Introduction
The US government had engaged in combat operations in different parts of the world. The first took effect after the 9/11 attacks, in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, beyond such engagements, the government faces several challenges. The essay will review some of the challenges faced as well as give recommendations of the assertions made by the Defense Science Board. Specifically, the paper will look at the Challenges to Maintain Capability to Project Force around the World, to Deter or Defeat, chapter 2 of the Defense Imperatives Report as discussed by the Defense Science Board. The US faces an uphill task to project force around the world, given emerging complexities and vulnerability.
Information
Information is crucial in maintaining peace as goes the expression “information is power.” This is an area that poses a great challenge to the US government. The Defense Science Board has discussed the information infrastructure as one area that exposes US vulnerability. The board found out that the military solely relies on information infrastructure. This reliance is referred to as “net-centricity” but this information reliance has its vulnerability. The situation has led to a lot of awareness and investment in cyber security recently.
Cybersecurity is causing ripples for US security. But unfortunately, no considerable improvement is being done to look at the advancing cybercrime plotters, leaving the US quite unsettled. The board feels, therefore, there has been very little actual progress in tackling this new threat. The actual problem here is that the US thinks that protecting computers from physical access by unauthorized persons can deter cybercrime. This is not true. Connected information through the internet can still be accessed by cybercrime architects. Cybercrime architects are advanced since they create software that serves as viruses, causing damage to remote computers and even stealing information remotely. Hackers explore different ways to succeed in their crimes. Govil, (2007) asserts that “unauthorized access is the main tool used by criminals. Unauthorized access means any kind of access without the permission of the rightful owner or person in charge of the computer, computer system or computer network”.
Researchers have shown there are different ways that cybercrime manifests itself. Govil has enumerated several. One is through marketing. Here the sale of narcotics or weapons is done online through coded messages. Email is also hacked. This may involve sending messages from disguised sources. Others even perform ‘E-murder’. This ‘murder’ is done through the manipulation of medical data. Commercially, there could be situations such as money laundering where the banking systems could be bypassed. Laundering of large sums of money could be used t buy bombs or sponsor terrorist acts both locally or internationally through enemy states. Hacking from the systems is made successful through stealing of usernames and passwords hence the ability to gain access to unauthorized information. There are also cases where disgruntled elements even build websites specifically dedicated to passing terrorist information and even recruitment. In a nutshell, one can see that the Defense Science Board does not enumerate some of these threats as done above.
The board, however, has gone ahead to discuss some measures to be undertaken to cater to cyber security. It looks at the wider perspective a great deal. It for instance proposes better training, long-term research, and generally clear measures to implement cyber defense.
The Defense Science Board has also given some measures to handle cybercrime. It for instance suggests aggressive auditing of user activity on military networks that can detect potential threats, for instance, ones emanating from inside jobs. To this end, the board recommends the use of automated tools and algorithms to sort out the potentially suspicious activity within and without the system. Besides, the board recommends frequent upgrades of the system both at the hardware and software levels. All in all, it stresses the need for comprehensive software to monitor data infiltration and even exfiltration over the network, air, and even through physical means.
The board equally suggests encrypting all data stored as well as creating a backup means through which information can be re-constructed, should it be found compromised. What is more, the board felt that the introduction of new functionalities to systems provides an avenue for adversaries to plot an attack- new applications create such avenues for attack. Of critical importance is the suggestion that sensitive software should be produced by the government. This is because some software and hardware sourced from overseas have the potential of having security systems insecure. Adversaries can still get the nitty-gritty of their ‘make-up’ from source countries. It is therefore important that such software be produced by government experts.
Supply Chain and Defense
Another aspect that needs coordination involves the business practices to curb inefficiencies in the defense as well as seal loopholes. The board has identified this area as one that presents the vulnerability of the US. There are so many flaws. There has to be efficiency that is driven by quick response and security agency (Hoffman, 2006). The keyword should be that the supply chain should have business discipline. However, this business outlook should not be the overriding way of doing this. For example, certain sensitivities should be considered, especially when sourcing for sensitive equipment from sources that the adversary can access and compromise.
Knowledge Bank
Having the right knowledge about a situation is an area worth investing in to deter or defeat any aggression. For instance, different factors push terrorists. It is good for the DOD to invest heavily in such knowledge through consistent research that will lay bare the ever-metamorphosing situation of terror. Terrorists are classified into different groups. These groups should be identified and their major motivation identified (Hoffman, 2006). For example, their varying cultural attitudes should be considered. Independent research carried out elsewhere has shown that most terrorists take the uneducated masses as their foot-soldiers. The leadership of such terror groups is however made up of highly educated people, in terms of social norms. What such information can do to deter terror is obvious. For instance, the US could encourage most closed societies to embrace education so that no person takes advantage of their ignorance.
A crucial knowledge base could even assist the US military personnel gain acceptance in regions in which they are sent to keep the peace. It has been found that some US military personnel behave in some way that is alien to the host states in which they are sent to keep the peace. This has instead created hostility in even gaining acceptance in such places (Hoffman, 2006).
Conclusion
Though the US faces an uphill task in deterring and defeating aggression, it faces many challenges. Firstly, the adversaries are becoming more sophisticated. They have shifted from armed attack to cyber warfare, which may have far-reaching consequences like the one attack originating from China that shut down the unclassified network in the Pentagon in June 2007, for a week (Emke, 2008).
Proper supply chain mechanisms and sensitive software development management practices should be employed. These will deter classified knowledge from getting to the enemy.
However, the use of force alone should not be the option of choice to deter or defeat aggression. Other ways such as preventive diplomacy through peacebuilding, economic support, support for democracy, and even education should be explored and encouraged.
Reference List
Emke, J. (2008). Trends and Shocks, and the Impact of the Acquisition Community. Defense AT &L, 37 (1), 3.
Govil, J. (2007). Ramifications of Cyber Crime and Suggestive Preventive Measures. IEEE. 43(14). 610-615.
Hoffman, B. (2006). Inside Terrorism, 2nd Ed, New York: Columbia University Press.