U.S. General Confirms Use of Cyber-Attacks in Afghanistan

In what the Associated Press is reporting as one of the first public admissions of the use of cyber-attacks against other countries, Marine Lt. General Richard P. Mills says:

"I can tell you that as a commander in Afghanistan in the year 2010, I was able to use my cyber operations against my adversary with great impact," Mills said. "I was able to get inside his nets, infect his command-and-control, and in fact defend myself against his almost constant incursions to get inside my wire, to affect my operations."

While reports of cyber-attacks have been shared with the press in the past, such as the development and use of the Stuxnet virus against Iran reported by the NY Times, these reports usually depended on anonymous sources.

Mills was in charge of International forces in Afghanistan from 2010 - 2011. He did not offer details of the attacks. His speech can be viewed below.

The ethics of cyber-attacks and counter-attacks have been widely debated, but it is important to note in cyber-warfare the difference between attacking and defending isn't always clear.

Recent attacks have been linked to Stuxnet, and the Pentagon has recently asked forexpanded cyber-defense abilities.

Video from:

http://www.slideshare.net/afcea/afcea-technet-land-forces-east-aberdeen-chapter-lunch-ltgen-richard-p-mills-usmc

AFCEA TechNet Land Forces East Aberdeen Chapter Lunch - LtGen Richard P. Mills, USMC from AFCEA International

image: http://www.acus.org

Article first published as U.S. General Confirms Use of Cyber-Attacks in Afghanistan on Technorati.