DATE=6/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233679
TITLE=U-S CYBER THREAT (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS TOLD CONGRESS WEDNESDAY THAT A
SIMULATED ATTACK LAST YEAR ON GOVERNMENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS SHOWED
A GAPING HOLE IN NATIONAL SECURITY WHICH COULD BE EXPLOITED BY
HOSTILE NATIONS AND TERRORIST GROUPS. V-O-A NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE REPORTS THAT CONGRESS AND THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION ARE TRYING TO BEEF UP THE NATION'S CAPABILITY TO
COUNTER A CYBER-ATTACK FROM BOTH INSIDE THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD.
TEXT: IT IS A FRIGHTENING SCENARIO. WITH A FEW TAPS OF A
KEYBOARD THOUSANDS OF KILOMETERS AWAY, A SMALL BAND OF
COMPUTER-SAVVY TERRORISTS COULD CONCEIVABLY DISRUPT
COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AS THE NEW CENTURY APPROACHES, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS
AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM BOTH PARTIES ARE TAKING THE THREAT
SERIOUSLY.
SENATOR JOHN KYL (REPUBLICAN-ARIZONA) CHAIRS A SENATE (JUDICIARY)
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY AND TERRORISM PROBING HOW THE UNITED
STATES CAN BETTER DEFEND ITSELF FROM CYBER-WARFARE.
/// KYL ACT ///
TODAY AN ENEMY DOES NOT NEED TO TRAVEL THOUSANDS OF
MILES TO ATTACK US. AN ENEMY DOES NOT NEED TO CARRY TONS
OF IRON BOMBS. AN ENEMY DOES NOT NEED TO RISK DETECTION
DURING THE LONG JOURNEY. TODAY, BECAUSE OF THE NETWORKED
NATURE OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES, OUR ENEMIES DO
NOT NEED TO RISK ATTACKING OUR MILITARY IF THEY CAN MUCH
MORE EASILY ATTACK OUR SOFT DIGITAL UNDERBELLY.
/// END ACT. ///
THAT SOFT UNDERBELLY MAY BE MORE VULNERABLE THAN FIRST THOUGHT.
OFFICIALS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY TOLD CONGRESS THAT THE
RESULTS OF A SIMULATED CYBER-ATTACK AS PART OF A DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT EXERCISE LAST YEAR REVEALED SOME MAJOR FLAWS.
THE OFFICIALS SAY IT TOOK GOVERNMENT EXPERTS SEVERAL DAYS TO EVEN
REALIZE THAT VITAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS WERE UNDER ATTACK. AND IT
TOOK EVEN MORE TIME TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE ATTACKS WERE COMING
FROM. THEIR CONCLUSION WAS THAT IT WOULD ONLY TAKE A MATTER OF
DAYS BEFORE A CAREFULLY PLANNED CYBER-ASSAULT WOULD DISRUPT THE
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO RAPIDLY DEPLOY FORCES OVERSEAS.
RICHARD CLARKE IS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY
COUNCIL. HE IS WORKING WITH THE F-B-I TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE
DEFENSE FOR CYBER-WARFARE.
/// CLARKE ACT ///
BY ATTACKING THE INTERCONNECTED COMPUTER NETWORKS THAT
ARE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH PUBLIC TELEPHONE LINES AND ARE
NETWORKED INTO EACH OTHER, IT COULD, AND I THINK THIS IS
MORE THAN THEORETICALLY, IT COULD BE POSSIBLE TO DISRUPT
SECTORS OF OUR BANKING INDUSTRY AND OUR FINANCE
INDUSTRY. (AND) TO CREATE WIDESPREAD AND PERSISTENT
POWER OUTAGES, TO INTERRUPT KEY TRANSPORTATION NODES
(CENTERS)--RAIL, HARBORS, AVIATION. AND IT COULD BE
POSSIBLE TO CRASH COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS FAR MORE
DAMAGING THAN THE OUTAGE OF THE GALAXY FOUR
(COMMUNICATIONS) SATELLITE (LAST MONTH) BY THE ENTIRE
NETWORKS GOING OFF LINE AND STAYING OFF LINE.
/// END ACT. ///
SECURITY OFFICIALS SAY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND
PRIVATE INDUSTRY WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE
DEFENSE SYSTEMS. ONE OF THE FIRST PRIORITIES IS AN IMPROVED
WARNING AND DETECTION SYSTEM SO THAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN KNOW WHEN
ITS COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE IS UNDER ATTACK.
LAST MONTH, PRESIDENT CLINTON ISSUED TWO POLICY DIRECTIVES AIMED
AT IMPROVING THE U-S CYBER-DEFENSE SYSTEM. ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS AND THE CONGRESS ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON ESTABLISHING
WHAT THEY CALL AN INITIAL CYBER-DEFENSE CAPABILITY WITHIN TWO
YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JBM/JO
10-Jun-98 4:57 PM EDT (2057 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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