http://asia.yahoo.com/headlines/051199/technology/941756460-91104230107.technology.html

US readying for possible 'electronic Pearl Harbor'

WASHINGTON, Nov 4 (AFP) - The US government is readying to defend itself against the growing threat of an "electronic Pearl Harbor" or sneak attack on the nation's computer systems, officials said Thursday.

"There are people out there preparing their electronic fleets to attack us," Dick Clarke of the National Security Council (NSC) told a conference on cyber threats at the State Department.

Clarke, the council's coordinator for transnational threats, told the conference of government officials and businessmen that the potential for what he termed an "electronic Pearl Harbor" was real. He made no apologies for scaring his audience with the comparison to the Japanese attack on the US Pacific Fleet in 1941.

"We could wake up one morning and find a city, or the country or a section of the country without power because of a surprise electronic warfare attack," he said, lamenting past inattention by both the government and the private sector.

Tests such as the well-publicized "Eligible Receiver" operation in which the government hired 35 computer hackers to try and break into government data bases proved all too well the danger of the threat, officials said.

In that case the hackers were able to access only 36 of 40,000 highly-protected networks -- but in four days they were able take control of major power grids and could have disrupted electricity service in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, according to David Carpenter, assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security.

Computer-driven disruptions in telecommunications services, for which there is also precedent, could increase dramatically the destruction caused by a traditional terrorist attack, he added.

"Obviously, the potential to use cyberterrorism in conjunction with such events can magnify the damage cause as a result," Carpenter said.

Ironically, steps taken to protect computer systems from being disrupted by the so-called Y2K millennium bug may in fact increase the odds for terrorist cyber attacks.

With computer experts working feverishly over the past year to guard against Y2K problems, access to computer systems has increased along with awareness of the weaknesses of nearly all computer networks.

"We think there will be an increase in the cyber threat after Y2K because the awareness, technical skills and access to our systems will have increased significantly over the last six to nine months," said Mark Montgomery of the NSC.

"Vulnerability to cyber attacks increases as people have increased access," he said.

To combat the threat, Clarke said, the government has proposed measures that include encouraging students to study computer science with an emphasis on network security.

President Bill Clinton has proposed creating a program under which college students would have their computer education paid for in return for four years of government service in the field.

As an incentive, the students "will have all the best toys the US government has to offer," Clarke said, noting that competition from the private sector for trained computer security personnel was fierce.

The government is also beginning partnerships with private industry in the computer security field that are to begin this month.

Clarke added that government departments will be investing both time and resources into developing complex computer security software that commercial firms do not find profitable to create.

This technology, once created would be shared with the private sector, he said.

-- Uncle Bob (UNCLB0B@Tminus55&counting.down), November 06, 1999

Answers

While I do not disagree with the article, it is yet another example of the cyberterrorist spin being placed in the media. When problems, big or small occur after 1/1/2000 the cry will be that it is all of the fault of "them." It could not be the fault of the government in any way because they were so concerned that they hired John K.

-- smfdoc (smfdoc@aol.com), November 06, 1999.

Is it just me, or does it seem like Dick Clarke never seems to get older?

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), November 06, 1999.

Simple solution...DISCONNECT THE GODDAMN MODEM!!!

What are these so called "critical systems" that they are connected over ordinary telephone lines...Is this the equivilant of parking the planes at Pearl harbor wingtip to wingtip against sabotage and then wringing your hands when they are destroyed by the Japanese???

Come on...Haven't the infrastructure guys ever heard of private leased lines?? Firewalls?? Putting a HUMAN in the loop??This isn't a Y2K problem, this is a Military stooopidity problem!

-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ It's ALL going away in January.com), November 06, 1999.

UB-Thanks for the post. sfmdoc- I guess it won't really matter which

cause is the root of the problem, it is still all part of the overall

"State of the Ship, in the year 2000"

I have given up hope of moving a single being from their present position on Y2K. In light of the most recent compelling evidence, testimony, and state of remediation, or lack there of, not one single person has acknowledged the *grave potentials* and become willing to begin preparing. The masses are hopelessly dependent on a reticent government and media.

Since their is no glue to the community, no bond in relationships outside family, no meaningful fabric to this society, I guess it is time to start packing.

It feels like walking a tightrope, high above the tarmac, no safety net this time, and the flames of technology burn at one end of the rope, while the flames of human nature burn at the other. It becomes a question of which will burn through first, not one of, when will the fire department arrive.

Respectfully; Michael

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), November 06, 1999.

Once again...Simple solution...disconnect the G*DD*MN MODEM!!!

This isn't a Y2K problem...it is a military Stoooooopidity problem!

-- k. Stevens (kstevens @ It's ALL going away in January.com), November 06, 1999.

Butt Nugget,

Does it annoy you when you take the time to type in all that javascript and you have an error that prevents it from executing the way you planned? Just asking...

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), November 06, 1999.

Yep, to anyone who thinks that the Clinton administration has been ignoring Y2K, just substitute "Y2K" for "cyberterrorism" in all the executive orders and statements made over the past few years. You will find that Slick Willie is way ahead on this one.

"If it walks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, ..."

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), November 06, 1999.

Michael, how we agree with you ! ~ ~

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 06, 1999.

"We could wake up one morning and find a city, or the country or a section of the country without power because of a surprise electronic warfare attack," he said, lamenting past inattention by both the government and the private sector."

You got the scenario correct, but you're still lying about the cause. I guess half of the truth is better than no truth at all.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), November 06, 1999.

RUOK, Yeah, it kinda did. Too bad, I thought some of it was kinda funny.

-- Butt Nugget (catsbutt@umailme.com), November 06, 1999.

Butt,

I clicked on "view/source" to see what you had intended. Agree, some of it is kinda funny. I'd rather not deal with pop-up java windows, though.

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), November 06, 1999.

So now that people believe in those bad cyberterrorists, why don't they prepare? (Yes, it's spin for what we didn't get done because there was no leadership--only stupdiity.)

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), November 06, 1999.

So Mr. Nuggett's efforts aren't totally in vain. From the source code, here are the randomly generated quotes Butt authored (many are quite funny indeed) [Note: misspellings are BN's, not mine]:

"Dick Clarke must be a busy man."

"I knew Dick Clarke would find work after American Bandstand was canceled"

"The government is also beginning partnerships with private industry..." That is scary in itself "

"We're doomed..."

"Maybe NBC could air a movie about this."

"I wonder if Ed McMahon is helping Dick Clarke with this."

"Maybe Dick Clarke could video some hacker attacks and air them on a Special Edition of Bloopers, Bleeps and Blunders"

"Sure it sounds like the gubmnint is just trying to stick its nose in other companies business."

"I'll tkae up President Clinton's offer of free computer education."

"Thanks for the info Uncle Bob."

"Is that a real e-mail address Uncle Bob?"

"Do you arm wrestle?"

"Let's see the pollies debunk this one."

"I remember reading that Clinton had authorized the use of hacking on Milosevich's bank account. Kind of gives the impression that we think it is o.k.."

"I feel sorry for the overworked security people."

"How old is Dick Clarke these days?"

"How is this related to buying gold?"

"The govenrment should worry about its own computers instead of sticking their noses into everybody elses."

"Good article, thanks for posting it?"

"Good article, but I thought we weren't supposed to be counting down to January 1st."

"If its not one thing its another!"

"Hopefully they are doing enough to avoid disaster."

"Why call it an elctronic Pearl Harbor? Must be something they are trying to warn us about."

"Hopefully the Hackers won't disrupt the Y2K Concentration camps!"

"Kids have never been as powerful as they are today."

"Art Bell had some hackers on about a year ago. They yawned when asked about Y2K."

"Well if it takes out the Rosie O'Donnell show some good will come out of it."

"To combat the threat, Clarke said, the government has proposed measures that include encouraging students to study computer science with an emphasis on network security. " Hopefully that is not the only way we combating the threat."

"I wonder if the US plans on hacking other countries during this time frame?"

"I wonder how the pollies will respond to this?"

"I wonder if any doomer extremists will be doing the hacking?"

"The U.S. doesn't have any enemies does it?"

"Old Dick Clarke will do just about anything to get his name in the paper."

"If the power does go out, the sheeples will be too stupid to realize it."

"I've heard there is estimated to be about a 100 such hackers capable of doing this."

"This is kinda scary."

"It would make a good movie."

"I wonder if they could turn on the air conditioning in ol' Billy Bob's House in the middle of winter."

"Clinton would never let that happen while he is in office!"

"I wonder why they are letting us know about this on Nov. 6th? Something smells fishy."

"I wonder what Dr. North will have to say about this?"

"CBS could turn this into a movie and air it against NBC's Y2K movie!!!!"

"I wonder what Mike Adams will say about this?"

"I wonder what Paul Milne will say about this?"

"Maybe y2k will stop the hackers dead in their tracks."

"Rush Limbaugh said something about Y2K and reduced security."

"Al Gore was the father of this mess."

"George Dubya is our only hope!"

"Dick Clarke? Is this the same Dick Clarke?"

"For security on my computer I keep a shotgun right next to it. "A kind word and a shotgun gives better results than a kind work alone" Words to live by."

"I wonder how old these hackers are?"

"I hope they all get caught!"

-- not a nuggett fan but like (a good l@u.gh), November 06, 1999.