Military

DATE= 7/24/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= PENTAGON/COMPUTERS (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-278605

BYLINE= ALEX BELIDA

DATELINE= PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The Pentagon has temporarily blocked public access to some military internet web-sites following an apparent attack by a new computer virus. More from V-O-A Correspondent Alex Belida at the Pentagon.

TEXT: Pentagon computer security remains at a heightened level following detection of a new threat known as the "Code Red" worm - a type of computer virus that harms Internet servers and has the ability to spread to other systems.

Pentagon spokesman, Rear Admiral Craig Quigley, says computer experts have been installing a so-called "patch" or repair program to make military systems impenetrable.

Admiral Quigley says no serious harm has been done. But he describes the apparent attack as inconvenient.

///QUIGLEY ACT///

We were able to catch it in the very early going and we have no operational impact -- I should say in that context of tactical military operations around the world. We have no detectable impact there. Certainly none of our classified systems were affected. But it is inconvenient.

///END ACT///

The spokesman says the inconvenience stems from the shutdown of some military business and information-sharing links accessible to the public.

The "Code Red" virus defaces web-sites, in some cases adding the message "Hacked by Chinese." Last week it was reported to have infected computers which were, in turn, instructed to flood the White House web-site, apparently in an effort to shut it down.

Admiral Quigley says Pentagon experts have no information on the source of the threat. He also says he cannot predict how long Defense Department web-sites will remain closed.

The National Infrastructure Protection Center operated by the F-B-I, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has issued a warning calling the "Code Red" bug a significant threat. (SIGNED)

NEB/BEL/MAR