[ISN] Hackers intent on destruction target US

From: InfoSec News (isnat_private)
Date: Fri Nov 02 2001 - 00:16:34 PST

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    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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