2.6+Military



Cyber Warfare **What is cyberwarfare?**

Cyberwarfare is Internet-based conflict involving politically motivated attacks on information and information systems. Cyberwarfare attacks can disable official websites and networks, disrupt or disable essential services, steal or alter classified data, and criple financial systems -- among many other possibilities. According to Jeffrey Carr, author of "Inside Cyber Warfare," any country can wage cyberwar on any other country, irrespective of resources, because most military forces are network-centric and connected to the Internet, which is not secure. For the same reason, non-governmental groups and individuals could also launch cyberwarfare attacks. Carr likens the Internet's enabling potential to that of the handgun, which became known as "the great equalizer." **Examples of cyberwarfare:** The most effective protection against cyberwarfare attacks is securing information and networks. Security updates should be applied to all systems -- including those that are not considered critical -- because any vulnerable system can be co-opted and used to carry out attacks. Measures to mitigate the potential damage of an attack include comprehensive disaster recovery planning that includes provisions for extended outages.
 * In 1998, the United States hacked into Serbia's air defense system to compromise air traffic control and facilitate the bombing of Serbian targets.
 * In 2007, in Estonia, a botnet of over a million computers brought down government, business and media websites across the country. The attack was suspected to have originated in Russia, motivated by political tension between the two countries.
 * Also in 2007, an unknown foreign party hacked into high tech and military agencies in the United States and downloaded terabytes of information.
 * In 2009, a cyber spy network called "GhostNet" accessed confidential information belonging to both governmental and private organizations in over 100 countries around the world. GhostNet was reported to originate in China, although that country denied responsibility.

media type="youtube" key="DSMOs7CF1Eo" height="315" width="560" align="center"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw--zLJT3ak. Another video.

Smart Weapons

Smart weapon, missile or steerable bomb equipped with a laser, television, or satellite guidance system. Smart weapons, which use guidance systems that rely on external assistance, are distinguished from brilliant weapons, which are totally self-guided. In the case of a smart bomb with a laser guidance system, an aircraft pilot aims a laser beam at the target, a computer keeps the beam locked on the target, and the bomb has a sensor programmed to find the reflection of the laser's light. A guidance computer adjusts the path of the bomb after it is released, using movable fins to steer. A television guidance system uses a television camera in the nose of the weapon to lock onto the image of the target identified by the pilot. Satellite-guided bombs have guidance computers that use signals from navigation satellites to confirm that they are on target; the tail fins are adjusted to control the bomb's course as it falls. Cruise missiles also utilize information from navigation satellites to maintain a proper course during flight. Extensions of smart-weapon technology are off-road mines that can “listen” for moving vehicles and attack them, “thinking” antipersonnel mines that are activated or deactivated automatically after a set period of time, and missile and artillery fire targeted by space-based intelligence-gathering satellites.

Articles:
 * http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/us/23simulator.html?_r=1
 * http://science.howstuffworks.com/virtual-military.htm
 * http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8419147.stm
 * http://wiredforwar.pwsinger.com/
 * http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeraworld/2011/10/2011101916939402528.html


 * [[file:Pros and Cons to Smart Weapons.pdf]] || Mohammad Ezmir ||