DATE=5/12/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUNDER
TITLE="LOVE BUG" & CYBER-WAR
NUMBER=5-46307
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=ROSSLYN, VIRGINIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  Experts in cyber-war say the conflict in 
Kosovo and the recent "love bug" virus that affected 
computers worldwide mark the beginning of a new era of 
information warfare.  They say future conflicts will 
see a wider and more deadly use of computers as 
weapons.  Some experts also say computer conflicts 
will likely have a much greater impact on the daily 
lives of ordinary people, even in peacetime.  V-O-A's 
Pentagon correspondent, Jim Randle, reports.

TEXT:  Computer experts say NATO forces launched the 
fiercest computer attack in history on Serb 
communications, air defenses and military activities 
during last year's war in Yugoslavia. 

But cyber-war expert Kevin O'Brien says Western forces 
could have -- and should have -- done much more with 
information warfare, which he calls "I-W."

                  /// 1st O'BRIEN ACT ///

      While NATO enjoyed many tactical successes using 
      I-W in the conflict with Yugoslavia, I-W failed 
      because it was never fully employed. 

                    /// END ACT ///

Mr. O'Brien is a scholar who follows computer and 
military issues closely from King's College in London.  
He spoke at a professional seminar near Washington 
(Friday). 

During the war in Kosovo, he says, NATO's cyber-
warriors had many computer programs and techniques 
that could be used as weapons, including "exotic" 
software that could confuse critical military 
computers running Serb air defenses.

                 /// 2ND O'BRIEN ACT ///

      Planners devised schemes to insert false 
      messages and targets into the [Serbian] 
      centralized air-defense command network.  These, 
      however, were never fully implemented, due to 
      political hesitation. 

                    /// END ACT ///

Mr. O'Brien says political timidity by national 
leaders meant that only about one-tenth of such 
computer weapons saw any action.  He says computer 
hackers from U-S intelligence agencies located huge 
foreign bank accounts owned by Yugoslav President 
Slobodan Milosevic, and kept track of them even after 
the conflict was over.  Concerns about causing 
economic chaos and legal questions once again kept the 
agents from taking action, such as emptying the bank 
accounts.

Mr. O'Brien argues that such concerns are misplaced.  
In his view, if cyber-war had been more effective, 
there would have been much less need for traditional 
bombs and bullets -- and the deaths they cause.

Meantime, historian Daniel Kuehl [pron: KEEL] says 
future armed conflicts will certainly see much more 
use of information and computers as weapons.

                  /// KUEHL ACT ///

      ...Because the information component of national 
      power is becoming increasingly important to, let 
      me say, dominant in global business, global 
      politics, and the art and practice of warfare.

                   /// END ACT ///

Professor Kuehl teaches classes in information warfare 
to military and government officials at the National 
Defense University in Washington.

Government and military computers are not be the only 
targets in this new age of information attacks, 
according to computer scientist Dorothy Denning.  The 
Georgetown University professor says the recent "love 
bug" computer virus cost billions of dollars by 
causing chaos for business, government and personal 
computer users around the world.  She says this 
demonstrates the growing vulnerability that comes with 
the growing reliance on computers, particularly those 
linked to the World Wide Web.

Ms. Denning says it is very convenient to have 
computers controlling electric grids, chemical plants, 
water supplies or hospital information systems -- but 
such convenience comes at a price.

                  /// DENNING ACT ///

      In this kind of environment, the opportunities 
      for mischief or really serious harm and damage 
      ... explode from where they are now.  Right now, 
      cyber-space is not that closely coupled with the 
      physical world.  You can get hold of a lot of 
      information, but you can't control a lot of 
      processes.  But I see that changing, and the 
      threat is going to change with it.

                  /// END ACT ///

Computer warfare expert Kevin O'Brien says experts 
issued warnings months ago about computer viruses like 
the one that appeared this month, hidden in e-mail 
messages marked "I LOVE YOU." 

The rogue program hijacked the hard drive of anyone 
who opened a file attached to the e-mail message, by 
immediately sending electronic copies of itself to 
computers around the globe.  The virus also copied 
victims' passwords, and many victims reported their 
private files were damaged.

Mr. O'Brien says the next offensive computer program 
could hit even harder, because the hackers who write 
virus programs are becoming more skilled, and because 
more people are using vulnerable computers each day.   
(Signed)

NEB/JR/WTW



12-May-2000 20:38 PM EDT (13-May-2000 0038 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.