From SC Magazine:  Finland has joined Sweden in plans to build an offensive capability as part of its national online defence arsenal.

The nation’s Ministry of Defence aims to create malware and exploits to launch online counter-attacks to threats.

"Attack is an unfortunate word, but there can be no defensive capability without the ability to offer a counter-punch," Defence permanent secretary Lt. Gen. Arto Räty told Helsingin Stomata.

"The two things go hand in hand".

The counter-offensive capability would be presented to parliament in a defence strategy next year and formalised in 2013.  

From Helsingin Stomata:  Erka Koivunen, the Head of CERT-FI, the national Computer Emergency Response Team at the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority, notes that the subject of actively building the capability to launch such an attack is not one that is talked about much – "It is a kind of taboo", he says.

At the same time, Koivunen argues that even a civilian organisation such as the FCRA needs to learn the techniques of attack as well as defence, if for no other reason than to be able to test accurately the strengths and weakness of one’s own data network defences.

In some circumstances, attack is the best means of defence.

Whilst it may be sensitive, the issue is a topical one – all major states have taken steps to build an offensive capacity in this department, and in August the chairman of the Social Democrats in Sweden proposed that much the same should be considered there.  (graphic: US Infrastructure)

Image: 10%201%2010%20cyber-warfare_1.jpg