' ILLEGAL OPERATION '

While cyber-warfare may be a reality, and sites such as wikileaks have already done much damage, I find this article just a 'little bit over the top'

http://news.sky.com/home/technology/article/16101158

I think it is naive to think Governments are not already participating in a cyber dance of sorts. As i posted on FB (the new evil empire?) the only secure system is one unplugged, no hard drive in a bunker filled with cement. In the old days you had humint, where someone had to be bribed or items stolen/photographed to get the intelligence. With much of the modern world in digital form it just takes a skilled person with the right knowledge to get information AKA elint. Yes, I do occasionally need a tin foil hat

Oh, trust me Capt, I'm not that naive ... I'm not however sure that we are in peril quite as much as this article seems to intimate ... and certainly on the level which most people will read it (at the individual) ... most of whom can't be bothered with or are complete unaware of Facebook, Myspace, Yahoo, MSN, IRC and other 'open ports' on their OWN SYSTEMS but will perpetuate false e-mail warnings about 'virii' which will destroy your hard drive ... blow up your house, sell your children

I think there is good information in the article, but it's very alarmist in nature.

I tend to believe the guy. Who do we call when we need to know something about something.. the guy that built it or works on it. As time went by during my past career life I was privy to learn how things worked and how to install them. Over time you learn various inside secrets. You soon become the "expert" and go to guy to deal with "special requests". You learn that public perception is often the only real security that exists. If everyone knew what you did the thin vail of security and secrecy rips wide open. What seemed like and insane possibility a decade ago become common knowledge today. But think about it; technology exists because someone got and idea and acted on it; to build it; others study it and unlock its secrets to copy it; improve on it; or exploits its weaknesses for ill gotten gain. My question is when did evil stop existing? The pharos of Egypt design amazing tombs. The kings needed engineers to design and build these marvels so that thieves couldn't get to their treasures and wealth... they realized that that the only sure way to keep it a secret and stay hidden was to kill everyone involved. We don't kill everyone involved anymore... more or less.

So yes, I do believe its a reality. Maybe not today but eventually. If it weren't true, then why aren't we still fighting wars with pointy sticks and rocks?

Interesting update:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.bb560ae65a071dc80a1c88fdc371ec35.d51&show_article=1
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/foreign-hackers-broke-into-illinois-water-plant-control-system-industry-expert-says/2011/11/18/gIQAgmTZYN_blog.html