China could cripple US in cyber offensive, NSA chief tells lawmakers
NSA chief says a few nations have ability to hack into vital systems like electrical grid
PUBLISHED : Friday, 21 November, 2014, 10:16pm
UPDATED : Saturday, 22 November, 2014, 6:46am
Associated Press in Washington
National Security Agency (NSA) Director Michael Rogers. Photo: Reuters
China and "one or two" other countries are capable of mounting cyber attacks that would shut down the electrical grid and other critical systems in parts of the United States, according to Admiral Michael Rogers, director of the National Security Agency.
At a hearing of the House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee, Rogers said America's adversaries were performing electronic "reconnaissance" on a regular basis so they could be in a position to disrupt the control systems that run everything from chemical facilities to water-treatment plants.
"All of that leads me to believe it is only a matter of when, not if, we are going to see something dramatic," he said.
Analysts say the US Cyber Command also has the capability to hack into and damage infrastructure, which in theory should amount to mutual deterrence. But Rogers, who did not address his offensive cyber tools, said the nuclear deterrence model did not necessarily apply.
In cyberspace "you can literally do almost anything you want, and there is not a price to pay for it", the NSA director said.
Admiral Rogers' remarks about critical infrastructure attacks came in response to questioning from Republican Mike Rogers, who chairs the intelligence committee. He asked the NSA director about a private report alleging China-based intrusions into the power grid and other critical systems that appeared to be precursors to attack.
What other countries, the chairman wanted to know, had the capability? "One or two others," the NSA director said, but he declined to name them.
Admiral Rogers said the US government was seeking to establish a set of international principles governing military cyber operations, such as banning attacks on hospitals.
"We need to define what would be offensive, what's an act of war," he said.
China denies stealing Western intellectual property through government-sponsored hacking.
