clydeiii/cybersecurity · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 4 429
protested throughout 100 cities in 14 countries. Protesters wore Guy Fawkes masks from the
V for Vendetta film, and made Rick Astley's pop single "Never Gonna Give You Up", a
theme song for the protests against Scientology. The seemingly bizarre and childish
behaviour of Anonymous is a part of their cohesion, a subculture of memes, slang, and
humour. A second series of protests began on March 15, 2008, with approximately 7,000 to
8,000 protestors throughout 100 cities in 10 countries. CoS has not released an official
estimate of the financial damage caused by Project Chanology. However, they have publicly
stated that they were forced to increase online security, hired off-duty police officers to
provide physical security at their churches, and have suffered increasing negative press and
scrutiny from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. CoS has denounced Anonymous as
cyber terrorists and Anonymous has since switched its campaign to go after Scientology
tax-exempt status.
China could use online operatives to incite this type of internet based
. It could be used
constructively within China, such as undermining the Falun Gong, or destructively against an
enemy country, such as inciting protests against pro-democracy Taiwanese leadership.
Culture Mandala, Vol. 8, No. 1, October 2008, pp.28-80
Copyright
2008 Jason Fritz
Additionally, these online communities pose a security threat, and should therefore be
examined if only as a means of deterrence. As mentioned in IO, this sort of emergent mob is
not one that can be quickly understood. To be used as a military tool, China would need a
deep understanding of the asset
s culture. In the case of Anonymous, this equates to a heavy
reliance on inside jokes, slang, internet and pop culture. Anonymous uses humour to unite
and to obfuscate logic and responsibility. Credence within the group may come from inside
jokes and creativity, rather than sound information
they even revel in their own failure.
Internet communities can lack a centre of command, and be composed of serious, moderate,
and casual participants, all of whom may change their level of participation on a whim.
Assassin
s Mace
Assassin
s Mace, or shashoujian, is used in Chinese military writings to describe a weapon or
tactic
which can deliver decisive blows in carefully calculated surprise moves and change
the balance of power
(Johnston 2002). Similar concepts can be seen throughout China
history, from Sun Zi
s (tr. 1963) The Art of War to Mao Zedong
s (tr. 2000) On Guerrilla
Warfare. An assassin
s mace gains strength by ignoring pre-established rules of conduct. It
has many similarities to asymmetric warfare, such as being a novel way to level the playing
field, but it differs in that it is a decisive weapon, aimed at incapacitating an enemy,
suddenly and totally
(Navrozov 2005). China possesses several asymmetric, highly
devastating weapons, such as a limited but modernising nuclear weapons capacity, China
ASAT capability, and its electromagnetic pulse (EMP) capability. However each of these has
considerable drawbacks. For example, human rights and environmental concerns have
relegated nuclear weapons to the role of deterrent and introduced limited warfare. By using
cyber warfare, China could achieve the same asymmetric destructive power while bypassing
the drawbacks.
It is unlikely that China would use kinetic kill weaponry, such as its direct ascent ASAT, in
an attempt to disrupt US space based assets. To disrupt US satellite dominance would require
a massive sky clearing operation, because the US has constellations of satellites with multiple
redundancy. The US GPS provides tactical communication and precision navigation, making
it a desirable target
however, the GPS uses at least five space satellite constellations. When
one is destroyed, others can be manoeuvred to fill holes in the net. Not all of these satellites
are within striking range at any given time. This means a sky clearing operation would take a
significant amount of time, thereby revealing Beijing
s intentions. This would cause
international dispute due to space debris, and allow the US to manoeuvre its other satellites
out of harm
s way. It would risk retaliation in which China would be at a disadvantage.
Additionally, there is no guarantee an attempt would be successful, as each launch requires
precise targeting, and China
s ASAT has only been tested once. It is more likely China
would attempt to knock out the corresponding relay stations on Earth by using a cyber attack.
Chinese tacticians have focused on neutralising the uplinks and downlinks of the space-based
systems through diverse forms of cyber attack including simple DoS attack. This gives the
advantages of deniability and low cost. It would remove distance from the equation, allowing
multiple targets to be taken out simultaneously regardless of location, and it would remove
international condemnation and/or involvement (Waterman 2008; Tellis 2007; International
Assessment and Strategy Center 2005).
China could destroy a vast majority of US electronics, including computers, cars, phones, and
the power grid, using EMP weaponry. This is something of which all nuclear armed states
Culture Mandala, Vol. 8, No. 1, October 2008, pp.28-80
Copyright
2008 Jason Fritz
are capable by means of high altitude nuclear explosions, taking as few as three to blanket the
continental US (Electromagnetic Pulse 2005). Open source materials have shown the US,
China, France, and Russia all using an EMP burst as a surprise first strike in war games
(China
s Proliferation Practices, and the Development of Its Cyber and Space Warfare
Capabilities 2008; Winn 2008; Nock and Lizun 2007; Qian and Wang 1999). However, it is
unlikely China would use such brute-force tactics. Using a high altitude atomic burst would
cause international outrage as it violates an international treaty, it damages the environment,
and it indiscriminately disrupts everything in its blast radius. Alternatively, shutting down
the US power grid, production lines, water utilities, chemical plants, telecommunications, and
transportation routes is possible through cyber attack, and it would provide the benefit of
deniability. Details on how such an attack would be conducted are scarce in OSINT as
governments do not wish to publicize their weaknesses or give away their assets. It is
important however that they do acknowledge them, since any computer system which is
connected to the internet is vulnerable to attack. In 2008, the CIA reported that multiple
cities outside the US had their electrical power shut off by hackers. The reports were vague,
supposedly due to security concerns; however it was reported that the attacks came from
online, through the internet, not by physical means (Bridis 2008; McMillan 2008).
Weapons of Mass Disruption

protested throughout 100 cities in 14 countries. Protesters wore Guy Fawkes masks from the

V for Vendetta film, and made Rick Astley's pop single "Never Gonna Give You Up", a

theme song for the protests against Scientology. The seemingly bizarre and childish

behaviour of Anonymous is a part of their cohesion, a subculture of memes, slang, and

humour. A second series of protests began on March 15, 2008, with approximately 7,000 to

8,000 protestors throughout 100 cities in 10 countries. CoS has not released an official

estimate of the financial damage caused by Project Chanology. However, they have publicly

stated that they were forced to increase online security, hired off-duty police officers to

provide physical security at their churches, and have suffered increasing negative press and

scrutiny from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. CoS has denounced Anonymous as

cyber terrorists and Anonymous has since switched its campaign to go after Scientology

tax-exempt status.

China could use online operatives to incite this type of internet based

. It could be used

constructively within China, such as undermining the Falun Gong, or destructively against an

enemy country, such as inciting protests against pro-democracy Taiwanese leadership.

Culture Mandala, Vol. 8, No. 1, October 2008, pp.28-80

Copyright

2008 Jason Fritz

Additionally, these online communities pose a security threat, and should therefore be

examined if only as a means of deterrence. As mentioned in IO, this sort of emergent mob is

not one that can be quickly understood. To be used as a military tool, China would need a

deep understanding of the asset

s culture. In the case of Anonymous, this equates to a heavy

reliance on inside jokes, slang, internet and pop culture. Anonymous uses humour to unite

and to obfuscate logic and responsibility. Credence within the group may come from inside

jokes and creativity, rather than sound information

they even revel in their own failure.

Internet communities can lack a centre of command, and be composed of serious, moderate,

and casual participants, all of whom may change their level of participation on a whim.

Assassin

s Mace

Assassin

s Mace, or shashoujian, is used in Chinese military writings to describe a weapon or

tactic

which can deliver decisive blows in carefully calculated surprise moves and change

the balance of power

(Johnston 2002). Similar concepts can be seen throughout China

history, from Sun Zi

s (tr. 1963) The Art of War to Mao Zedong

s (tr. 2000) On Guerrilla

Warfare. An assassin

s mace gains strength by ignoring pre-established rules of conduct. It

has many similarities to asymmetric warfare, such as being a novel way to level the playing

field, but it differs in that it is a decisive weapon, aimed at incapacitating an enemy,

suddenly and totally

(Navrozov 2005). China possesses several asymmetric, highly

devastating weapons, such as a limited but modernising nuclear weapons capacity, China

ASAT capability, and its electromagnetic pulse (EMP) capability. However each of these has

considerable drawbacks. For example, human rights and environmental concerns have

relegated nuclear weapons to the role of deterrent and introduced limited warfare. By using

cyber warfare, China could achieve the same asymmetric destructive power while bypassing

the drawbacks.

It is unlikely that China would use kinetic kill weaponry, such as its direct ascent ASAT, in

an attempt to disrupt US space based assets. To disrupt US satellite dominance would require

a massive sky clearing operation, because the US has constellations of satellites with multiple

redundancy. The US GPS provides tactical communication and precision navigation, making

it a desirable target

however, the GPS uses at least five space satellite constellations. When

one is destroyed, others can be manoeuvred to fill holes in the net. Not all of these satellites

are within striking range at any given time. This means a sky clearing operation would take a

significant amount of time, thereby revealing Beijing

s intentions. This would cause

international dispute due to space debris, and allow the US to manoeuvre its other satellites

out of harm

s way. It would risk retaliation in which China would be at a disadvantage.

Additionally, there is no guarantee an attempt would be successful, as each launch requires

precise targeting, and China

s ASAT has only been tested once. It is more likely China

would attempt to knock out the corresponding relay stations on Earth by using a cyber attack.

Chinese tacticians have focused on neutralising the uplinks and downlinks of the space-based

systems through diverse forms of cyber attack including simple DoS attack. This gives the

advantages of deniability and low cost. It would remove distance from the equation, allowing

multiple targets to be taken out simultaneously regardless of location, and it would remove

international condemnation and/or involvement (Waterman 2008; Tellis 2007; International

Assessment and Strategy Center 2005).

China could destroy a vast majority of US electronics, including computers, cars, phones, and

the power grid, using EMP weaponry. This is something of which all nuclear armed states

Culture Mandala, Vol. 8, No. 1, October 2008, pp.28-80

Copyright

2008 Jason Fritz

are capable by means of high altitude nuclear explosions, taking as few as three to blanket the

continental US (Electromagnetic Pulse 2005). Open source materials have shown the US,

China, France, and Russia all using an EMP burst as a surprise first strike in war games

(China

s Proliferation Practices, and the Development of Its Cyber and Space Warfare

Capabilities 2008; Winn 2008; Nock and Lizun 2007; Qian and Wang 1999). However, it is

unlikely China would use such brute-force tactics. Using a high altitude atomic burst would

cause international outrage as it violates an international treaty, it damages the environment,

and it indiscriminately disrupts everything in its blast radius. Alternatively, shutting down

the US power grid, production lines, water utilities, chemical plants, telecommunications, and

transportation routes is possible through cyber attack, and it would provide the benefit of

deniability. Details on how such an attack would be conducted are scarce in OSINT as

governments do not wish to publicize their weaknesses or give away their assets. It is

important however that they do acknowledge them, since any computer system which is

connected to the internet is vulnerable to attack. In 2008, the CIA reported that multiple

cities outside the US had their electrical power shut off by hackers. The reports were vague,

supposedly due to security concerns; however it was reported that the attacks came from

online, through the internet, not by physical means (Bridis 2008; McMillan 2008).

Weapons of Mass Disruption