Future:
Franklin Kramer is a national security and international affairs expert. As a speaker at the Black Hat Conference, he describes how major cyber attacks may be viewed from an internet user's perspective. Kramer explains the Department of Defense's cybersecurity strategy and emphasizes the need for policy change. This speech is beneficial because he also provides policymaker and technology perspectives.
The government and military play cyberwar games, which consist of role playing various leadership positions while simulating a massive cyber attack on the United States. Cyber Shockwave, a fictional scenario, was publicized on CNN several years ago. The Cyberwar Gaming collection provides a link to the video and articles/facts about the classified Department of Homeland Security game: Cyber Storm.
Citizens have impacts on policies and laws, especially concerning public privacies and freedoms. This collection provides various cyber events that involve people of all ages. People can learn more about cyberwar and cybersecurity, but also become involved with public awareness efforts.