The U.S. is now incorporating cyber weapons in its combat against the Islamic State. Using the 6-year-old Cyber Command, the U.S. will mount attacks to computer networks belonging to the IS, in addition to other traditional weapons currently being used.
According to The New York Post, the Cyber Command was currently focused largely on Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. The countries are listed as the origin of most cyber attacks to the U.S. This would be the first time the Cyber Command would be used against the Islamic State.
The Cyber Command is a military counterpart of the National Security Agency (NSA), which specializes in electronic surveillance. The observation that the terrorist organization is effectively using modern communications and encryption in order to carry out its operations and recruit new members has led President Barack Obama to make use of the cyberweapons.
Obama will be presenting its plan in using the Cyber Command at a conference in Germany with other European leaders. Cybercampaign would be one of the newest and important agenda, with the ultimate goal to disrupt the terrorist organization's capability to spread its message, attract new supporters, circulate orders, and carry out day-to-day functions such as paying its fighters.
The cybercampaign has been conducted by a small number of national mission teams, as reported by The Times of India. The team is newly created modeled on Special Operations forces. Further details on the operations are not disclosed as officials declined to discuss the matter.
However, interviews with senior and midlevel officials indicate that the effort has already begun. The operation began with a series of "implants" in the Islamic State's networks in order to learn the commanders' online habits. After that, the team will move by imitating the leaders or alter their messages in order to redirect militants to the U.S. attack areas.
"Our cyberoperations are disrupting their command-and-control and communications," said Obama earlier this month from a meeting on countering the IS. Reports from SC Magazine said that Obama also mentioned how the cyber weapons activities are having an impact on the Islamic State Operation.
The U.S. is now using cyber weapons as its new front in the battle against the Islamic State. The terrorist organization is known to be prominent in the use of digital communication for its operation and recruitment, leading the U.S. to deploy its own cyber operations in order to disrupt the organization's communication and operations.
