Iran Establishes It's Own Cyber HQ

Photo: Reuters/Caren Firouz

Iran Establishes Cyber HQ As Shadow War Continues -- Jerusalem Post

Ongoing concerns over digital threats from Israel, US prompt Revolutionary Guard to strengthen front in "soft war."

The joint chiefs of staff of Iran’s armed forces have established a new ‘soft war’ headquarters to counter threats from Israel and the US, particularly in cyberspace, the Iranian media reported on Saturday.

The Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces for Cultural Affairs and Defense, Brig.-Gen. Massoud Jazayeri said that Iran’s enemies were ‘very serious’ in their ‘soft war’ efforts against the Islamic Republic, according to Sepah News, the official public relations site of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). “Therefore, we too must develop an organized means to address the fight with the enemy in this arena,” Jazayeri said.

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My Comment: It's not that they are setting up a cyber HQ that surprises me .... it's what took them so long to set it up?

Inside 'Plan X' (Updated)

July 17, 2007: Capt. Jason Simmons and Staff Sgt. Clinton Tips update anti-virus software for Air Force units to assist in the prevention of cyberspace hackers at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)

Inside 'Plan X:' The Pentagon’s plan for cyberweapon Central -- FOX News

The Pentagon plans to bring warfare into the 22nd century, creating a new system to "map" the digital battlefield of cyberspace, defining a playbook for deploying cyberweapons and designating a management facility in Arlington, Va. to bring it all together.

It’s called Plan X, and it makes one thing very clear: Cyberwar is the future.

On Nov. 20, Pentagon research arm DARPA -- short for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency -- released a document called “Foundational Cyberwarfare (Plan X),” a 52-page outline of how to fight a cyberwar. Its heart is a new map of cyberspace, a real-time rendering of the world of computers and how they connect -- switches, bridges, nodes and so on. It then seeks “support platforms” that can deploy cyberweapons, measure damage, strengthen defenses and communicate.

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More News On The Pentagon's 'Plan X' Program

Revealed: How U.S. military hopes to turn the tides of cyberwar with 'Plan X' -- Daily Mail
DARPA's Plan X program to define enabling technologies for U.S. cyber warfare strategy -- Military & Aerospace
Hatching cyberwar: Pentagon incubator will manage weapons -- NextGov

U.S. Navy Preparing To Wage Cyber Warfare Attacks

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan travels through the Pacific Ocean with other ships assigned to the Rim of the Pacific 2010 exercise, north of Hawaii, July 24, 2010. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Dylan McCord

Cyberwar On The High Seas -- Washington Free Beacon

Navy prepares to wage cyber warfare at sea.

The U.S. Navy is preparing to wage cyber warfare attacks against enemies during conflicts and must avoid strategic surprise from a future cyber attack on its networks, according to a strategy report made public Wednesday night.

“The opening salvos of the next war will likely occur in cyberspace and the Navy must be ready,” the report said. “We must organize, train, and resource a credible workforce of cyber professionals and develop forward-leaning, interoperable, and resilient cyberspace capabilities to successfully counter and defeat a determined adversary in cyberspace.”

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WNU Editor: The “Navy Cyber Power 2020" report is here.

Iran's Cyber Warfare Program Is The Real Threat

Iran is working to develop, implement a cyberspace strategy. Defpro

The Real Iranian Threat: Cyberattacks -- CNN

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Iran's quest for a nuclear weapon has been the subject of much debate this election season, but the presidential candidates rarely discuss the most imminent danger Iran poses to the United States: cyberwarfare.

Iran is believed to be behind a slew of massive attacks in September that took down a string of U.S. banks' websites. The country is also thought to have launched a devastating cyber time bomb on Saudi Oil company Aramco in August and to have coordinated a similar attack on Qatar's RasGas, an Exxon Mobil (XOM, Fortune 500) subsidiary.

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WNU Editor: For more info on Iran's cyber warfare program .... go here. Is Iran's program a threat ... probably. Is it a serious threat .... not yet.

U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta: Pre-Emptive Action Possible Over Cyber Threats

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U.S. Defense Chief Says Pre-Emptive Action Possible Over Cyber Threat -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military could act pre-emptively if it detects an imminent threat of cyber attack, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Thursday, urging stronger action to bolster America's defenses against such plots. In what was described by U.S. officials as the first major policy speech on cyber security by a defense secretary, Panetta lamented under-investment by America's private sector and political gridlock in Washington that he said stymied cyber security legislation. He said a presidential executive order was being considered "while we wait for Congress to act."

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More News On The U.S. Being Willing  To Initiate Pre-Emptive Action Possible Over Cyber Threats

US prepares first-strike cyber-forces -- BBC
Pre-emptive cyberattack defense possible, Panetta warns -- CNet News
US can trace cyberattacks, mount pre-emptive strikes, Panetta says -- Stars and Stripes
Panetta warns DoD will respond to destructive cyber attacks -- Federal News Radio
Panetta Unveils Steps to Fight Cyberthreats -- National Journal
Panetta Voices Dire Concerns Of Cyberwarfare Against US; Says Pre-Emptive Action Possible -- International Business Times

Panetta: This Summer's Cyberattack On Middle Eastern Energy Firms Was Among The Most Destructive Ever

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks about the Defense Department’s responsibility in cybersecurity during the Business Executives for National Security meeting in New York, Oct. 11, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Cyberattack On Mideast Energy Firms Was Among Most Destructive, Panetta Says -- Washington Post

A computer virus that wiped crucial business data from tens of thousands of computers at Middle Eastern energy companies over the summer marked the most destructive cyberattack on the private sector to date, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Thursday night in a major speech intended to warn of the growing perils in cyberspace.

Panetta did not say who was believed to be behind the so-called Shamoon virus. But he said the malware, which rendered permanently inoperable more than 30,000 computers at the Saudi Arabian state oil company Aramco and did similar damage to the systems of Ras Gas in Qatar, represented a “significant escalation of the cyberthreat.”

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My Comment: Someone deliberately directed an attack against our energy infrastructure .... it looks like cyberwarfare as a tool for influencing international policies is escalating.

Iran Is More Concerned About Cyber Attacks Than A Military Strike

Iran Sees Cyber Attacks As Greater Threat Than Actual War -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Iran is prepared to defend itself in case of a "cyber war" which could cause more harm than a physical confrontation, a commander in the country's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday.

The Islamic Republic has tightened cyber security since its uranium enrichment centrifuges were hit in 2010 by the Stuxnet computer worm, which it believes came from Israel or the United States.

"We have armed ourselves with new tools, because a cyber war is more dangerous than a physical war," said Abdollah Araqi, deputy commander of ground forces in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA).

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My Comment: I guess last years cyber attacks against Iran`s nuclear program did have a serious impact. As to what is my take .... I concur with this Iranian analysis. The Iranians have doubts that Israel has the capability to launch an effective military strike against Iran, and they also believe that the U.S. does not have the political will to get involved in another Middle Eastern War. But to wage a cheap and bloodless conflict in cyberspace .... and to do it anonymously while making a mess out of Iran`s infrastructure .... the Iranians have now convinced themselves that this will be the "invasion route" that the U.S. and it`s allies will wage first.

Is Iran Waging Cyberwar Against U.S. Banks

Woman walks in front of JP Morgan Chase ATM's. Reuters

Could Iran Be Behind The Online Attacks On US Banks? -- CNBC

The U.S. intelligence community is focused on Iran after a series of web outages at American banks.

JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America both suffered internet based problems on their computer systems this week. For a second day Thursday, some customers visiting the Chase site were temporarily unable to access their accounts, while the BofA site experienced some slowness, causing problems for its customers Tuesday.

While neither bank has confirmed they were victims of cyber-hacking, the former head of cyber-security for the White House believes it's likely they were victims.

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More News On Reports That Iran Is Waging Cyberwar Against U.S. Banks

NBC: Iran reportedly behind cyber attacks on U.S. banks -- USA Today
Report: Iran hacked into US bank websites -- YNet News
US officials blame Iran for cyber attacks on banks -- Jerusalem Post
Report: Officials say Iran behind cyber attacks on U.S. banks -- Haaretz
Officials see Iran, not outrage over film, behind cyber attacks on US banks -- NBC News

Cyberwar Against Iran More Widespread Than Reported

Cyberwar On Iran More Widespread Than First Thought, Say Researchers -- The Guardian

Study of Flame malware used in Middle East and north Africa reveals programmers probably had national backing.

The covert cyberwar being waged in the Middle East and north Africa – particularly against Iran and its allies – is even more sophisticated and widespread than had previously been understood, according to new research.

Two leading computer security laboratories – Kaspersky Lab and Symantec – have been studying a series of powerful cyberweapons used against targets including the Iranian nuclear programme and Lebanese banks accused of laundering money for Iran and its ally Hezbollah. They are now convinced that all were probably created by a national government or governments working together.

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More News On The Cyberwar Against Iran

Cyber clues link U.S. to new computer viruses -- Reuters
US accused of creating three more computer super-viruses -- RT
Coders Behind the Flame Malware Left Incriminating Clues on Control Servers -- Wired
More malware targeting Iran could yet be discovered -- BBC
Researchers uncover tantalizing details about Flame cyber-espionage attack on Iran -- Info Security
Could Cyber Warfare Nullify Nuclear Weapons? -- NextGov
Information Warfare: There Are Others -- Strategy Page

New Cyber Virus Detected That Targets Middle Eastern Bank Accounts

Code from the Gauss virus, a new cyberweapon that attacks bank accounts. CNN

Virus Seeking Bank Data Is Tied To Attack On Iran -- New York Times

A security firm said Thursday that it had discovered what it believed was the fourth state-sponsored computer virus to surface in the Middle East in the last three years, apparently aimed at computers in Lebanon.

The firm, Kaspersky Lab, said that the virus appeared to have been written by the same programmers who created Flame, the data-mining computer virus that was found to be spying on computers in Iran in May, and that it might be linked to Stuxnet, the virus that disrupted uranium enrichment work in Iran in 2010.

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More News On A New Cyber Virus That Targets Bank Accounts

Nation-sponsored malware with Stuxnet ties has mystery warhead -- Ars Technica
Flame and Stuxnet Cousin Targets Lebanese Bank Customers, Carries Mysterious Payload -- Wired
Kaspersky Lab Says It Has Found Another State-Sponsored Computer Virus -- NPR
Newly discovered malware linked to Stuxnet, Flame -- Washington Post
Virus found in Mideast can spy on bank transactions -- Reuters
Nation-backed surveillance malware monitors Middle East bank accounts -- Computer World
Cyberweapon targets Middle East bank accounts -- CNN Money
Stuxnet-like spy virus Gauss hits Middle East banks -- The Guardian
Meet the ‘Gauss’ Virus, Stuxnet and Flame’s New Cousin -- Mashable Tech

My Comment: It looks like someone is monitoring Middle Eastern financial transactions and transfers of money .... and probably for a long time. To build and conduct such a surveillance operation will require huge amounts of money and personnel .... only a handful of countries could do this .... correction .... only 3 or 4 countries can. (U.S., Israel, Russia, and China). My money is on the U.S. and Israel working together on this one.