Re: FBI Warns Infrastructure Vulnerable to Cyber-Attacks

[security curmudgeon <jericho () ATTRITION ORG>]

> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31203-2001Mar20.html
>
> By David A. Vise
> Washington Post Staff Writer
> Tuesday, March 20, 2001; 3:01 PM
>
> Federal facilities, electric power plants and other portions of the
> nation's critical infrastructure are highly vulnerable to potential
> cyber-attacks from terrorist groups, rogue nations, disgruntled
> employees and hackers, the new head of the FBI's cyber-crime fighting
> unit said today.

Wasn't it just a week ago I was posting this exact same thing? Don't we
see this same article written every month or two now? When does 'news'
become 'old' already.

> Ronald L. Dick said that a cyber-attack seriously could damage the
> nation's economy without closer cooperation among federal agencies and
> better coordination between corporate America and the FBI-led,
> multi-agency National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC). More

NIPC: Failure to Communicate (excellent article by Rick Forno)
http://www.infowarrior.org/articles/2000-06.html

All we hear from them is 'cooperate' and 'mutual'. As the article by Mr.
Forno states, dealing with the FBI is like talking to a brick wall.

> than 5,000 public and private sector sites have been identified as
> critical and vulnerable, according to the NIPC's Leslie G. Wiser Jr.,
> an FBI veteran.

5,000 public and private sector sites? How do they know this? The FBI/CSI
survey only covers some 600 companies. So is the FBI scanning for
vulnerabilities now?

> Dick, who introduced a new, high-level NIPC team including
> representatives from the CIA and the Defense Department, said there
> are about 1,400 active investigations into cyber-crime with the number
> mounting daily. He also said there are at least 50 new computer
> viruses generated weekly that require attention from federal law
> enforcement officials or the private sector to prevent damage and
> losses.

So the NIPC is going to try to cut in on the Anti-Virus market and issue
virus warnings? Talk about futile..

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