Cyber-attacks on Pentagon’s weapons program

Like everyone in IT, I’m all for beefing up cybersecurity. When it comes to government-run system operations, funding usually suffers though. Nevertheless, officials over at the Pentagon are confident that they’re sufficiently protected even though cyber-attacks are a constant on the Pentagon. A couple of days ago I heard that the security of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter had possibly been compromised by cyber-attackers who were able to get information on the F-35 electronics and logistics system that could let enemies protect themselves against the fighter aircraft.

While I was reading “Officials Say Hackers Didn’t Steal Critical Data About New Fighter Jet” by Ann Scott Tyson and Dana Hedgpeth at the washingpost.com, I learned that measures are being taken to increase the level of security for especially sensitive data. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman is quoted as saying "We know we are probed on this every day. We have very aggressive defensive systems. The more sensitive the information, the greater the safeguards are."

Tyson and Hedgpeth note, that “President Obama is reviewing recommendations from a comprehensive interagency assessment of the government's cybersecurity efforts, seeking to ensure that public- and private-sector efforts are properly funded and coordinated and that the White House is organized to attack the problem.” All I can say is when it comes to an aircraft that is costing the U.S. so much money (estimated at over $1 trillion) we better step up and see to it that it’s adequately protected or why bother at all.