Return-Path: <sentto-279987-2886-1002963029-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.1.0) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Sat, 13 Oct 2001 01:51:07 -0700 (PDT) Received: (qmail 14487 invoked by uid 510); 13 Oct 2001 08:50:17 -0000 Received: from n11.groups.yahoo.com (216.115.96.61) by 204.181.12.215 with SMTP; 13 Oct 2001 08:50:17 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-2886-1002963029-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com Received: from [10.1.4.52] by n11.groups.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 13 Oct 2001 08:50:29 -0000 X-Sender: fc@big.all.net X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com Received: (EGP: mail-7_4_1); 13 Oct 2001 08:50:29 -0000 Received: (qmail 53444 invoked from network); 13 Oct 2001 08:50:29 -0000 Received: from unknown (10.1.10.26) by m8.onelist.org with QMQP; 13 Oct 2001 08:50:29 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO big.all.net) (65.0.156.78) by mta1 with SMTP; 13 Oct 2001 08:50:29 -0000 Received: (from fc@localhost) by big.all.net (8.9.3/8.7.3) id BAA01176 for iwar@onelist.com; Sat, 13 Oct 2001 01:50:29 -0700 Message-Id: <200110130850.BAA01176@big.all.net> To: iwar@onelist.com (Information Warfare Mailing List) Organization: I'm not allowed to say X-Mailer: don't even ask X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL1] From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net> Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2001 01:50:28 -0700 (PDT) Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Subject: [iwar] [fc:Experts.warn.of.combo.terrorist.assault,.cyber.attack] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Experts warn of combo terrorist assault, cyber attack Cnn, 10/11/2001 <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/10/10/cyber.security.ap/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/10/10/cyber.security.ap/index.html> WASHINGTON (AP) -- Computer experts want Congress to imagine a terrorist assault that combines the massive destruction of September 11 with a simultaneous cyber-attack. In testimony prepared for a House hearing Wednesday, a witness raised chilling "what if" scenarios as experts called for a crash research effort to protect critical computer systems. "What if the terrorists were also able to impact our communications system, thus hampering the rescue and recovery efforts?" asked Terry Benzel, a vice president of Network Associates Inc. in Santa Clara, California. "What if the attackers were able to compromise systems monitoring the water supply for Manhattan? What if power to parts of the northeast corridor could have been brought down through a cyber-attack on key systems? We must prepare now to prevent this from happening." The chairman of the House Science Committee, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-New York, said that while computer networks are vulnerable to criminal and terrorist attacks, research and development on computer security has not kept pace with the threat. "To put it simply, we need more people to be doing more creative thinking about computer security. That's what our adversaries are doing," Boehlert said. Computer networks now are critical to electric power, natural gas, petroleum production and distribution, telecommunications, transportation, water supplies, banking and finance and emergency services. A science committee background paper said many experts believe only 45 to 75 researchers in the nation have the experience to conduct cutting-edge research in computer security. Benzel, whose company is a leading supplier of network security, said the most alarming scenario is a combined physical and cyber attack that brings "cascading disruptions on a regional, national or international scale." An attack on the air traffic control network could reduce the ability to track off-course airplanes. A chemical weapons attack could be combined with an assault on computerized water supply control systems, Benzel said. Benzel proposed unprecedented sharing of computer security information between industry and government. She suggested that the new Homeland Security office, headed by former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, make computer security part of the nation's defense against terrorism. Federal agencies also need adequate funds to research new ways to protect critical computer networks, she said. Dr. Eugene Spafford, professor of computer sciences at Purdue University, said computer systems were designed for speed or price, with litt le concern for security. "Security cannot be easily or adequately added on after-the-fact and this greatly complicates our overall mission," he said. "The software and hardware being deployed today has been designed by individuals with little or no security training, using unsafe methods, and then poorly tested." Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : 2001-12-31 20:59:54 PST