VOA标准英语2013--Cyber Threat Top Concern for NATO

Cyber Threat Top Concern for NATO

Cyber attacks on corporations and governments are no longer unusual. Suspects and their computers are hauled away on a regular basis.  

That's why Admiral James Stavridis sees cyber security as the top challenge for his successor. he said, "Our society is so dependent on all these cyber capabilities¹, and yet our level of preparation is very low, particularly as an alliance.”

It’s also relatively² easy. Anyone with decent computer skills can do it.

NATO does have a command center for cyber defense³ and a cyber research center in Estonia.  But Admiral Stavridis said, even within the alliance, international cooperation on cyber defense is limited.

“This is, of course, an area in which nations are extremely sensitive and are very concerned about showing what they know to each other," he said. "But we’ve got to get over that because the threat is very high and very real.”

Cyber attacks can range from nuisance attacks to strikes at computers that control banks or air traffic. There have been thefts of government intelligence and corporate⁴ secrets. And cyber attacks can have physical consequences, like disabling power plants. Last week, U.S. officials said a cyber attack helped a gang steal $45 million from cash machines around the world.

At London’s City University, Professor Kevin Jones heads the department of computer sciences. He said the Internet makes it possible for anyone to be a terrorist.

“That’s sort of terrorism at a much more approachable level than individuals carrying explosive devices because people are doing it from the security of their own bedrooms,” he said.

Many countries are developing offensive cyber weapons, and some, including China, Israel and the United States have been accused of using them.

“I think it’s too soon to bring that into the alliance," the admiral said. "But that’s an area that I think individual nations are going to be looking at. And, over time, what’s needed here is the intellectual capital that evolves a theory of deterrence⁵ in the world of cyber.”

Deterrence could be achieved through threats of cyber or conventional attacks. Professor Jones thinks it just might work.

“You could imagine setting up a situation where it’s deemed far too risky⁶ to make an attack on country X’s stock exchange because you know the consequences are your systems will then be attacked and closed down in a certain way,” he said.

But an individual with a grievance⁷ might not care whether his or her country suffers a counterattack, adding another dangerous dimension to the issue Admiral Stavridis already has at the top of his list. 

1 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

5 deterrence   

威慑，制止； 制止物，制止因素； 挽留的事物； 核威慑

参考例句：

• An extreme school of "disarmers" pronounced stable deterrence was a dangerous deception. “裁军论者”中的极端派声称，稳定的威摄是一种危险的骗局。
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。

6 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

7 grievance   

n.怨愤，气恼，委屈

参考例句：

• He will not easily forget his grievance.他不会轻易忘掉他的委屈。
• He had been nursing a grievance against his boss for months.几个月来他对老板一直心怀不满。