In the wake of two recent posts here on the subject of cyber security (“Beck’s Lie” and “Continued Negligence“) comes this news report – from which I borrowed this title.
The United States is at risk of a crippling cyber attack that could “wreak havoc” on the country because the “technological balance” makes it much easier to launch a cyber strike than defend against it, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair said Tuesday.
Blair, speaking to the House Intelligence Committee, said U.S. tools are not yet up to the task to fully protect against such an attack.
“What we don’t quite understand as seriously as we should is the extent of malicious cyberactivity that grows, that is growing now at unprecedented rates, extraordinary sophistication,” Blair said. “And the dynamic of cyberspace, when you look at the technological balance, right now it favors those who want to use the Internet for malicious purposes over those who want to use it for legal and lawful purposes.”
Blair said the United States must “deal with that reality,” and warned of the catastrophic consequences of a major attack.
“Attacks against networks that control the critical infrastructure in this country … could wreak havoc,” Blair said. “Cyber defenders right now, it’s simply the facts of the matter, have to spend more and work harder than the attackers do, and our efforts frankly are not strong enough to recognize, deal with that reality.”
He said one critical “factor” is that more and more foreign companies are supplying software and hardware for government and private sector networks.
“This increases the potential for subversion of the information in … those systems,” Blair said.
Blair also told Congress Tuesday that the Internet is providing the fuel for the growing problem of “homegrown radicalization.”
“That … has been one of the most dangerous uses of the Internet,” Blair said, explaining that foreign groups are using the Internet to organize attacks, give instructions and arrange financing.
Intelligence officials are on the Hill to discuss the annual threat assessment, which is garnering particular interest in the wake of the failed bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Detroit on Christmas Day.
Senior intelligence officials told Congress Tuesday that Al Qaeda could try to carry out an attack in the United States in the next three to six months.
CIA Director Leon Panetta said Al Qaeda is sending operatives to the United States to carry out new attacks from inside the country and inspiring homegrown extremists.
Obama has promised to make cyber security a priority in his administration, but the president’s new budget asks for a decrease in funds for the Homeland Security Department’s cybersecurity division.
The government’s first quadrennial homeland security review states high consequence and large-scale cyberattacks could massively disable or hurt international financial, commercial and physical infrastructure.
The report, obtained by The Associated Press, said these types of cyber attacks could cripple the movement of people and goods around the world and bring vital social and economic programs to a halt.
Other posts on this subject:
have you ever read the “web bot” reports ?
Check out http://www.halfpasthuman.com or http://www.urbansurvival.com for more info.
I am sorry, but wholeheartedly disagree with this article and the premises it is based on. The internet is the last bastion of freedom in this country and they want to attack it for the purpose of “safety.” I’m sick of it.
If computer systems in this country are so terribly managed that they are susceptible to these types of attacks, then they SHOULD BE attacked and taught a lesson. The government and companies need to extract their heads from their rear ends when it comes to cyber security. STOP RUNNING MICROSOFT PRODUCTS!!!! (for starters) They’re virus magnets! They’re written so shoddily that they have HUGE, gaping security holes in them that make the Eisenhower tunnel look like the eye of a needle. If the idiots in government are running insecure systems, then I HOPE that someone exploits that and teaches them a lesson. I’m sick and tired of being told that I have to give up freedoms to make me “safe” from moronic a$$hats out there who don’t know how to protect themselves. Better yet, how about removing most of the power that the federal government has stolen and then their computer systems would no longer be crucial to “national security.” Reverse the trend of elimination of liberties; don’t keep marching forward with it!
Obama wanted a Big F-ing Switch to be able to shut the internet down if there was a security risk!?!?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!? That’s what the government is angling towards with these types of fear-mongering press releases and statements. I’m sick of it and it doesn’t work. It only eliminates more of our freedoms. The only BFS the government should be trusted with is one that causes them to self detonate.
This is just more of the same old tripe trying to scare the citizenry into surrendering their freedoms in exchange for “protection” from the boogie man of the week. I’m not stupid. I know the deal and I see through it. The government has rarely been effective at keeping anyone safe. They can’t even use rules of engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan that allow our soldiers to actually fight the war and win it instead of being rolling targets. They didn’t even stop 9/11 and now I am supposed to believe that if we just give them a little more power and control over us that we will be protected!?!? I call BS on that.
People, wake up! They’re trying to steal all of your liberties. They will NOT make you any safer than you can make yourself. The only dangers that exist are amplified by the fact that the federal government all ready has too much power. When you put all of your eggs in one basket it becomes imperative that the basket never suffer a direct hit. If you actually spread your eggs out across multiple baskets, then you could eliminate one or more of them and not starve from lack of eggs. The federal government has become all of our eggs in one basket and now they want YOU to give up your freedoms so they can protect that basket when they had no Constitutional right to put all of the eggs in their basket to begin with!!