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Introduction
Cyber crime is one of the leading concerns of the Obama administration. In the current international system, the United States of America is the only super power. In this regard, the country has been the target of various terrorist groups. Some states in the international system consider the US an enemy. This is because American foreign policies are hostile to emerging economies. When the USSR crumbled, it was hoped that the Cold War would be brought to an end. A number of political analysts observed that the US emerged victorious in the Cold War (Janczewski, & Colarik, 2008). This is because the states that were fighting capitalism embraced it. However, the US has remained under threat from various radical groups. The 9/11 attack is a demonstration of this reality.
Cyber crime is taking a new twist because criminals are using some of the most sophisticated techniques. On 1 September 2011, Wikileaks exposed classified information to the world. The information was a top secret because it contained important data belonging to the US government. Various government officials came out strongly to reject some of the claims made by cyber criminals. The incident clearly demonstrated to the world that the United States is vulnerable to cyber crime.
Emerging technologies are changing the way people communicate. As the world advances in communication technologies, more threats are posed to the American data system. It should be remembered that the US is united through communication. Interdepartmental information that flows from one office to the other is classified. When this is put in jeopardy, the whole system would be at risk. The country becomes vulnerable to external attacks because enemies can easily access its strategic plans.
Vulnerability of the US to Cyber Attacks
The US is highly vulnerable to cyber attacks. The main reason why this country is vulnerable is that components of its communication systems are imported. The country lacks the capacity to assemble all components of communication systems locally. It is forced to import these components from other states. Most of these components are manufactured in China. Some of them are imported from Russia. These two states are traditional enemies of the United States. They strongly advocated for communism, but their policies did not succeed. The country is currently supplying the US with components that are used as storage and data transmission gadgets.
There is a possibility that these gadgets are compromised before they are released to the US market. Moreover, there is the possibility that the government of China, through its military department, accesses the American classified information through compromised gadgets (Carr, 2011). The US lacks proper mechanisms through which it can counter this threat. The US relies on external expertise in protecting its data. This country has an open market system that tolerates competition. Various Chinese telecommunication companies, such as Huawei Telecommunication Company, operate in the US without restrictions.
It is easy for such a firm to leak vital information about the US to various security agencies in China, especially the military department. Unlike other Chinese firms in other sectors, the Chinese telecommunication companies operating in the US have received massive support from their government. These companies are also in a cordial relationship with Peoples Liberation Army (Kizza, 2010). The Chinese military department has been conducting research on cyber crime. This creates a close relationship between the government support of the telecommunication firms in the US and plans of the PLA to enhance its capabilities in cyber attacks.
The American foreign policies may be considered another weakness. Revelations made by Wikileaks were based on the activities taking place in other countries. It is crucial that the state changes its foreign policy making process. As a super power, it is crucial that the country monitors the activities of various nations in the international system. However, the expanded responsibility is putting the country under cyber crime threat because terrorists are using the information to pin down the government (Stiennon, 2010). The system used in relaying information to the White House US is also compromised. As Julian Assange proved to the world, the system can easily be crashed hence releasing relevant information to enemies.
Solution to the Threat of Cyber Attack
Even though the country is faced with cyber crime threats, it is still the super power. Therefore, it must come up with measures through which it could utilize in countering the new threats. Cyber crime has threatened to paralyze all operations of the country in the world. The country has made a step by identifying that cyber crime is a reality. Its effects can be overwhelming to the infrastructure of the country and other key sectors. The strategy of developing defensive strategies that would protect the financial system from aggressors is not enough (Brenner, 2010). Such aggressors would also work tirelessly to ensure that they develop better attacking tactics. Moreover, they will be encouraged to interfere with governmental data to determine how prepared the US is in case of an attack. This may find the country ill prepared.
The country must consider cyber crime a threat to national security. Just as the country armed itself during the Cold War in readiness for attacks and counter-attacks, it should arm itself with relevant technologies. However, the process of arming itself will have to be a little different from traditional techniques. The country must come up with strong cyber weapons that have the capacity to destroy aggressors. It must make the aggressors be aware that it has the capacity to cause more harm should they try to attack (Awan, & Blakemore, 2012).
As it develops mechanisms through which it could defend itself from the attack, the country should dedicate itself to developing cyber weapons that cannot only destroy a country, but also independent individuals and firms that pose threats, such as Wikileaks. Osama bin Laden was an international terrorist who used heavy artillery to attack the United States. He caused deaths to several Americans in both the US and other countries in the world. Julian Assange is posing a similar threat to Americans.
Developing defensive mechanisms would only encourage cyber criminals to attack the government in order to determine its preparedness. Assanges first attempt was remarkably successful. The only way to make him think of other meaningful activities to do with his cyber knowledge is to launch a serious offensive on his technologies that target the US. The government should attack his operations and paralyze them as a demonstration of capacity to manage cyber threat. In so doing, the government should consider handing over this responsibility to the department of defense. It would be clear to individuals, organizations, and countries considering attacking the country that the US is ready.
References
Awan, I., & Blakemore, B. (2012). Policing cyber hate, cyber threats, and cyber terrorism. Farnham: Ashgate.
Brenner, S. W. (2010). Cybercrime: Criminal threats from cyberspace. Santa Barbara: Praeger.
Carr, J. (2011). Inside cyber warfare: Mapping the cyber underworld. Sebastopol: OReilly & Associates.
Janczewski, L., & Colarik, A. M. (2008). Cyber warfare and cyber terrorism. Hershey: Information Science Reference.
Kizza, J. M. (2010). Ethical and social issues in the information age. London: Springer.
Stiennon, R. (2010). Surviving cyber war. Lanham: Government Institutes.
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