In a presentation late last week at the Director of National Intelligence Open Source Conference in Washington, Dr. Dwight Toavs, a professor at the Pentagon-funded National Defense University, gave a bit of a primer on virtual worlds to an audience largely ignorant about what happens in these online spaces. Then he launched into a scenario, to demonstrate how a meatspace plot might be hidden by in-game chatter.
In it, two World of Warcraft players discuss a raid on the “White Keep” inside the “Stonetalon Mountains.” The major objective is to set off a “Dragon Fire spell” inside, and make off with “110 Gold and 234 Silver” in treasure. “No one will dance there for a hundred years after this spell is cast,” one player, “war_monger,” crows.
Except, in this case, the White Keep is at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. “Dragon Fire” is an unconventional weapon. And “110 Gold and 234 Silver” tells the plotters how to align the game’s map with one of Washington, D.C.
What, you mean the people in charge of keeping us secure are actually BRAINSTORMING ideas about how we might get attacked??? We can’t have that.
What did he propose that we do about it? I’m putting $20 down on “invade the internet”.
[quote]“This concern is out there. But it has to be viewed in context. It’s the job of intelligence agencies to anticipate threats and counter them. With that orientation, they’re always going to give more weight to a particular scenario than an objective analysis would allow,” he tells Danger Room. “Could terrorists use Second Life? Sure, they can use anything. But is it a significant augmentation? That’s not obvious. It’s a scenario that an intelligence officer is duty-bound to consider. That’s all.”
[/quote]
I can see them all now. Addicted to online gaming, living off of chips, pizza, and soda. Grossly overweight, with bad, rarely sun-touched skin, and no motivation left to interrupt their gaming to carry out attacks.
If the warcraft players…dont… then the terrorists…win?
I wonder what their views are on that game counterstrike? That one has both terrorist and counter terrorist factions. I tried playing it a few times, but I never lasted more than 10-15 seconds in that damn game. I felt like a 90 year old woman, totally confused and a little frightened.
Not so crazy. I heard somewhere that the mob used “characters” on there to discuss things… it makes sense, because any loser who’s walking around playing that game isn’t going to pay attention to what some other “loser” is talking about in the online world, and there’s obviously no law enforcement on there.
It’s actually a pretty intelligent idea, which is the only reason that I don’t believe the mob has done it yet.
But I wouldn’t put it past younger generations of criminals/terrorists.
[quote]Gkhan wrote:
Straight up, these pricks have been using the internet to formulate plans, pass information, and spread a propaganda war for frikkin’ years.[/quote]
Is this some type of secret message? What are you saying? If I read only every 3rd word of you post, it says “these been internet plans and propaganda frikkin”
Ok nevermind then. I had my team of badgers and baskett of spoiled meat all ready to go. I will put them back on standby and await further orders, SIR!