Cyber-Retaliation?

The US military is reserving the right to return cyber attacks.

The U.S. must fire back against cyber attacks swiftly and strongly and should act to counter or disable a threat even when the identity of the attacker is unknown, the director of the National Security Agency told Congress.

Lt. Gen. Keith Alexander, who is the Obama administration's nominee to take on additional duties as head of the new Cyber Command, also said the U.S. should not be deterred from taking action against countries such as Iran and North Korea just because they might launch cyber attacks.

"Even with the clear understanding that we could experience damage to our infrastructure, we must be prepared to fight through in the worst case scenario," Alexander said in a Senate document obtained by The Associated Press.

Alexander's answers reflect the murky nature of the Internet and the escalating threat of cyber terrorism, which defies borders, operates at the speed of light and can provide deep cover for assailants who can launch disruptive attacks from continents away, using networks of innocent computers.

The three-star Army general laid out his views on Cyber Command and the military's role in protecting computer networks in a 32-page Senate questionnaire. He answered the questions in preparation for a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday on his nomination to head Cyber Command.

By: Brant