Sun.Star Cebu

The ‘third’ anti-Christ

- NOEMI FETALVERO noemifetal­vero@yahoo.com

There are among us who believe that the first anti-Christ was Napoleon Bonaparte and the second was Adolf Hitler. Based on events that happened at the turn of the century, there is a growing concern that the third anti-Christ may not necessaril­y be a personalit­y but a discovery involving a computer.

Have you heard of cyber warfare? In my online research, I learned that cyber warfare is the use of computer technology to disrupt the activities of a state or organizati­on, especially the deliberate attacking of informatio­n systems for strategic or military purposes. Yes, the use of online control systems and networks. It involves both offensive and defensive operations pertaining to the threat of cyber-attacks, espionage and sabotage.

Police operatives raided a place in Manila wherein several Chinese nationals were reportedly operating a gaming company. What exactly were those programmer­s doing in our country? It would be good to follow up the investigat­ion the police conducted to get to the bottom of the Chinese cyber operations.

Kate O’Flaherty wrote “Cyber Warfare: The Threat from Nation States.” In her report, she said that the nature of warfare has shifted from physical to online, seeing a deluge of state-sponsored cyber assaults on the West.

“The issue was put under the global spotlight in April, when the United Kingdom and the United States made an unpreceden­ted joint statement blaming Russia for cyber-attacks on businesses and consumers,” O’Flaherty wrote.

“The announceme­nt which is the first time two nations have come together to show solidarity in this area—the National Cyber Security Centre, U.S. Homeland Security and the FBI warn businesses and citizens that Russia is exploiting network infrastruc­ture devices such as routers around the world. The aim: To lay the groundwork for future attacks on critical infrastruc­ture such as power stations and energy grids,” she added.

That seems to be the scenario on a global scale. Locally, what damage control could be done against cybersex, bashing and fake news?

With the tirade of blasphemou­s remarks from our president vis-à-vis the perceived God of Roman Catholics, could concerns of a third anti-Christ shift from an invention to a person? A maelstrom of reactions came touched by our sensitivit­ies over the attacks on our Supreme Being. One prelate dismisses the matter: “Spoken words from Duterte do not matter; the Word of God does.”

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