Top military adviser says U.S. part of ‘level playing field’ when it comes to cyberwarfare

WASHINGTON – Gen. Martin Dempsey says the hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment demonstrates the military superiority enjoyed by the United States doesn’t necessarily carry over to the cyberworld.

As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dempsey serves as President Barack Obama’s chief military adviser.

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In a taped interview aired Sunday on Fox News, Dempsey was asked whether the U.S. was vulnerable to a “cyber Pearl Harbor.” Dempsey notes such attacks could disable critical infrastructure and are incredibly disruptive.

The U.S. has linked North Korea to the hacking of Sony Pictures.

Dempsey said the U.S. has peer competitors in cyberwarfare. He goes so far as to call it a level playing field, which makes him very uncomfortable.

He did not go into greater detail about how the U.S. is addressing the problem.