Wk 11 video case

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School

Clemson University *

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3180

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Information Systems

Date

Apr 3, 2024

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pdf

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2

Uploaded by AmbassadorGazelle4227

MIST WK 11 Video Case 1. What are the three classes of cyberattacks and their effects, according to the Zertag video? The first class of cyberattacks is the massive theft of intellectual property from american corporations. This could degrade economic competitiveness for generations. The second is a tax that could inflict massive disruption on our way of life in ways that we have never imagined before. The third is cyber attacks that could degrade, disable, or destroy a nation's military ability to defend itself or to attack if our vital interests are threatened. The threat environment nowadays is complicated and uncertain, this world is changing at the speed of cyber. Cyber threats are a new and very different part of the threat environment. 2. What are the five differences between cyberwarfare and traditional warefare? There are 5 key differences between cyberwarfare and traditional warfare. The first key difference is that the United States is simultaneously the most powerful country in cyber space and also the most vulnerable country in cyberspace. The United States has the most sophisticated cyber capabilities of any other country in the world but yet we are the most vulnerable because we are the most connected. We rely on networks and connectivity for our economy, society, government, and our military in many different ways. Our nation's connectivity is the strength and weakness. The second major difference is that in cyberspace the U.S. government goes it alone. In every other security realm the government is considered the main provider of security. The private sector owns and operates so the government can not defend the attacks on these by itself. The third difference is that in cyber space the attack surface is huge. Which means there is no safe spot in cyberspace as everything and everyone is connected this then automatically puts everyone in a more vulnerable place. The fourth difference is that victims often don't know they are actually victims. The last difference is warning time before an attack and response time after an attack. There is no warning time before an attack but the response is hard and the time might be a while due to trying to figure out who performed the attack. 3. Why is the Stuxnet event considered to be historic? Stuxnet was the first major sabotage by software. This infected and damaged the Iranian nuclear program. This virus was created to hit one specific military target for a specific purpose. Stuxnet proved that cyberweapons were able to cause great damage to extremely critical infrastructure. They were able to target Iran’s nuclear program which caused them to malfunction and physically destroy themselves. It created awareness about vulnerabilities in the industrial control systems and the critical infrastructure. This brought awareness to the need for better cybersecurity measures for other countries
around the world as this proved that anyone can perform a cyberattack that could make your country extremely vulnerable. 4. What is a danger that the creators of Stuxnet have created for other industrial counties,including the United States? What is the greatest fear created by Stuxnet? The creators of Stuxnet have created the danger for other industrialized countries because they set a precedent for using cyberweapons against critical infrastructure. One of the main concerns though is that because the whole world has now seen the malicious act be put on display and work successfully that other countries will follow right after their footsteps. Many countries might begin using these cyber attack techniques to their advantage and it might become more widespread operational disruption and harm to citizens. The use of these cyberweapons could escalate tension between many nations and lead to many conflicts which could then cause many consequences. There is also a sense of fear that these attacks could cause people to doubt the security and reliability of many essential services. 5. Why are people (agents) needed “on the ground” in order for the Stuxnert virus to work? Stuxnet had required physical agents because it targeted Iran's nuclear facilities. These facilities had been hidden from the internet and many of the external networks all for security reasons. In order to deliver the malware into the closed system there had to be agents on the ground that were needed for help with inside information. It was likely that there were infected USB drives or other means to introduce Stuxnet into the facility’s local network. When they were inside the malware was able to propagate and find the specific control system that was responsible for managing the centrifuges that were used. 6. Why did Iran, and American commentators, not consider Stuxnet an act of war? U.S. leaders believe that Stuxnet would not be an act of war. It is believed that whoever did this also did not consider it to be an act of war and the Iranians never responded to it and it had been an act of war. Many people believe it to be in the space between peace and war. It is a continuum among both peace and it being all out conflict or war. This was a hostile occurrence but at the same time it was not war, there were no air strikes against the country power plant that harmed nuclear facilities rather it was more considered as a strategically traditional warfare assault against the country's nuclear plant.
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