State-backed hackers: You think you're so mysterious, but you're really not – report Nation-state driven cyber attacks often take on a distinct national or regional flavour that can uncloak their origins, according to new research by net security firm FireEye. Computer viruses, worms, and denial of service attacks often appear from behind a veil of anonymity. But a skilful blending of forensic “reverse-hacking …
The claim that squirrels have been responsible for blackouts but not cyberattacks misses the bigger picture - who is training these squirrels to use computers ? The NSA ? What if they start to employ chinchillas ? I have a chinchilla, his name is Jeff. He once chewed the plug off of my TV - can I trust him ? Is he really Jeff or is that just a cover for his real name ?
Only time will tell.
a cyber arms treaty that could stem the use of online attacks
The obvious parallel is with treaties that limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons or ban the use of biological weapons. As far as I know it's very, very difficult to build a nuke in your bedroom, and both hard and risky to make biological weapons there*. Also, either activity will tend to leave evidence that points to the perpetrator. In consequence, both these activities are mostly limited to nation states. Cyber arms, are much more amenable to private enterprise, and their originators aren't likely to sign treaties.
* e.g. weaponised smelly socks
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