http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/dti/2010/09/01/DT_09_01_2010_p42-248207.xml By David Eshel Tel Aviv Aviation Week Sept 15, 2010 Geopolitical concerns and two wars in recent years have put Israel at the forefront of cyberwar and cyber-defense. As the most computerized country in the Middle East, Israel stands to lose a great deal if its military and civilian networks prove vulnerable to cyber-attack. According to Maj. Gen. (ret.) Isaac Ben-Israel, a professor at Tel Aviv University and an expert on digital warfare, Israel’s defense community has been aware of the dangers of cyberspace for two decades. In the late 1990s, the government established a special authority to supervise all aspects of national information security. The internal security authority (Shin Bet) took responsibility for civilian and national assets, while military security supervised defense networks. These activities eventually came under the supervision of the national security council, which also advised on national research and development initiatives in cyber-security systems. This initiative led to the formation of high-tech companies specializing in cyber-security, which became market leaders internationally. Most of these firms were founded by former Israel Defense Force (IDF) veterans who became experts in computer systems during their service. Israel is also involved in developing an offensive cyber-doctrine. While air force Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, chief of intelligence, is concerned about defensive capabilities in cyberspace, he also promotes an offensive dimension to cyberwarfare, stating that both fit well within Israel’s combat doctrine. According to Yadlin, cyberwarfare covers three areas—intelligence-gathering, defense and attack. The IDF plans to be active in all three. Although authorities keep a low profile on such activities, foreign sources highlight some of the latest Israeli successes in the field. In an interview with DTI, Ben-Israel stressed the importance of fast reactions when a critical computer network, national or military, comes under attack. This creates a dilemma for decision-makers over who should be responsible for cyberwarfare and cyber-defense. Heated discussions have, in fact, been underway between military intelligence and top army brass about which group should have control of current and future assets. Since the question ultimately involves intelligence-gathering and operational considerations, the decision will probably be made by the prime minister, perhaps with guidance from the national security council. [...] _______________________________________________________ Subscribe to InfoSec News - www.infosecnews.org http://www.infosecnews.org/mailman/listinfo/isnReceived on Wed Sep 15 2010 - 22:50:05 PDT
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