It is certainly rare that a documentary covers a topical problem that has such apocalyptical implications as Gibney’s data based exploration of the current state of cyberwarfare introducing major and minor countries to a new and silent way of waging war with potential catastrophic consequences.  One does not need to be a doomsayer to realize that current state sponsored sophisticated computer hacking determined by political objectives destabilizes global security. As distinct from international treaties about nuclear arms and chemical warfare there are no agreements about possible control of cyberwarfare, nor a willingness by governments to engage in relevant and transparent discussions about rules of engagement.  Documentaries and articles are now available resulting from leaks and complex investigations. Credit goes to filmmakers like Gibney, gate openers Edward Snowden and Julian Assange as well as private and unidentified public security experts who enable a long overdue discussion.

At least the educated public is aware of hacking for profit and criminal purposes, widespread use of malware to collect information and the periodic use of worms to immobilize computer systems. But ZERO DAYS is the first documentary illustrating in a convincing manner that we have entered a new period of warfare where nations engage in state sponsored acts of cyberwarfare to attain military and political objectives. Though the US, Israeli, and UK governments refuse to admit their involvement in creating and using the cyber worm Stuxnet, it seems to be beyond doubt that they were behind developing that malware as a cyber weapon for offensive purposes. The attack resulted in the systematic destruction of about one thousand centrifuges which the Irian authorities needed to create weapons grade uranium for nuclear arms. Apparently modified by the Israelis, the Stuxnet malware operated autonomously, replicating itself without being able to be stopped once it was set in motion. As an extremely complex form of cyber warfare, Stuxnet once released spread all over the world and proved potentially useful to other state agencies.  Estimates are that the damage to the Iranian nuclear industry prompted a delay of about one year in creating a nuclear weapon.  As an unintended consequence for the originators of Stuxnet, Iran subsequently  developed  one of the largest  and most sophisticated  cyber forces in the world which to date is held responsible for shutting down  300,000 computers of the ARAMCO system  based in Saudi Arabia and surge attacks on numerous US banks. Russia immobilized the Ukrainian power supply with malware; North Korea used cyberwarfare against South Korea and allegedly also hacked Sony’s computer system. It has also been suggested that Iran as well as other countries control “cyber sleeper cells” in nations they deem to be antagonistic. The number of cyber attacks worldwide has grown tremendously. The most publicized recent case is the hacking of the computers of the Democratic National Committee by Russian sources with the apparent intent to use leaked e-mails to influence current elections, a display of information manipulation which remained to date without a response from the US government.

In advanced industrial societies we have become completely dependent on complex interconnected computers system governing our everyday life. Malware like Stuxnet can readily infiltrate computers running industrial control systems, modify their operating codes and create havoc in the information, transportation, energy and military systems once the self-replicating malware is installed.   It has been suggested that Stuxnet also infiltrated space station computer systems. The US cyber command office and the National Security Agency are the agencies responsible for cyber warfare and any use of a cyber weapon has to be approved by the president, though all pertinent information remains highly classified.   A new Pentagon cyber unit is supposed to expand to 5000 specialists. There certainly is an internal debate over cyberwarfare yet external discussions are made difficult as Obama’s crackdown on any leakage of information shows.

Zero Days provides therefore an important basis for a clear understanding of the complex cyberwarfare issue presenting a cogent yet dispassionate case for the need to develop rules of engagement setting safeguards for internet driven cyber conflicts. Testimonies by experts reveal the secret Stuxnet history and the danger of rapidly developing information technologies leapfrogging our ability to control them. After all an estimated 100 countries have gained some capacity for cyberwarfare. The depth of the problem as emphasized   by Zero Days was confirmed last week. Unknown parties published top secret codes developed and used by the National Security Agency to penetrate firewalls protecting computer systems against hacking. Experts no longer consider the data in the NSA’s hands safe. The balance of abstract power has become more precarious.

Claus Mueller

filmexchange@gmail.com