HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass., May 13 (UPI) -- The head of the U.S. Air Force's provisional Cyber Command said the escalation of cyber warfare requires new thinking to counter the threat.
Maj. Gen. William Lord, commander of the provisional Air Force Cyber Command, said the Air Force is known for its ability to launch an effective air-to-ground attack on enemy targets using bombs, but 21st century cyber warfare requires new thinking, the Air Force reported.
Speaking to defense-industry professionals and others at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, Lord warned that antiquated laws and other restrictions have forced Cyber Command into a defensive position against unknown threats. Lord said that despite a rapid acceleration of U.S. cyber defenses, more needs to be done.
"Our trouble today is that we're always shooting behind the rabbit," Lord said, according to the Air Force.
"We wait for the latest exploit, and then when something bad happens, we figure out how to fix it. I think that cyber can be the next strategic force of the future."
