Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Bethel Finances: "Israel vulnerable to cyber attack on civilian targets"

www.bethelfinance.com

"Israel does not currently have an adequate response to targeted cyber attacks in the civilian sector," said Israel National Council for R&D chairman Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel. "Granted, Israel's situation is not bad, and it has the potential to be a key global player in the cyber protection field. However, Israel is lacking activity in the R&D field." Ben-Israel made these remarks about potential combat in cyber space at a Knesset Science and Technology Committee session, headed by MK Meir Sheetrit (Kadima).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Ben-Israel two months ago to examine Israel's readiness to fight potential warfare in the this area. Netanyahu announced the establishing of a "National Cyber Headquarters," with an investment of hundreds of millions of shekels. At the session, Ben-Israel presented recommendations of the Science and Technology Committee, which he heads, for readiness against cyber attacks. The committee recommended: establishing a national cyber headquarters to report directly to the Prime Minister, with a budget of NIS 100 million; establishing an office to deal with the country's infrastructure and the civil sector; policy and regulatory change to encourage the cyber industry; encouraging cyber R&D; developing centers of excellence and encouraging academic and industrial research.

"Israel is home to the strongest leading academics in the world in encryption," said Ben-Israel. "We are among the best in the world in the field of theory; however there is room for improvement in the practical and industrial areas. We need to hold cyber space simulations in our defense establishment and in academia, for training and development."

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