Computer hacking is a nuisance for anyone, but at the Pentagon, it’s now an act of war. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon has mapped out a formal cyber strategy identifying computer sabotage from of another country as an potential attack on America. This new policy, unclassified portions of which to be made public next month, prepares against hackers that could interfere with U.S. nuclear reactors, subways, or pipelines in an equally destructive way as a physical militant force.
This policy is congruent with the Pentagon’s idea of “equivalence.” The Wall Street Journal explains, “If a cyber attack produces the death, damage, destruction or high-level disruption that a traditional military attack would case, then it would be a candidate for a ‘use of force’ consideration, which could merit retaliation.”
A sense of urgency about such a cyber policy has been building since 2008, when at least on U.S. military computer system was hacked. Military contractor Lockheed Martin also admits to recent infiltration. The Pentagon’s policy is the military’s first step to build up defenses against the 21st century’s newest form of offense.
Read more from the Wall Street Journal.
