Computer Intelligence, Information Security and Cyber-Warfare

Undoubtedly, we are increasingly dependent on technology and computer networks, not only at home but also at much higher levels as are business and government where the need to obtain and preserve information become relevant actions.

Under this scenario, create new challenges and new strategies to address these challenges at the same time, make the rules of a game where technological resources, information and intelligence processes are the key pieces to ensure business continuity (in trade) and the operation of government projects/military at any level.

First, because business environments are pouring money into new and better technologies to ensure the survival of their business and keep your information reaches the hands of competitors, jealously guarded by security schemes that seek to curb the actions of hired computer is often hired to perform espionage.

On the other hand, states also invest in technologies through its intelligence services (government and military) giving rise to new ways of getting information in a timely manner under the use of technical resources and different sources of information and intense competition channeling constantly trying to advance on their enemies to steal information that would betray the plans (geopolitical, military and economic) of other nations.

This inevitably means that, from a particular point of view, who we are devoted to information security we should funnel some of the efforts to add state of the art methodologies in certain activities that formerly were awarded only to the intelligence.

In this regard, government initiatives to protect their technological perimeters receive special attention from various States who are involved in a war that is happening in a scene that many may consider again, but nevertheless it isn't: the virtual and whose strategies the "battle" was conducted behind closed doors by using something as common as today's Internet.

These matches aren't based on mass murder as in a conventional war, but are based on computer and technological aspects. Consequently, those who develop better technologies and better implement it, enjoy the ability to obtain higher and better level of information. This form of struggle and large-scale unconventional called Cyber-Warfare.

What are we talking about? It's the use of computerized systems for carrying out a war over the Internet. From this perspective, it becomes necessary to resort to Computer Intelligence (CYBINT - Cyber Intelligence).

From a broad perspective, the Cyber-Warfare is no different to what specialists make Information Security in trying to devise defensive strategies, and offensive, to the safeguarding and protection of information, whether at government or private .

Can we say then that those who dedicate ourselves to this we are soldiers in a war that develops virtual world? I would say it indirectly. We are part of a virtual war that feeds on other smaller and private.

From the very existence of intelligence, information became the spoils of war and at the same time, the food with which daily feed regardless of the methods and mechanisms used for their production. So it's obviously the reason for designing mechanisms to obtain in a timely manner.

Gestate strategies and tactics to virtual combat and conflict scenarios carefully planned by intelligence analysts and other characters from the secret that is entertaining environment from a desktop designing action plans to enable implant rumors, shares of diversion and propaganda campaigns to cover up questions "good" (in the broad sense of the word) without attracting the attention of others, even through malware.

It's then that one of the most important parts of the Cyber-Warfare is Information Warfare, but through information technology and where the soldiers are people with extensive computer skills that are risking their lives the battlefield, their weapons are computers and their ammunition are the bits.

The intelligence services know this very well and were always involved in computations maneuvers designed to "learn more from others" (individuals, governments, companies ...), resorting to espionage through actions that involve technological resources as COMINT (Communications Intelligence) and other not so much as HUMINT (Human Intelligence) but directly related to Information Security, among other activities of military intelligence.

All these issues we directly applied the relevant conflicts that were generated in recent years with cases such as USA and Israel, Russia and Estonia, among others where hacktivism, computer vandalism, campaigns propagandists and psychological action strategies flood Internet for the sole fact weaken the opponent.

The first question that might be created in the mind is why use technology in this way? Well ... Sun Tzu I make it quite excellent when still no one spoke of it: "The enemy that operates in isolation, lacking a strategy and taking their opponents lightly will inevitably end up being defeated."

Jorge Mieres