US Cybersecurity Defenses Fail to Thwart Mock Cyberattack

Pants meet ankles

Critical US electronic systems have failed to withstand a simulated cyberattack.

Participants in a recent cyber-warfare exercise told Reuters that the exercise highlighted problems in leadership, communications and readiness. The two-day exercise brought together 230 government agencies, private firms and other participants. Participants were split into two groups – attackers and defenders – before each developed tactics for attacking and defending critical infrastructure systems, such as those controlling banking, telecommunications and utilities.

The basic scenario involved exercises in electronic disruption accompanying a national emergency, a sequence of events played out in Estonia last year and more recently in Georgia. Defenders drew on established defense procedures but these turned out to be inadequate, for reasons not explained in any detail by participants.

“There isn’t a response or a game plan,” said Mark Gerencser, a senior vice president at the Booz Allen Hamilton consulting service, which organised the simulation. “There isn’t really anybody in charge,” he added, Reuters reports.

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