Private and Public sector must work closely together to combat Cyber Warfare Threat

Information sharing, education and cyber training are essential for mitigating the threat of cyber security for public sector, military and private sector bodies.

Information leaks, identity theft, malware and intellectual property theft are major cyber security threats facing private and public sector organisations alike. In an exclusive interview with Defence IQ Niels Groeneveld, head of Operation Aurora, the Cyberconflict Research Group for online cyber research and Robert Nowill, the Director of Cyber at BT, have strongly argued for the importance of the public and private sector to work together to combat the rapidly evolving threat of cyber warfare.

Both Robert Nowill and Niels Groenveld contend that more can be done across Europe to ensure a better working relationship between public and private sector bodies. Nowill contends that the preparation for organisations to deal with the cyber security threat varies across European countries and suggests that it is important for there to be a uniform, international response cyber threats across public-private sector lines.

However, even when there has been co-operation between public and private sector bodies, efforts have often been clouded by a reluctance to share sensitive information. This is now changing, according to Nowill, who states that there is a greater recognition amongst public and private sector bodies that organisations cannot form “an effective cyber security strategy without an increased degree of sharing some of the more sensitive areas.”

While there might be an array of advanced technical solutions to cyber security threats, Groenvield states that the weakest link in network security is often comes down to a lack of education and human error. If an end-user can be tricked into performing an unsafe action, he or she can compromise a network’s safety.

Robert Nowill concurs, stating that what fundamentally matters for organisations of all sizes and at an individual level, is cyber security education. Computer-based training, “cyber alarm” exercises and an ability to efficiently and appropriately react to a cyber security threat, can all help to mitigate cyber risks.

The cyber warfare threat will be discussed at Cyber Warfare Online, Defence IQ’s inaugural virtual summit that will bring together members of the US Cyber Command, USMC and NATO to facilitate information sharing across nations. For more information about the event, which will be taking place from June 13th – July 8th, please visit https://www.cyberwarfareonline.com/.

Rapidly Evolving Cyber Warfare Threats to be discussed at Defence IQ?s Cyber Warfare Online

As cyber warfare threats continue to evolve at a rapid rate, senior representatives from the US Cyber Command, NATO and EU will discuss cyber warfare strategies, tactics and practices at Defence IQ’s Cyber Warfare Online Event.

In an interview with Defence IQ at Cyber Warfare Europe 2011, Lieutenant Colonel William Hagestead, USMC, contends that cyber vector threats will ‘change so rapidly that we won’t even know they’re there.’

From STUXNET to Wikileaks, recent attacks on critical infrastructure and information security lapses, have thrown cyber warfare into mainstream headlines and made military bodies such as the US Army and US Marine Corps, which are traditionally focussed on kinetic warfare, move onto the cyber security domain.

In order to address the strategic and tactical challenges faced by cyber professionals within military bodies, cyber security companies and intelligence agencies, Defence IQ will be holding Cyber Warfare Online 2011.

The virtual summit, which includes a keynote speech from Brigadier General John Davis, the Director of Current Operations for US Cyber Command, will keep cyber professionals up-to-date with the latest developments in battle management, command and control and defensive counter-cyber strategies.

It will also be a prime opportunity for cyber warfare and cyber security experts to see how military bodies are developing their exploit and attack capabilities in conjunction with government and intelligence agencies. Given the transmogrifying nature of cyber warfare threats, forums such as Cyber Warfare Online play a pivotal role in developing and understanding effective cyber warfare and security strategies.

In spite of the fast-evolving nature of cyber warfare threats, Lieutenant Colonel Hagestead, who will be speaking at the event, suggests that cyber warfare incidents can be far from typical and that while ‘there may be cyber battles but there will not be full scale cyber warfare’.

He also notes that the curious character of cyber threats is that they are more likely to be internal, not external.  ‘If one looks at the recent case with the wikileaks example…it’s purported that the majority of the data was leaked from an internal source. That goes to show that the majority major threats are going to be internal, not external.’

To listen to the full interview with Lieutenant Colonel William Hagestad II,  Force Movement Control, US Marine Corps on ‘Transmogrification’: US Marine Corps Cyber Officer Stares Down a Rapidly Changing Threat’ visit http://www.defenceiq.com. For more information about Cyber Warfare Online or to get involved, please visit www.cyberwarfareonline.com.