Operation Eligible Receiver

Operation Eligible Receiver

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Operation Eligible Receiver

Operation Eligible Receiver was a federal government implementation during the year 1997 under a program referred to as No-Notice Interoperability Exercise. Several intelligence and defense bodies as well as federal- enabled institutions participated in the program. It was to test the Department of Defense’s crisis and planning action together with capabilities when faced with attacks aimed at information infrastructures. Some of the infiltrated government systems included the National Military Command Center, Pentagon, USPACOM, USSOCOM, USSPACECOM, UTRANCOM, and other service providers for the nation (Linden, 2007). A predetermined team was tasked with using the hacker methods to gain access into the information security and entities of critical civilian providers of infrastructure like communication and power companies. The use of free and available software from the internet provided the platform for operations based on hacking techniques led by the National Security Agency.

White-hat hackers could not breach the systems, as they had been unclassified as compared to the classified ones. In these, the layer of automated shields in response to any hackings or attacks had to be repulsed through control and communication (Bidgoli, 2006). The open source networks provided for access while the systemic radio transmitter that activated any level of entry was quickly shut down while sending notification to primary routers. The limitation was further enhanced by white-hat hackers’ inability to mask the identity of their primary source locaters when visiting the classified systems. The reconnaissance of electronic targets and sites had simulated counter-attack strategies in their fittings for the waved measures used by the team. Disruption of the legitimate networks did not match the central command shields that protected the vulnerability of the systems, thereby limiting the influence of white-hat hackers.

The conclusive remarks pointed top the unprepared state by the information and power control bodies in protection of the vital infrastructure. It showed the level of vulnerability of the country to ward of the cyber terrorism measures leveled against the service providers and institutions at a critical phase of information security. The red team gained access to the root bases in over thirty-six networks of the government. In these networks, identities were changed, accounts created, other dropped or closed while the servers of the hard drives in some were reformatted. The central US command of pacific together with 911 systems and power grids were most affected in nine major cities in the country. It showed lack of preparedness and absence of effective protective systems for security. Manipulative and unsecured activities on information security had to be nullified for the sake of the nation.

After the program, the national information structure had to be improved considerably to ward off future threats. Bidgoli (2006) notes that the structure focused on increasing basic level access routes for the servers and identity strengthening. Increased shield operatives on both public and private networks have been increased as the disruptive and suspicious activities are detected in the first instance. Service providers and information outlets have been fortified with technological advancement in software security and enforced shut down abilities once infiltration is made possible. Surveillance on activities from online sources and close quarter frequencies are monitored round the clock to ensure efficiency. Regular updates on the shielding effect, spy ware software, and the DOD’s mechanisms are enabled through the process while innovative measures of security are changed to alter the registered server routes and entry points. Decentralization of the command centers also has helped prevent attacks of the systems.

References

Bidgoli, H. (2006). Handbook of information security: Volume 2. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley.

Linden, E. V. (2007). Focus on terrorism: Vol. 9. New York: Nova Science Pub.