GW Welcomes Former CIA Director to Discuss Hacking, Cyber Warfare, and Drones

by Evan Ritscher


GW welcomed former CIA and NSA director General Michael Hayden for a conversation with Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs Frank Sesno on the role cyber attacks have in espionage and warfare. The conversation touched on topics ranging from cyber attacks and hacking to the use of drones in the War on Terror. The event, which was held Tuesday night, comes just weeks after the New York Times published an article outlining an attack against it’s own computer system from Chinese hackers and the same day as another Times article claiming that a great deal of major cyber attacks against U.S. companies and organizations come from a Chinese military unit working from outside Shanghai.

Hayden said that espionage against the United States is by no means surprising but what is troubling about this type of hacking from the Chinese is that they aren’t stealing secrets; they are stealing control. When asked if he knew what the Chinese want to do with America’s cyber network, Hayden, in the fashion of a true intelligence office, said he did not know nor, could he speculate. But, he did say that “bureaucracies do what bureaucracies do” adding that every nation-state has a contingency plan, and that these examples of hacking may simply be the most rational plan for a Chinese contingency plan.

While Hayden insisted that China is not an enemy of the United States he maintained that Chinese espionage remains disturbing and that it “should not stand.” He went on to say that there are some things we can do to further protect ourselves and reduce the Chinese cyber threat. 
 “We can be more robust in defending our networks,” Hayden said.   

Hayden also asserted that the U.S. can make Chinese cyber behavior a part of the U.S.-China relationship, economically, diplomatically, or otherwise. Essentially, using the American consumer market as a bargaining chip to stop the Chinese from hacking American computer networks.

In one of the most interesting points in the discussion, Hayden argued that before the United States can substantively move forward with regards to cyber security, the American people have to make a decision about what they believe the proper role of the government is in protecting America's cyber network. What we permit and prohibit the intelligence community will be key in deciding what an American cyber security apparatus will look like.  

“Because we haven’t worked that out, your network is less protected," he added.

Stressing the importance of sharing information from private companies and citizens to effectively protect American organizations as well as critical pieces of American infrastructure,  Hayden asked if we wanted the government’s defense of American computer networks to resemble the military, the police, the fire department, or the Centers for Disease Control. While admitting that he “did not have a good answer” to his question, Hayden said that he believed that private businesses should be the supported group, while the government should play a supporting role.

The challenges of modern espionage in the Internet age are compounded further Hayden says because he questioned the level of espionage needed to combat global threats is possible in a society that is increasingly demanding more transparency at every aspect of national life. Answering his own question, Hayden couldn’t say what the result would be but did say that it certainly doesn’t help U.S. security. 

“The implication is we will be marginally or significantly less safe,” he said. 

Espionage is still important and necessary, he argued but much more difficult simply because there is so much more information that needs to be stolen.

"Cyber warfare has the whiff of August 1945" he said, referencing the way the dropping of the atom bomb changes warfare in the 20th century and compounding the importance of cyber security and espionage. 

The discussion also touched on the controversial use of drones. The General said he supported the use of drones even to kill American citizens without traditional judicial process because the United States is unequivocally at war and appropriate steps must be taken. While the legality of such drone strikes was defended by Hayden, he did concede that it was a narrow legality and unsustainable in the long term without further changes.

 "Keep it in your tool kit," he said, referencing drones. The implications of such actions were not lost on the General, however, who called for a commission of sorts comprised of both the legislative and executive branches to become involved in the use of drones. 

In offering advice for students interested in working for the CIA, Hayden said that applicants should learn a second language. 

"The more exotic the better" he said. "If they teach it in your high school, it's probably the wrong one.”