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The Pentagon - Source: Reuters
The Obama administration plans to create a new military command
to focus on Pentagon computer networks and offensive capabilities
in cyber warfare, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing current
and former officials familiar with the plans.
The initiative will reshape the military's efforts to protect its
networks from attacks by hackers, especially those from countries
such as China and Russia, the newspaper said.
Pentagon officials were quoted as saying the new command will be
unveiled within the next few weeks.
The cyber command will likely to be led by a military official of
four-star rank and initially would be part of the Pentagon's
Strategic Command, the newspaper said, citing officials familiar
with the proposal.
Spokesmen for the Pentagon and White House were not immediately
available for comment.
President Barack Obama is expected to announce a plan to improve
cyber security this month after completion of a White House review
of the issue, the Wall Street Journal said.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to announce the creation of a
new military cyber command after the roll-out of the White House
review, the report said, citing multiple military officials
familiar with the plan.
The newspaper earlier reported that computer spies have repeatedly
breached the Pentagon's costliest weapons program - the $540
billion Joint Strike Fighter project.
The identity of the attackers and the amount of damage to the
project could not be learned, the paper said.
The Journal quoted former US officials as saying the attacks seemed
to have originated in China, although it noted it was difficult to
determine the origin because of the ease of hiding identities
online.
The Chinese Embassy said China "opposes and forbids all forms of
cyber crimes," the Journal said.
