[ISN] Cyberwarfare rules included in Defense bill

http://federalnewsradio.com/?nid=35&sid=2376861

By Suzanne Kubota
Senior Internet Editor
Federal News Radio
May 10, 2011

Within the chairman's mark of the 2012 Defense Authorization bill is 
language that would allow DoD to carry out clandestine operations in 
cyberspace against targets located outside the United States and to 
defend against all attacks on DoD assets.

Released Monday, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. 
Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, (R-Calif.) helps to define the Rules of 
Engagement in cyberspace for the Defense Department, noting "because of 
the evolving nature of cyber warfare, there is a lack of historical 
precedent for what constitutes traditional military activities in 
cyberspace."

"In particular, this section (962) would clarify that the Secretary of 
Defense has the authority to conduct clandestine cyberspace activities 
in support of military operations pursuant to the Authorization for the 
Use of Military Force....outside of the United States or to defend 
against a cyber attack on an asset of the Department of Defense."

According to the mark up, terrorists "are increasingly using the 
internet to exercise command and control," and to spread technical 
information enabling attacks on U.S. and coalition forces, often from 
the relative safety of "distributed sanctuaries throughout the world. As 
a result, military activities may not be confined to a physical 
battlefield, and the use of military cyber activities has become a 
critical part of the effort to protect U.S. and coalition forces and 
combat terrorism globally." 

[...]


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