> "One USAF colonel has gone so far as proposing the service build its own botnet to mount massive denial-of-service counterattacks on adversaries that attack US networks first."

They already have - it's called Microsoft Windows, replete with NSA backdoor.

If the US build Skynet, they will have to find ways to prevent it from being used against them:

1) lock up everyone capable of looking for accounts with empty or simple passwords.

2) publish some fake UFO reports to keep conspiracy theorists busy.

I am not sure why the US bothers with armed forces. They should just threaten to sue anyone who attacks them.

Microsoft don't have anything to do with your BIOS...

Also, I wonder what sort of software and hardware they'll be using... you think they'll have guys sat at computer terminals, or a full 3D VR representation of the internet?

Stick a cable in the back of some of the more major routers worldwide and you could harvest vast amounts of data to help create a coherent picture of what's happenning in the virtual world!

Actually, with a decent way of visualising the data and said hookup to those more major routers you could manipulate the data as it went along very simply.

Ah, t'would be great to have that sort of access...

... and other "vendor" code is on every system, isn't optional and is rarely (if ever) vetted. That's quite some potential for mischief!

With their record for 'friendly fire' attacks, how long before sites in the UK get shut down in error.

We're doomed. Doomed!

"...before sites in the UK get shut down in error..."

It's already started - AOL have been blocking our email for years.

"Subdomain? What's a subdomain?"

The DOD needs to make a new branch specifically for cyberwarfare if they deem it necessary (aside from the NSA).

That said, why doesn't the NSA just handle it? Or do we need a specific command complete with Media Relations officers so that dipshit Americans can be assured their data is safe via canned statements?

Oh what a conspiracy theorist. I bet you think that Majestic 12 are real and there's alien research going on at Area 51.

The secret service is now responsible for "civilian" internet protection along with Homeland Security and the Justice Department (trust me, I'm not feeling safe or secure).

Defense Secretary Gates had long been demanding the Air Force to do more in today's fighting (building/fielding drones, sending boots on the ground to help fight) instead of focusing on stealth fighters and satellites.

Not that good at spotting bait, are you?

It IS "being incorporated in the BIOS code."

The recent theft of a client's computer, and its subsequent appearance on my remote support dashboard, lead me to speaking with the police investigator, who asked me to install "Computrace/Lojack for Laptops" through the remote client.

He then tells me that most newer machines from Dell, HP, Toshiba, etc already have “Computrace/Lojack” on the BIOS, and it only takes the service tag number and a simple call from the local sheriff/constable to turn it on. No NSA/MI5 involvement required.

See: http://www.absolute.com/products-bios-enabled-computers.asp

Where's your Linux security now, Moses?