US Mock Disaster-Bloggers are the threat

Almost two years ago, the AP requested records on Cyber Storm under the Freedom of Information Act. Recently they received a heavily redacted version which is analyzed in the Daily Herald

Those incidents were among dozens of detailed, mock disasters confronting officials rapid-fire in the U.S. government's biggest-ever "Cyber Storm" war game, according to hundreds of pages of heavily censored files obtained by The Associated Press. The Homeland Security Department ran the exercise to test the nation's hacker defenses, with help from the State Department, Pentagon, Justice Department, CIA, National Security Agency and others.

So who are the threats in this war game?  Muslim Extremists ©?  Crazy Commies?

Imagined villains include hackers, bloggers and even reporters. After mock electronic attacks overwhelmed computers at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, an unspecified "major news network" airing reports about the attackers refused to reveal its sources to the government. Other simulated reporters were duped into spreading "believable but misleading" information that worsened fallout by confusing the public and financial markets, according to the government's files.

What I get out of this is that if when there is another attack on our Homeland©, don't expect to read about it here.  

•  Tips?

  by kharma on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:19:48 AM PDT

  •  Love your use

    of the copyright symbol with "Homeland."

    by Clio2 on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 10:39:41 AM PDT

•  When I read the news story on this

  the other day, I read about the "potential threat" from bloggers spreading information.

  OMG - the spread of information - deadly! - save us!

  by Pandoras Box on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:25:10 AM PDT

  •  Besides the....

    fact that we supposedly have a consitutional right to free speech, does this mean that when an attack happens, our blogs will be shut down?

    by kharma on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:28:11 AM PDT

    •  Note that

      What's the first thing that gets seized when some 3rd world country suffers a coup? The Radio and TV stations, right? Why? To control information.

      There you have it. All sources not under our government's control in the plan to stage a "coup" against US will be shut down. That's what they're talking about. Kneecap any potential coordination of opposition at the outset- it's critical to the "plan".

      by Dave925 on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:56:12 AM PDT

•  "I'm coming to yooooooouuuuuuu!!!" lol

  by shpilk on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:29:47 AM PDT

•  If you knew anything about

  Anonymous and Project Chanology, you would know that when a large number of relatively weak individuals get pissed off sufficiently they can mobilise and target large organisations efficiently without any leaders using the internet.

  The Government is obviously testing the waters to see how far it can push individuals, and how far it can defend against them. /tinfoil hat

  Project Chanology invasion wiki

  Project Chanology Wikipedia

  by Grass on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:31:06 AM PDT

  •  Sorry, don't much like

    the Chanology model, which involves denial of service attacks on the websites of a detested organization. No tinfoil hat, and no problem, the government needs to and no doubt does defend itself aganist denial of service blitzes.

    The Chanologists' spreading of embarrassing (but truthful) information concerning the same organization is more excusable.

    But neither action is really novel.

    Their "declaration of war" seems a bit different, but really, sorry, it is just an animated video.

    Again sorry, but none of this seems to suggest much with regard to positive practical action by bloggers in a civic emergency.  

    by Clio2 on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 11:01:42 AM PDT

    •  I don't condone DDoS attacks

      although in reality they cause little damage, but I was using it as an example of internet users, united with little in common (these people don't know each other), can become a potent force in the real world. You think that isn't novel? It's a new stage in protesting - no top down committee organising marches, just individuals in a single concerted effort directing energy toward a single goal.

      It's internet anarchism, and it seems to be working (at the moment). I find that novel.

      Oh, and regarding scientology: it's about fricking time SOMEONE did something meaningful. There are plenty of people disseminating information, but nobody calling attention to the issue in any meaningful way.

      by Grass on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 11:38:57 AM PDT

•  They'll get my blog

  When they pry it from my cold, dead hands.  Idiots.

  by CharlieHipHop on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:32:25 AM PDT

•  Getting called enemies of the state...

  That'll be nice.

  One more Dem Senator gets elected in November and Lieberman should be stripped from chairing the Senate Homeland Security Committee and every other committee.

  Let him caucus with the paranoids.  See then if he can get himself reelected from the minority Repug Party.

  by deben on Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 09:44:10 AM PDT