The government of the USA was constituted “to provide for the common defense” among other things.^[1] Unfortunately the line between public responsibility and private responsibility for defense in cyberspace could be rather blurry.

Clearly when there is warfare in the physical world the combatants are also likely to utilize cyber tactics of some sort, even if only for informational or propaganda purposes, but more likely as powerful tactics to take down their target’s ability to respond quickly or in a focused manner. Because governments aren’t really equipped to handle these types of attacks, which would include attacks against private infrastructure, not just government systems, they’d have to rely on private companies, individuals and groups — essentially private armies — to deflect or thwart any attack. [Read more…]