Pentagon debates cyberwarfare expansion

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Department is debating whether to develop offensive cyberwarfare capabilities, documents show.

A new National Military Strategy for Cyberspace Operations, declassified earlier this year, revealed an internal Pentagon discussion over using cyberwafare techniques for offensive as well as defensive purposes and gave the military a green light to push for expanded capabilities, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

The newspaper said the topic of cyberwarfare got a higher profile when Georgia's computer systems came under assault as Russia's military pushed into the country last month.

Citing unnamed Pentagon sources, the Times said senior military officials debated whether cyberspace should be further militarized. One such official said defensive "exploitation" of foreign computer networks to gather intelligence is now the most prevalent use of U.S. cyberpower.

But because of Russia's use of cyberspace, other officials say they believe the U.S. military, if allowed, could move well past intelligence gathering and establish many new offensive capabilities that would complement conventional combat.