Cyber-Threats, Information Warfare, and Critical Infrastructure Protection : Defending the U.S. Homeland

During the last two decades, the infrastructure of the U.S. economy has undergone a fundamental set of changes. It has steadily increased its reliance on its service sector and high-technology economy. The U.S. has come to depend on computers, electronic data storage and transfers, and highly integrated communications networks. The result is the rapid development of a new form of critical infrastructure--and one that is exceedingly vulnerable to a new family of threats, loosely grouped together as information warfare. This detailed volume examines these threats and the evolving U.S. policy response. After examining the dangers posed by information warfare and efforts at threat assessment, Cordesman considers the growing policy response on the part of various federal agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector. The changing nature of the threats is leading these actors to reassess the role they must play in critical infrastructure protection. Government at all levels, industry, and even friendly and neutral foreign governments are learning that an effective response requires coordination in deterrence, defense, and counterattack. Annotation Information warfare is upon us. In the last two decades, the U.S. economy's infrastructure has undergone a fundamental set of changes, relying increasingly on its service sector and high technology economy. The U.S. depends on computers, electronic data storage and transfers, and highly integrated communications networks. Its rapidly developing new form of critical infrastructure is exceedingly vulnerable to an emerging host of threats. This detailed volume examines the dangers of, and the evolving U.S. policy response to, cyberterrorism The changing nature of critical infrastructure protection Threat assessment Evolving U.S. policy and response Analyzing federal critical infrastructure programs by department and agency Assessments of effectiveness Role of state and local governments Role of private industry Lessons from other nations: international vulnerability Conclusions and recommendations. Annotation Looks at the emerging threats to the high-technology sector and the efforts to deal with these threats