The economic sanctions that the U.S has levied against North Korea following the hack on Sony Pictures is an example of the range of options the U.S. has when responding to cyber attacks, the chief of US Cyber Command said Monday.
Navy Adm. Michael Rogers, who also heads the National Security Agency, spoke in support of the US’ economic sanctions against North Korea in response to the hack on Sony Pictures. It was important for the US to acknowledge a “red line” had been crossed, he said, according to a report in Defense News.
“The whole world was aware that Sony Corporation had suffered an offensive act that destroyed data as well as destroyed hardware,” Rogers said in a cybersecurity forum at George Washington University.
The way to deter an adversary is to convince them that their attack will fail, or will cost more than it gains them, Rogers said. However, the response does not have to be of a like nature.
“Because an opponent comes at us in the cyber domain doesn’t mean we have to respond in the cyber domain,” Rogers said. “We think it`s important that potential adversaries out there know that this is part of our strategy. The whole goal is, you do not want to engage in escalatory behavior.”
