Pentagon Plans New Command for Online War

(NEWSER) - The US military is creating a digital warfare force as part of a complete reorganization of its cyber operations, says NSA director and top cyber warfare commander Keith Alexander. In blunt testimony prepared for the House Armed Services subcommittee today, Alexander says the Pentagon’s current cyber training is woefully inadequate. He says a new cyber command will be created at a Maryland Army facility. More»

Four-star general will lead efforts to fight digital attacks

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration is about to create a new military command to bolster American offensive powers in cyberwarfare and to coordinate defenses against digital attacks, reports the Wall Street Journal. A four-star general will lead the new command, which will have responsibility for protecting the country from attacks by hackers, particularly from China and Russia. More»

Hackers, possibly Chinese, download specs for Joint Strike Fighter

(NEWSER) - Cyberspies believed to be working from China repeatedly penetrated the computers of one of the Pentagon's most important weapons programs, reports the Wall Street Journal. Hackers broke into the system for the Joint Strike Fighter Project—the Defense Department's most expensive program ever at $300 billion—and downloaded several terabytes of information, according to multiple sources. "There's never been anything like it," said one official. More»

(NEWSER) - The Pentagon has lifted the media ban at Dover (Del.) Air Force Base and will allow photos of the coffins of US war casualties returning from overseas—provided the service members' families approve. Under the new rules, the families can withhold permission, CNN reports. Some relatives had lobbied against the ban; others say they prefer the ceremony be private. More»

Despite leak warnings, CIA, Pentagon and White House rolled out the red carpet

(NEWSER) - The White House, CIA, and Pentagon all gave special access to Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow to help with her movie about Osama bin Laden's death, according to documents obtained by the conservative Judicial Watch . In one interview , Undersecretary of Defense Mike Vickers tells Bigelow that top admirals can't talk because it would set "a bad example if it gets out," but that she could interview a SEAL Team 6 operator, who would "give you everything you … would get from Adm Olson or Adm McRaven." More»