UK becomes first country to disclose plans for cyber attack capability

[Lee J <lee () riskbasedsecurity com>]

http://www.information-age.com/technology/security/123457381/uk-becomes-first-country-to-disclose-plans-for-cyber-attack-capability

The UK has become the first country to publicly commit to the aggressive
use of cyber attacks to protect national security.

Over the weekend, the Ministry of Defence announced that it is developing a
"full-spectrum military cyber capability, including a strike capability, to
enhance the UK’s range of military capabilities".

"For years, we have been building a defensive capability to protect
ourselves against ... cyber attacks," defence secretary Philip Hammond said
in an interview with the Daily Mail. "That is no longer enough."

"We will build in Britain a cyber strike capability so we can strike back
in cyber space against enemies who attack us, putting cyber alongside land,
sea, air and space as a mainstream military activity," he said. "Our
commanders can use cyber weapons alongside conventional weapons in future
conflicts."

The strike capability could be used to "disable enemy communications,
nuclear and chemical weapons, planes, ships and other hardware," Hammond
said.

*Information Age *asked the Ministry of Defence what the legal grounds for
launching a cyber attack would be.

"In a military context, any such operations are strictly governed under the
well-established Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) and more broadly by domestic
and international law," an MoD spokesperson said. "Well understood concepts
such as proportionality of action apply to cyberspace as much as they do to
actions in the air, land or maritime domains.

"More broadly, the targeted use of disruption techniques and lawful
interception are crucial for national security, law enforcement and public
protection.

"The government’s duty is to protect the public, but the safety we
currently take for granted is being undermined by fast moving technology,
especially the Internet."

Last year, a report by the House of Commons' Joint Intelligence and
Security recommended that the UK develop an offensive cyber capability.
"While attacks in cyberspace represent a significant threat to the UK...
there are also significant opportunities for our intelligence and security
agencies and military which should be exploited in the interests of
national security," it said.

[...]

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