Intellectual Property Law

It will be no surprise to those who know me that my eye was caught by an astonishing report on the Computing site, about the US Air Force setting up a unit dedicated to "both offensive and defensive cyberspace operations". 

Led by a 2-star general no less, it is reported that the unit will (rather ominously) "co-ordinate with physical armed forces in order to target and attack those enemies with a hostile presence in cyberspace".

This in itself is not surprising. Last month (among others) The Times reported huge levels of cyber espionage against not only government and military targets in the west, but also businesses and even city law firms involved in major contracts.  Cyberspace is also a environment tailor-made for terrorist groups  waging "asymetrical warfare".

So, it was always inevitable that the Pentagon would focus its attention on cyberspace sooner rather than later. What IS jaw-dropping however is the sheer scale of the initiative.  By the time it is fully operational at the ends of 2008, the unit will have - wait for it - THIRTY THOUSAND staff (that's a 3 and 5 zeroes).

By contrast, following last month's alarms, UK chief security officers were said to have described our own government?s response as ?not fit for purpose? and ?like neighbourhood watch?. 

And they say we're becoming more and more like the US every day... sounds like we could do worse.