U.S. targeting ISIS with cyberattacks of their own

Seems the U.S. is just preventing ISIS from communicating over the Internet, with cyberattacks of their own. The internet as we know it is militarized. - FUA

The U.S. is aggressively targeting ISIS in cyberspace, attempting to halt the group's ability to communicate electronically, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Thursday.

His comments build on those from earlier this week when, for the first time, the Department of Defense admitted to an active offensive cyberspace mission.

"There is no reason why these guys ought to be able to command and control their forces," Carter said Thursday morning at a Microsoft-sponsored event in Seattle.

Drawing a parallel with the use of more conventional tools of warfare like missiles, Carter said the attacks are intended to hit the heart of ISIS operations.

"We’re using cyber in Iraq and Syria the same way," he said. "Black these guys out. Make them doubt their communications, make it impossible for them to dominate and tyrannize the population in the territory they are and just whack away with this as we are whacking away with everything else. We have to put an end to this fast."

The DOS first disclosed its cyberwar operation against ISIS earlier this week, when Carter hinted that one tool being used was a denial-of-service attack. The DOD was trying "to overload their network so that they can't function," he said.

Read for more - PCWorld