July 27, 2012

There had been a 17-fold increase in computer attacks on American infrastructure between 2009 and 2011, initiated by criminal gangs, hackers, and other nations. The assessment by the head of the National Security Agency and United States Cyber Command, appears to be the government’s first official acknowledgment of the pace at which America’s electricity grids, water supplies, computer and cellphone networks, and other infrastructure are coming under attack. Those attacks are considered potentially far more serious than computer espionage or financial crimes. Most concerning about the increase in foreign cyberattacks on the United States is that a growing number are aimed at “critical infrastructure,” and that the United States remains unprepared to ward off a major attack. On a scale of 1 to 10, American preparedness for a large-scale cyberattack is “around a 3.” The administration is still working out rules of engagement for responding to cyberattacks. Under existing authorities, only the president has the power to authorize an American-directed cyberattack. The first such attacks occurred under President George W. Bush. The Pentagon has said previously that if the United States retaliated for an attack on its soil, the response could come in the form of a counter cyberattack, or a traditional military response.