US Begins Dropping 'Cyberbombs' On ISIS (nytimes.com)

In what appears to be a significant shift in its tactic to battle against the terrorist organization, the U.S. has begun launching cyberattacks against ISIS (non-paywall link).

 

 The New York Times reports that the Department of Defense's Cyber Command unit is mounting cyberattacks against the terrorist organization.

The Cyber Command unit aims to stop the organization from spreading its message.

The Times reports:

The goal of the new campaign is to disrupt the ability of the Islamic State to spread its message, attract new adherents, circulate orders from commanders and carry out day-to-day functions, like paying its fighters. 

A benefit of the administration's exceedingly rare public discussion of the campaign, officials said, is

to rattle the Islamic State's commanders, who have begun to realize that sophisticated hacking efforts are manipulating their data.

 Potential recruits may also be deterred if they come to worry about the security of their communications with the militant group.

 "We are dropping cyberbombs," Robert O. Work, deputy secretary of defense said.

 "We have never done that before."