The defacement of Georgia President’s official web site. Graphic source: ZDNet
In the wake of the recent cyberwar, the pattern of attack by hacktivists or a hacker militia, was identified in the blogosphere:
distribute a static list of targets, eliminate centralized coordination of the attack; engaging the average internet users, empower them with DoS [Denial of Service] tools; distribute lists of remotely SQL injectable Georgian sites; abuse public lists of email addresses of Georgian politicians for spamming and targeted attacks; and, destroy the adversary’s ability to communicate using the usual channels.
Dancho Danchev, the blogger noted above, is an independent security consultant and cyber threats analyst. What are we to make of understanding cyberwarfare? The attacks will be de-centralized, and, although controlled, will not have a central command and control center. Cyberwarfare will more quickly escalate, as opposed to other forms of attack, in that the average non-activist can be drawn into the mix quickly. This escalated attack is similar to the effect of insurgents who hide amongst a civilian population, and who, to varying degrees, are concealing or cooperating with the insurgents. The publicly available Georgian government sites were attacked since the information is easily accessed. The ordinary media outlets of government services, which naturally are employed to calm the population and to broadcast messages of reassurance and reliable information, are cut off. In the case of the government of Georgia, Blogger was employed and alternate non-Georgian sites had to be found to broadcast government information.
Cyberwarfare is an added dimension of 21st Century war and is here to stay. The fact that Georgian government sites were so easily dismantled is a warning for other countries to be preparing now.
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