Targeting Our Computers

[Gary Stoneburner <gary.stoneburner@nist.gov>]

re:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60807-2003Aug14.html

"To the surprise of no one who has watched how adversaries continue
to probe our vulnerabilities, U.S. intelligence officials last year
discovered an al Qaeda safe house in Pakistan devoted solely to training
people for computer hacking and cyber warfare. Calling it a "cyber
academy," intelligence officials said al Qaeda operatives gathered
information and expertise on the automated systems that control U.S.
infrastructure, such as dams and power grids."

"Among large corporations and other major institutions, it has
become fashionable to delegate responsibility for securing information
systems to a staff-level employee. A recent survey shows that only 17
percent of CEOs from small to mid-sized companies claimed to provide
security measures of any kind to their information systems. In company
after company, the practice has been to make the minimum investments
necessary to clear the conscience of top management without distracting
it from other matters. All of this is a prescription for
disaster."

Cheers,
Gary

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* Opinions expressed are not intended to reflect an official position
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* Gary Stoneburner
* Computer Security Division, National Institute of Standards & Technology
* 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8930, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8930         
* Phone: 301-975-5394, FAX: 301-948-0279, Email: Stoneburner@nist.gov
* http://csrc.nist.gov/staff/stoneburner/gshome.html
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