Hackers intent on destruction target US

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.computing.vnunet.com/News/1126587

By Robert Jaques
vnunet.com 
[01-11-2001]

Hackers intent on "destruction rather than public embarrassment" are
poised to wreak havoc across America, the National Infrastructure
Protection Center (NIPC) warned yesterday.

According to the latest report from NIPC, an agency set up by the US
government to monitor threats to the country's national
infrastructure, both people and companies were at risk.

"The infrastructure will certainly be a target of cyber protestors and
hacktivists in the future, with the potential goal being intentional
destruction rather than public embarrassment or purely political
statements," it said.

"Although the cyber protests seen today have already caused limited
damage, the potential for future attacks could bring about large
economic losses as well as potentially severe damage to the national
infrastructure, affecting global markets and public safety," the
report added.

The study, Cyber Protests: The Threat to the US Information
Infrastructure, predicted that the danger posed by hackers was
escalating.

The NIPC said: "Political events and emerging international situations
will increasingly lead to cyber protests. The cyber protests that have
occurred thus far have had little impact on US infrastructure.

"As computing technology becomes faster and better, and hacking tools
become more advanced and easier to use, cyber protesting and
hacktivism will become more significant to US national interests.
Cyber protesters are becoming increasingly more organised and their
techniques more sophisticated."

The NIPC warned that the most popularly targeted sites are those
belonging to government, educational, commercial and cultural
institutions. The report advised the tightening of security policies
and increased co-operation to fight the hacking menace.

"Pro-active network defence and security management are imperative to
the prevention of more serious damage to infrastructure assets.
International co-operation and private-public co-operation within the
US is necessary to ensure the ongoing function of the critical
infrastructure," it said.



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