The Obama administration considered using cyber attacks against Libya in March, when NATO-led troops began to descend on the region. The attacks would have been aimed at taking out systems used to run Libyan air-defense. After much debate, the decision was made not to use cyberwarfare, fearing among other things, it could set a bad precedent for countries like Russia and China. The New York Times reports: “This previously undisclosed debate among a small circle of advisers demonstrates that cyberoffensives are a growing form of warfare. The question the United States faces is whether and when to cross the threshold into overt cyberattacks.” Also, once viruses are released, what’s going to stop others from going into those computers and stealing the code?
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
