ACIPSS_nl_2011-05

similar weapons even more effective. Hundreds of capable programmers have
been taking Stuxnet apart, and openly discussing the results. While Stuxnet
was probably created as a highly classified government project (Israel and
the U.S., in a joint effort, are the most likely suspects), no one has
taken credit for it. Thus Stuxnet belongs to no one, and everyone. The
public discussion on the Internet has provided a bonanza of useful
criticism of how Stuxnet was put together, often describing in detail how
flaws could be fixed or features improved. But even when such details were
not provided, the programmers picking apart Stuxnet usually mentioned what
tools or techniques were needed to make the code more effective.
On the down side, this public autopsy of Stuxnet makes the inner workings
of the worm software, and all the improvements, available to anyone. Then
again, security professionals now have a much clearer idea of how this kind
of weapon works, and this can make future attempts to use a Stuxnet-type
weapon more difficult.
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htiw/articles/20110129.aspx
SPYCRAFT
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CIA Kent Occasional Papers Provide Insight into Analysis
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(CIA) Browse through the Kent Occasional Papers and discover the history of
analysis. Learn how Sherman Kent came to be considered the “Father of
Intelligence” by writing his book Strategic Intelligence. Visitors will
come away with a whole new understanding of the intelligence process, and
perhaps an interest in a career as an analyst at the CIA.
https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2011-featuredstory-archive/cia-kent-occasional-papers.html
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Falling In Thin Air
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(StrategyPage) The U.S. Air Force is, after more than half a century,
introducing a new parachute for use by its special operations rescue
personnel.
The GAAPS (Guardian Angel Advance Parachute System) is primarily designed
to meet the needs of pararescue troops, who are dropped to assist in the
rescue of downed aircrew, often in enemy territory. GAAPS has dozens of
improvements over the existing parachute, but the big one is that it allows
users to land safely at higher altitudes. The existing parachute assumes
the user will be landing at or near sea-level. But in Afghanistan,
pararescue operators are landing at 3,000-5,000 meters (or more) up. The
air is thinner at those altitudes (nearly 15,000 feet), and that means
parachutes come down faster, and this causes more injuries. GAAPS will also
be able to handle heavier loads and, well, bigger and heavier troops, as
well as allowing users to more safely maneuver the chute to a specific
landing spot. Once testing is complete, the air force will offer GAAPS to
ACIPSS-Newsletter 05/2011 - 43 -