Cyber Weaknesses Should Deter U.S. from Waging War

A former top U.S. cybersecurity official says America’s computer systems are so vulnerable to attack that it should deter U.S. leaders from going to war with other nations.

Richard Clarke, a top adviser to three presidents, joined a number of U.S. military and civilian experts Monday in offering a dire assessment of America’s cybersecurity, saying the country simply can’t protect its critical networks.

Clarke says if he was advising the president he would warn against attacking other countries because many could launch devastating cyberattacks that could destroy power grids, banking networks or transportation systems.

He says securing networks will require more government regulation and a commitment by the U.S. to respond harshly to efforts by China and others that use cyberattacks to steal sensitive corporate or government data.