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Details about NSA cyberattack during Bush administration revealed
November 13, 2009 - 2:49pm
On the attack
The Bush administration authorized the National Security Agency to launch sophisticated cyber-attacks on enemies. The National Journal's Shane Harris reports today that at the request of his national intelligence director, President Bush ordered an NSA cyberattack on the cellular phones and computers that insurgents in Iraq were using to plan roadside bombings.
And former officials with knowledge of the computer network attack tell National Journal that the cyber-attack helped turn the tide of the war. Even more than the thousands of additional ground troops that Bush ordered to Iraq as part of the 2007 "surge," they credit the cyberattacks with allowing military planners to track and kill some of the most influential insurgents.
DoD cyber command still not ready for prime time
The Defense Department's cyber command has yet to reach initial operating capability. A DoD spokesman tells FederalNewsRadio that the significant progress has been made and the Pentagon expects to reach the initial capabilities in the near future. The military services are developing plans for how they will contribute to the new cyber command.
Army Brigadier general Steven Smith, head of the Army cyber task force, says the plans were due November 2. Smith says the strategies will address people and cyber tools each service will bring to the command. Smith expects the Army's plan to be approved by its leadership later this month.
FederalNewsRadio also has learned that part of the delay may be because DoD has yet to decide where the command will be housed. At one point, DoD wanted to put it at Fort Meade in Maryland where the Defense Information Systems Agency is going. But industry sources tell us that is no longer the plan.
Additionally, President Obama nominee to lead the command, Lieutenant General Keith Alexander, is still waiting for the Senate to confirm him. The date for his nomination hearing also hasn't been scheduled.
Read more from Federal News Radio:
Should the Marines set up a cyber command?
New command at tip of DoD cyber spear, Lt. Gen. Alexander says
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