Cyber Crime in the News These Days Reveals the Detrimental Effects – How Can We Move On?

By Kamini Kandica Abdool

“Barack Obama accelerated the efforts after succeeding Bush in 2009, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the effort. The weapon, called Stuxnet, was eventually used against Iran’s main uranium enrichment facilities.”

The news now dictates the disastrous effects that cyber war can have on countries and individuals. According to recent articles, as recent as 2 days ago, Iran received a cyber attack that the US was said to be involved with. According to the article the leak was unauthorized but gave the USA time to review possible attempts of Iran to make a suspected weapon.

The attack was real, the leaked information is heresay. Why do I say that? Because there is no actual evidence that a weapon was created but, there is evidence that the USA or in conglomerate with others, initiated a cyber attack.
Cyber attack, being a dangerous liaison by itself can pose many problems especially if the situation is unwarranted. The hazardous effects of such an action are that it changes foreign policies and relationships and can initiate war immediately.

“America’s attack — which, Sanger reports, the government nicknamed “Olympic Games” — is probably the most significant covert manipulation of the electromagnetic spectrum since World War II, when cryptanalysts broke the Enigma cipher that allowed access to Nazi codes. Many historians believe that the U.S./U.K. code-breaking efforts shortened that war by several years, helped stop the Japanese at Midway, facilitated the death of Admiral Tojo, and immeasurably helped the Soviets hold out in Stalingrad.

Olympic Games seems to have set back the Iranian nuclear program by several years. The U.S.-Israeli intelligence cooperative that collaborated on the cyber weapon may one day be credited with preventing a wider war in the Middle East. Most notably, the United States and Israel delayed Iran’s nuclear development without resorting to the use of nuclear weapons. There may be no better contemporary example of how covert action and intelligence can provide policymakers with their most precious resource: more time.” (Ambinder; 2012)

In an area where the United Nations and NATO should have been taking charge the American government took hold of the reigns and initiated action. The restrictions here have placed this country at a deficit according to some. The delivery to the foot hold that the country at best received, is time to delay any possible build for mechanism of mass destruction. The retribution is reduction in integrity for defense in foreign politics.

The risk here falls on the end-users and the general population. The war ahead is not just for the soldiers if initiated, but the general public with all be included. Computers in this (USA) an other countries are already within reach of cyber criminal action.t; American Cyber

To safeguard yourself and others, contact your ISP; discuss cyber safety with your children, and take measure to clean and protect your computers.

References:

“Cyber-attacks on Iran bought U.S. time”; http://mybroadband.co.za/news/security/51669-cyber-attacks-on-iran-bought-u-s-time.html; June 4, 2012.

Ambinder, Marc; “Did America’s Cyber Attack on Iran Make Us More Vulnerable?”; http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/06/did-americas-cyber-attack-on-iran-make-us-more-vulnerable/258120/; June 5; 2012.