U.S. shifts stance and meets with Russia to discuss cyber safety

In the face of growing attacks on government and corporate websites and networks, former rival nations are teaming with the United Nations in secret talks he talks, aimed at finding ways of strengthening internet security and limiting the military use of cyberspace, according to a report in the New York Times. There has been increasing worries by the Obama administration that countries are developing cyber weapons that can be deployed against online targets to disable critical computer networks that control power stations or government departments as well as other threats, which has led to the increased willingness of the U.S. to come to the table to talk about the growing cyber threats. Prior to these talks, the Russians have argued that an international treaty, similar to that used to limit the spread of nuclear and chemical weapons, could also be used to see off the challenges military cyber activity poses to the civilian internet. But the United States has disagreed, saying the virtual world is blurry at best in assessing the potential uses of technology. The United Nations talks will resume in January, and both the U.S. and Russia plan to attend an internet security conference in Germany later in the year.