PKG: Is the U.S. ready for cyber warfare?

From accusations of meddling in the presidential elections, fake news on Facebook, and finding footholds to shutdown US power plants, security experts say countries like Russia could have the ability to wage cyber warfare on the US.

The US and UK have accused Russia of backing hackers to infiltrate their infrastructure - whether it be hospitals, businesses or the government.

Frances Read looks at whether the US is ready to deal with the threat - and if America needs to do more to protect itself.

DUR: 3,12"
IN: "Behind closed doors…
OUT: LOS ANGELES

GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0420Cybersecurity-fr-gen.mp3

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PKG SCRIPT:

VO1: Behind closed doors - the world has a new battleground. Cyber warriors specially trained to protect a country's infrastructure - but also to potentially attack another's. With tensions rising across the globe there are questions about the sophistication of this new warfare - and who would win a battle in cyberspace. This is not science fiction... The US blamed Russia for cyber attacks targeting American power grids. And it took sanctions against the country for interfering in the US presidential elections.

BOBBY CHACON, Former FBI Agent: "I have no doubt that all future warfare will contain a cyber element."

VO2: Bobby Chacon is a former FBI agent. He says the US was taken by surprise.

BOBBY CHACON, Former FBI Agent: "The US was a little behind the ball we didn't expect it so I think after the 2016 election it was a huge learning curve by the states and homeland security and they've gone to work on a lot of things to correct those mistakes and fast because the Russians realized they were successful to some degree in meddling in our elections that only encourages them to keep doing it."

VO3: In the developed world - so much relies on the internet - from our finances to our healthcare. And the question is just how vulnerable that makes us - could a cyber attack affect ordinary citizens - shutting down access to our money, our cities, and our lives with just the push of a button? Banking experts say that's not the case. And that they've adapted to stay ahead of the game. Bill Nelson is CEO at the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

BILL NELSON, FINANCIAL SERVICES INFORMATION SHARING AND ANALYSIS CENTER "I think the diversification of the banking industry means it's difficult to go after the entire banking industry you might be able to attack a few banks and we've seen some of that in the past attributed to nation states. Was it crippling, not exactly, was it inconvenient, yes. So we're seeing the volume and sophistication increase and as the attackers are raising their capabilities we're raising our bar too and creating better defenses."

VO4: But to really keep ahead of would-be hackers, security experts say we need a total revamp of the way we rely on the internet.

PROF CLIFFORD NEUMAN, USC'S CENTER FOR SYSTEMS SECURITY: "Clearly not enough is being done I think we need to rethink the way we design all our systems."

VO5: Professor Clifford Neuman from the University of Southern California say our current expectations are making us more vulnerable.

PROFESSOR CLIFFORD NEUMAN, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA  "Nowadays everyone is demanding instant access into all their information whether controlling their air conditioning in their home, which is tied into the power grid for example or access all of their bank accounts from their smartphone and when this gives them access it gives hackers access as well so in order to protect our systems is two things - we need to move back to some level of isolation. There should be certain things you can't do unless you are physically present ."

VO6: But that will inevitably mean change. And lot of what's going on behind closed doors is a secret. No country wants to say how far it is ahead, or behind, on the frontline of this very new combat zone. I'm Frances Read in Los Angeles.