Military Cyber Command: Hopefully Not Just "Good Enough For Government Work"

FindLaw columnist Eric Sinrod writes regularly in this section on legal developments surrounding technology and the internet.

The Defense Department has declared that the military Cyber Command is fully operational, according to Reuters. This is important, as the Cyber Command is tasked with protecting approximately 15,000 military computer networks from attacks and intrusion.

Indeed, in excess of 100 foreign intelligence organizations are bent on infiltrating U.S. military networks, according to Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn as reported by Reuters, and some of them currently have the ability to interfere with the U.S. information infrastructure. It is in this context that the Cyber Command was created in mid-2009.

Now that the Cyber Command has been pronounced fully operational, let's collectively hope that it has been set up to achieve its mission a fully as possible. Plainly, a "good enough for government work" attitude will not suffice.

The methods and technology implemented by the Cyber Command will need be state of the art and will need to develop over time to combat the Cyber forces of evil that do not rest and that constantly seek new and different ways to wreak havoc for their own advantage.

Eric Sinrod is a partner in the San Francisco office of Duane Morris LLP (http://www.duanemorris.com) where he focuses on litigation matters of various types, including information technology and intellectual property disputes. His Web site is http://www.sinrodlaw.com and he can be reached at ejsinrod@duanemorris.com. To receive a weekly email link to Mr. Sinrod's columns, please send an email to him with Subscribe in the Subject line. This column is prepared and published for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author's law firm or its individual partners.

Related Resources:

• Military Ready For New War in Cyberspace (Reuters)
• Join Facebook, Then Join The Army (FindLaw's Technologist)
• Online Privacy (FindLaw's LawBrain)