[iwar] Al Qaeda cyber alarm sounded (fwd)

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2002-07-25 16:05:25


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Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 16:05:25 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [iwar] Al Qaeda cyber alarm sounded (fwd)
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Al Qaeda cyber alarm sounded
BY William Matthews 
July 25, 2002    
http://www.fcw.com/  

There is a 50 percent chance that the next time al Qaeda terrorists strike=
the United States, their attack will include a cyberattack, Rep. Lamar=
Smith (R-Texas) warned. 

In closed-door briefings for members of Congress, Smith said officials from=
federal law enforcement and intelligence-gathering agencies disclosed that=
al Qaeda operatives have been exploring U.S. Web sites and probing the=
electronic infrastructure of American companies in search of ways to=
disable power and water supplies, disrupt phone service and damage other=
parts of the critical infrastructure.

A successful cyberattack could cause billions of dollars in damage and lead=
to thousands of deaths, Smith told a gathering of congressional staffers=
and technology industry representatives July 23. 

Al Qaeda members seem especially interested in how they might disable the=
systems that provide electricity to California, Smith said. If it were to=
succeed, hospitals could be left powerless, causing patients to die, and=
commerce and much other activity would come to a halt, causing billions of=
dollars of economic damage.

Such a cyberattack could be used to dramatically increase the damage done=
by a physical attack, said Smith, who is chairman of the House Judiciary=
Committee's Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee. 

About 90 percent of the nation's critical infrastructure is privately=
owned, and much of it remains vulnerable to cyberattacks, according to the=
Business Software Alliance, a technology industry association.

A June survey by the BSA showed that 74 percent of the technology=
professionals asked thought it was "nearly certain" that there will be a=
cyberattack against American financial institutions in the next 12 months.=
Respondents said that attacks also are likely against communications=
systems, transportation infrastructure, water systems, dams and power=
plants, the survey concluded.

Fifty-nine percent of those surveyed said they expect a major cyberattack=
against the federal government in the next 12 months. And they said there=
is a gap between the likelihood of an attack and the government's ability=
to respond to it. The findings prompted BSA president Robert Holleyman to=
call for creation of a Cyber Security Agency within the Homeland Security=
Department. 

In Congress, the House this month passed Smith's Cyber Security Enhancement=
Act, but the bill focus more on catching, prosecuting and punishing=
cybercriminals than on strengthening systems to withstand cyberattacks.

Source:
http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2002/0722/web-attack-07-25-02.asp

--This communication is confidential to the parties it is intended to serve--
Fred Cohen		Fred Cohen & Associates.........tel/fax:925-454-0171
fc@all.net		The University of New Haven.....http://www.unhca.com/
http://all.net/		Sandia National Laboratories....tel:925-294-2087


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