[iwar] [fc:Warning.on.Cyberattack.'Exaggerated']

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2002-05-09 20:25:11


Return-Path: <sentto-279987-4650-1021001061-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com>
Delivered-To: fc@all.net
Received: from 204.181.12.215 [204.181.12.215] by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.7.4) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Thu, 09 May 2002 20:26:08 -0700 (PDT)
Received: (qmail 28727 invoked by uid 510); 10 May 2002 03:24:35 -0000
Received: from n29.grp.scd.yahoo.com (66.218.66.85) by all.net with SMTP; 10 May 2002 03:24:35 -0000
X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-4650-1021001061-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com
Received: from [66.218.67.195] by n29.grp.scd.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 10 May 2002 03:24:22 -0000
X-Sender: fc@red.all.net
X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com
Received: (EGP: mail-8_0_3_2); 10 May 2002 03:24:21 -0000
Received: (qmail 11854 invoked from network); 10 May 2002 03:24:21 -0000
Received: from unknown (66.218.66.216) by m2.grp.scd.yahoo.com with QMQP; 10 May 2002 03:24:21 -0000
Received: from unknown (HELO red.all.net) (12.232.72.152) by mta1.grp.scd.yahoo.com with SMTP; 10 May 2002 03:24:21 -0000
Received: (from fc@localhost) by red.all.net (8.11.2/8.11.2) id g4A3PBK13172 for iwar@onelist.com; Thu, 9 May 2002 20:25:11 -0700
Message-Id: <200205100325.g4A3PBK13172@red.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 PL3]
From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net>
X-Yahoo-Profile: fcallnet
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: Thu, 9 May 2002 20:25:11 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [iwar] [fc:Warning.on.Cyberattack.'Exaggerated']
Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Warning on Cyberattack 'Exaggerated'

By DAN VERTON, ComputerWorld, 5/6/02
<a href="http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,70844,00.html">http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,70844,00.html>

It's no secret. In addition to the U.S., at least six countries are
known to be actively developing information warfare programs designed to
cripple the IT, economic and military infrastructure of their potential
adversaries. 
However, a classified CIA warning, which detailed China's plans to
launch cyberattacks against U.S. business and military networks and was
made public late last month, grossly misrepresents the threat to those
responsible for protecting government and private IT networks in the
U.S., experts said last week. 
"China is developing a cyberattack capability, but it appears it is a
component of their overall military strategy, to be used in case of
[conventional] war," said Vince Cannistraro, former director of
counterintelligence at the CIA. 
Although experts agree that other nations and even terrorist groups are
researching cheap and easy ways to use IT to offset the U.S.'s
conventional military might, they say most reports have exaggerated the
threat. Information warfare isn't something that's launched without
plans for a conventional war, and terrorists have shown little interest
in the bloodless outcome of cyberattacks, said Eric Shaw, a former CIA
clinical psychologist and profiler. 
Shaw and Cannistraro both said that most countries with cyberarsenals
are unwilling to risk a conventional U.S. military strike in retaliation
for a cyberattack that cripples IT infrastructure and threatens the
health and stability of the economy. In addition, most terrorist groups
see little value in bloodless attacks, they said. 
"Al-Qaeda views the Internet as a method of communication, not as an
avenue to carry out terrorism," Cannistraro said. "It isn't bloody." 
"Considering all possible threats is a nice, creative process, but there
is little evidence to suggest its practical benefit, other than funding
of security-related projects that may not be needed," said Shaw. "So, in
many ways, it wastes resources."

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Tied to your PC? Cut Loose and
Stay connected with Yahoo! Mobile
http://us.click.yahoo.com/QBCcSD/o1CEAA/sXBHAA/kgFolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

------------------
http://all.net/ 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : 2003-08-24 02:46:32 PDT