How Cyberwar Became the New Normal (and How to Fight It)

In April of 2018, 34 of the world’s leading tech and cybersecurity companies banded together on their own volition to sign the Cybersecurity Tech Accord. These companies include Cisco, Microsoft, HP, Facebook, and Nokia. Then, in June, 11 more companies signed on, including Carbon Black, Salesforce, Atlassian, and Gigamon.

The reason for the accord is the alarming expansion of cyberwarfare around the world. All signers to the accord vowed not to aid governments in cyber attacks on innocent civilians and enterprises. You would think such a consensus goes without saying, but the demand for skilled hackers and cyber warriors is so high that the leading tech companies found it necessary to commit to neutrality. They’re constantly fielding requests for cyber warfare activities.

Here are some of the biggest cyberwar attacks (that we know of) perpetrated within recent memory:

• In March of 2018, the Justice Department brought charges against 9 Iranians who stole $3 billion worth of intellectual property data from universities (in the U.S. and abroad), government agencies, and companies; the hacks are linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which defends Iran’s Shi’ite theocracy.
• In February of 2018, the U.S. and the UK blamed Russia for the costliest cyberattack in history : NotPetya. The 2017 cyber attack started in Ukraine and then spread all over the world, costing companies upwards of $1.2 billion
• In March 2018, the U.S. accused Russia of planting surveillance malware in operating systems of energy companies and critical manufacturing companies, and announced sanctions against Russia for tampering with the 2016 election.
• In May 2018, the FBI urged people to reboot their routers and download manufacturer updates to protect against Russian hackers who compromised devices in more than 50 countries.

Due to the nature of cyber warfare, attacks from countries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea are covert and ongoing, which means there are many more infections that organizations may not be aware of yet.

It’s reasonable to assume countries like the U.S., UK, Ukraine, and Israel have retaliated and are retaliating now with their cyberattacks. You’re not going to see headlines that reveal these ongoing attacks. Often you’ll see headlines that claim we’re heading towards a full-blown cyberwar. Don’t let these claims fool you. We are already waging a cyberwar.

The resources and people that governments and organizations use for cybersecurity are the same as those they use for cyberwarfare. Let’s look at a couple of examples.

Cyber Warfare Centers

The comprehensive cyberwarfare center starts with an array of tech solutions, continues with risk mitigation measures, and ends with the right people in a building where they’re comfortable, alert, and safe.

In terms of technology, Fountainhead Control Rooms reports that you need network mapping systems, intrusion detection and prevention systems, network activity collection and detonation devices, security information management and storage systems, and log management appliances. You also need state-of-the-art AV equipment.

As Fountainhead points out, Advances in technology that make cyber warfare centers so effective are some of the same technologies that attackers use when exposing and assaulting victims. In other words, the right tech is available to all sides. If there are going to be any winners of the ongoing cyberwar, quality of personnel and money will be the determining factors.

Military Personnel

Western Governors University points out that the situational awareness, precision, and problem-solving abilities that cybersecurity positions require are traits those with military and policing backgrounds already have. If you’re building out your cybersecurity team, it won’t hurt to recruit people who have been involved in the military or law enforcement. These are some of the same types of people who become cyber warriors for governments and government-sponsored organizations.

Private organizations in America have an advantage over the Department of Defense: when it comes to recruiting military personnel, the private sector pays more. Looking ahead, this factor could be troublesome for the U.S. The nature of cyberwar is such that organizations with the best personnel are going to have the advantage. With the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, many of the companies with the best personnel decided not to aid the government with cyber warfare at least, with the type of aggressive cyber warfare that would prove most advantageous to our government.

In countries like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, companies aren’t free to make such a decision because of authoritarianism. These countries are undoubtedly employing the best personnel in their cyber efforts.

Cyberwar is now the new normal because there’s very little our government can do to retaliate against cyber attacks. We can impose sanctions, and we can engage in our own cyber attacks, but apparently, the counter-attacks we have made (if any) aren’t sophisticated enough to deter countries like Russia from continuing their campaigns.

Private organizations must mobilize by building their own cybersecurity centers and training their own personnel. The shortage of cybersecurity personnel in America is such that organizations will need to offer increasingly competitive salaries, benefits, and training. As the worldwide cyberwar continues, companies that are the most prepared will suffer the least.