Ask the security expert!
When typing in Google “offensive cyber security”, the second hit Google provides us with is searchsecurity.com stating that it is “the web’s best security-specific information resource for enterprise IT professionals” (let’s just take that for as it is right now).
It is a site where one can post a question and an expert will answer it.On April 11 someone posted the question:
Should a national cybersecurity strategy include offensive botnets?And the expert response this time was from Sherri Davidoff
At first, she makes a resemblance with cane toads in Australia. A little awkward but okay.. Her opinion actually boils down to a certain NO to the above question. One which is almost the same as my topic whether there is a case for an offensive cyber security policy, only does the question addresses botnets in particular.
Her argument:“To introduce a new, powerful, distributed weapon without the knowledge or resources to fully control it, would be foolish. An offensive botnet itself would be an especially coveted target for attackers.”
Would this happen you think? It sounds realistic as many geeks and scripkids would just love to see if they can somehow hack the botnet. In addition, foreign nations that discover the United States is attacking its government or citizens with botnets are not going to be happy. What will happen next..?
An additional note posted by the expert:“In the current environment, there is a high risk that any offensive cybersecurity technology would be compromised, misused or abused.”
Interesting..