Labour's gravest military blunder
Daniel Korski 9:05am
Labour is often seen as having presided over the erosion of the British military,
squandering money on Cold War equipment and sending under-equipped soldiers to far-away battlefields.
But away from the public's scrutiny an even greater lapse occurred - the nation's cyberdefences were left undermanned while the threat grew daily. As William Hague will tell the Munich Security Conference:
"Along with its numerous benefits, cyberspace has created new means of repression, enabling undemocratic governments to violate the human rights of their citizens. It has opened up new channels for hostile governments to probe our defences and attempt to steal our confidential information or intellectual property. It has promoted fears of future ‘cyber war’. It has enabled terrorist networks to plan atrocities, flood internet chat rooms with their ideology and prey on the vulnerable from thousands of miles away. And it provides rich pickings for criminals. "
The Brown government only moved forward on the issue under pressure from the then Tory opposition. And then the steps still remained limited while the threat grew. The Strategic Defence and Security Review sought to rectify past under-investment by allocating £650 million to improving cybersecurity.
A continuing problem is the absence of worldwide rules, something the Foreign Secretary proposes an "agreement on a set of standards on how countries should act in cyberspace." Getting such an agreement, however, will not be easy. For how does one create a set of rules among states like China, Russia, Iran and Israel to behave better, when the risk of getting caught in flagrante delicto remains so low? And how can the British government ensure that it has not started a process that will eventually undermine the freedom the internet, which has proved so vital in Egypt where protesters have used the web to organise themselves?
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Tarka the Rotter
February 4th, 2011 9:39am Report this comment"Along with its numerous benefits, cyberspace has created new means of repression, enabling undemocratic governments to violate the human rights of their citizens".
Not just undemocratic goverments, William... there's a mote in your eye (or is it a beam???)
Fatbloke on tour
February 4th, 2011 9:39am Report this commentDK
Cut out the crap, cyber security is this season's buzzword.
Just a case of the Tory party trying to get all hip and hanging out with the "cool" kids.
The ghost of Duncan Sandys rides again.
Just what would be the budget to develop the Harrier 3? You could always use the change left over from the £650mill budget to pay a few spotty teenagers to swap their bedrooms for a government office.
normanc
February 4th, 2011 9:40am Report this commentSurely what we need are more quangos, more regulations, more bureaucrats, more government control.
No?
Alternatively we could, as suggested, build up our defences.
What option do you think the government will choose? That's a rhetorical question.
TomTom
February 4th, 2011 9:51am Report this commentSo they will repeal RIPA ? The British Government is the one pushing in the EU for more controls - see Statewatch.
Maybe all these contract programmers from India will handle such matters since UK programmers are seemingly not trusted with such tasks ?
Rhoda Klapp
February 4th, 2011 10:21am Report this commentDoes our government have a contingency plan to switch off the internet as was recently done in Egypt? Just asking.
Don
February 4th, 2011 10:49am Report this commentRhoda Klapp, do you have close family? If so your unremitting negativity must be a real burden to them. If not it is probably the reason for your sad, blinkered view on life. Just for once, rather than post a negative comment could you address the issue and put forward either a) an argument in support of the article or b) an argument against the argument. It will make you look considerably less bitter and you never know, it may even brighten your outlook on life. "Just asking"
bonzodog
February 4th, 2011 11:01am Report this commentback to my pet grudge: outsourcing and intra-company transfers.
BT has bought key components for its 21CN network from Huawei - a Chinese firm that has strong links with the Chinese military/political elite.
http://www.scmagazineuk.com/huawei-needs-to-be-more-open-on-security-if-it-is-to-become-a-truly-global-player/article/157203/
We are asking for trouble when we shaft our own industry and then buy critical infrastructure products from companies like Huawei.
Ruby Duck
February 4th, 2011 11:41am Report this commentFatbloke still living in 1992 ?
To a 20-yr old, the internet is about as 'cool' as having a switch on the wall to turn on the lights.
Rhoda Klapp
February 4th, 2011 11:45am Report this commentdon, somebody has to ask that kind of question. Pollyanna doesn't cut it. My family is fine, I save my unrelenting negativity for people like Daniel Korski and others in politics who propose themselves to run all our lives but do not seem to have clue of how to do it. I don't have to like them. Their actions are open to criticism. They make many mistakes. They are making mistakes right now, on the EU, on energy supplies for the medium and long term, on...well, lots of things. How positive do you want me to be about a government which plans the nation's energy, and thereby its economic future, on wind and wishful thinking?
I think you will find that my comments have my name written against them in bold. This is for the convenience of those who don't want to engage with negativity. Just skip them.
Owen Morgan
February 4th, 2011 11:46am Report this commentIsrael should behave "better" in cyberspace? Israel may be the only reason Iran has no atomic weapons yet, thanks to Israeli activity in cyberspace. If I can sign up to support Israel's efforts, will someone, please, tell me how?
Don
February 4th, 2011 11:59am Report this commentRhoda Klapp "My family is fine, I save my unrelenting negativity for people like Daniel Korski".
Fair enough, at least you recognise and admit to your unrelenting negativity.
Rhoda Klapp
February 4th, 2011 12:50pm Report this commentNegative? No, I'm not.
The Oncoming Storm
February 4th, 2011 3:31pm Report this commentbonzodog, agree with you about the BT contract but what we all need to remember is that BT's traditional supplier Marconi had been bankrupted by the decisions of Lord Simpson, one of Tony's Cronies IIRC so when the 21CN bidding came around it was unable to outbid the Chinese!
Dave B
February 4th, 2011 4:19pm Report this commentI'm not sure what 'worldwide rules' will do without an audit trail.
Does IPsec solve that problem?
James
February 4th, 2011 5:17pm Report this comment'Cyberspace'. Jesus wept.
The use of that phrase is the perfect signpost for the rest of us that there's a clueless idiot talking about digital security. It's the IT equivalent of a dad using the word 'hip' with his children's teenage friends.
yank
February 4th, 2011 5:26pm Report this commentYou failed to see R.K.'s point, Don, which removes completely the perch upon which the blogger's fluffy post attempts to roost. Perhaps the spartan nature of the comment was too much for you to comprehend. I get it entirely.
There is no argument being presented here. There isn't even the foundations for an argument.
There are legitimate threats. Identify them specifically. Those are to be defended against. Do so. The rest is just a wordy bleating for reduced freedom and liberty.
Noa.
February 4th, 2011 11:05pm Report this commentDon 0. Rhoda 8 or 9.
Don must like living in a world of pain, or sadly, not notice that he's being played for the uncomprehending mollusc he is.
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