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Recent years have seen cyber-security rise as a defense industry and national security issue. The frequency of cracking attempts against security-related systems from Chinese sources has grown to the point where it is being acknowledged in the Pentagon’s annual “Military Power of the People’s Republic of China” publications. Estonia found itself the subject of politically motivated cyberattacks from Russia in May 2007. In 2008, cyber-assaults on Georgia operated in tandem with a buildup of Russian troops within Georgian territory, prior to the recent invasion.

Governments respond slowly, but responses are now beginning to get underway. Federal Computing Weekly, “Unlocking the national cybersecurity initiative”

“The cybersecurity initiative launched by the Bush administration earlier this year remains largely cloaked in secrecy, but it’s already clear that it could have a major and far-reaching effect on government IT operations in the future.

Overseeing all of this will be a central office run by the Homeland Security Department, the first time that the government’s efforts in cybersecurity will run through a single office tasked with coordinating the work of separate federal cybersecurity organizations…”