Fergie's Tech Blog

Renewed Concern Over 'Digital Pearl Harbor'

Bob Sullivan writes on MSNBC's "Red Tape Chronicles" Blog:

From the moment U.S. top cybercop Richard Clarke uttered the words "digital Pearl Harbor" in 2000, the technology world has been engaged in bitter debate: Could hackers really cause as much chaos with computers as terrorists armed with bombs and guns? Or are security experts simply spreading fear and trying to sell products when they talk about cyber attacks?

The discussion had died down until recently, owing to the fact that no digital Pearl Harbor ever occurred.

But then came reports late last year that Chinese nationals were actively attacking computers run by the U.S. government and private British companies, all of which were vehemently denied by the Chinese government.

Now security expert Alan Paller has fanned the flames, quoting a CIA agent as saying that hacker-profiteers had carried out the mother of all hack attacks -- taking power plants offline and extorting their owners for cash.

posted by Fergie @ 1/29/2008 11:43:00 AM