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The three day conference in June 2016 focused on emerging threats
of cyber cities and how a potential attack will impact national
security should the worst occur, the crippling of key
infrastructure.
"Cyber cities represent the highest level of
advancement in a civilization," said Dr. John Arquilla, Naval
Postgraduate School. "We have to develop our own resilience against
cyber-attacks for today and tomorrow.”
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July 9, 2016 - Major urban areas like Atlanta are not only physical
hubs but are virtual hubs in cyberspace known as Cyber Cities where
increased interconnectivity in daily life have amplified the threats
of potential cyber-attacks. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Steven D.
Clark)
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The latest population statistics show about 54 percent of
the world's population is concentrated around urban areas
with that number projected to grow closer to 70 percent by
2050.
Cyber experts point out that much of the
infrastructure for cities across the globe, like power grids
and water treatment plants, predates the internet, which
brings a different set of challenges for those trying to
protect it.
"We are taking advanced technology and
connecting it to old infrastructure," said Arquilla. "This
opens up the possibility for cities becoming vulnerable to
strategic attack."
Virtual cyber ranges are becoming
an increasingly important training tool for cyber warriors
to train, test and implement cyber security. One of the best
training locations is the National Cyber Range located in
Orlando, Florida.
Director of the National Cyber
Range, Peter Christensen, said his venue provides the most
realistic interpretation of cyberspace where operators
cannot only test the effectiveness of cyber defenses but
also cyber weapons as well.
"Cyber cities will be
fertile ground to be exploited," said Christensen.
"Vulnerabilities must be identified in development and not
during deployment; this is why cyber ranges are so
important."
A panel discussion during Cyber Endeavour
focused on defining what exactly is a cyber city? Cyber
experts maintain it may be an idea with a singular true
definition but one which is constantly changing or in flux.
“Cyber city is this wonderful marketing tool right
up there with Web 2.0 and the cloud,” said Cmdr. Pablo
Breuer, Naval Postgraduate School. “I think what we are
talking about is the use of automation to support the
population density that we now have in an urban environment.
Cyber warriors must have a varied skill set to work
successfully to support and defend cyber cities. These
include the ability to anticipate, predict, and assess
threats while working in a team environment.
The
335th Signal Command (Theater) is responsible for
organizing, training, equipping, and manning all cyber units
in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Recruiting and retaining
the next generation of cyber warriors has become a key
objective for the command who has seen the demand for cyber
grow rapidly.
“In positioning our units in
recruiting, a key aspect to our objectives is drawing from a
variety of civilian populations so as to bring their unique
skill sets into our military capabilities," said Col. James
Chatfield, Chief of Operations, 335th Signal Command
(Theater).
Representatives from the private sector
also participated in Cyber Endeavour illustrating the
importance corporations play in defending cyber cities for
both the military and civilian sector.
Partnerships
with government entities in the cyber security realm will be
critical in the effort to reduce the likelihood of a breach
happening, said Jim Patterson, American International Group.
Cyber Endeavour is a co-sponsored event by the 335th
Signal Command (Theater), DOD Information Operations Center
for Research, and the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental.
By U.S. Army Lt. Col. Gregory Majewski
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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