U.S. in cyberweapons race with China, Russia

Cybersecurity is to 2013 what the space program was to the 1950s and 1960s, and the United States is in an aggressive race with China and Russia to develop cyberweapons that can damage infrastructure, one industry expert says.

The three nations have constructed huge inventories of technologically advanced computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses and the like, all aimed at inflicting massive computer-related damages, said Scott Borg, the chief executive officer of the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, which is a nonprofit that guides the United States on cybersecurity policy and development, according to an NBC report.

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Iran is a threat, too, Mr. Borg said. The country is in process of building its own “cyberarmy,” Mr. Borg said, in the NBC report.

The acknowledgment comes at a time when the United States just learned a sophisticated Chinese military unit was responsible for hacking into 141 facilities around the world, including in America.

The White House, meanwhile, said it will release a report Wednesday that recommends tighter crackdowns on hackers, according to The Associated Press.

AP says the report will specify fines and trade actions against China and other countries that are found guilty of cyberspying.

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