Military

DATE=2/14/02

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

TITLE=CYBER-TERROR FEARS

NUMBER=5-51077

BYLINE=CHRISTINE ELLIOTT

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: New evidence indicates the United States is vulnerable to computer attacks from other nations and terrorist organizations. As V-O-A's Christine Elliott reports, the government is worried, now more than ever, that the United States is facing a digital catastrophe.

TEXT: Top White House Cyber Security Expert Richard Clarke told a Senate sub-committee (Wednesday) that there is too much public information on the Internet that can be used against the United States.

/// CLARKE ACT ///

Thanks to the exploration of some of the caves in Afghanistan, there is evidence that al-Qaida was using the Internet to do, at least, reconnaissance (investigation) of American utilities and American facilities by going to publicly available web sites.

/// END ACT ///

But beyond public information, Richard Clarke said the United States faces computer attacks that could shut down much more than e-mail. He says the Internet is by nature insecure, allowing hackers to gain access to private infrastructure systems. They could easily control the water or power supply, or even the entire economy.

/// CLARKE ACT 2 ///

Many nations are now developing information warfare units, either in their military or in their intelligence service or both.

/// END ACT ///

He and Senator Charles Schumer named Iraq, Iran, North Korea, and China as some of the countries that have the capabilities to attack U-S networks. Senator Schumer said more needs to be done immediately to protect the United States.

/// SCHUMER ACT ///

Last year an organized crime group broke into an Italian banking system and diverted over 100-million dollars to private bank accounts before they were caught. Al-Qaida has already proven what it can do with a few hundred-thousand dollars. A hundred-million could capitalize terrorist activities for years to come. This is really troubling stuff.

/// END ACT ///

Richard Clarke says the President's new Critical Infrastructre Board, set up to address this issue, has taken 10-steps toward better computer security. For example, the leaders of Information Technology (I-T) companies have agreed to produce more secure software, and President Bush has proposed increasing government spending on cyber-security by more than half.

And Mr. Clarke says if any people, groups, or countries succeed in terrorizing the United States through computer attacks, they will pay.

/// CLARKE ACT 3 ///

Anybody that engages in information warfare against us, ... has to realize that we will respond in whatever way we think is appropriate.

/// END ACT ///

He says so far terrorist organizations have only used the Internet for propaganda, communications, and fundraising. But Internet warfare is nearly impossible to detect ahead of time. (SIGNED)

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