[iwar] [fc:Official:.Terrorists.used.Internet.to.get.info.on.potential.targets]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2002-02-14 22:23:35

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From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net>
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Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2002 22:23:35 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [iwar] [fc:Official:.Terrorists.used.Internet.to.get.info.on.potential.targets]
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Official: Terrorists used Internet to get info on potential targets

BY PATRICK THIBODEAU, Computerworld, 2/14/02
<a href="http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=640686">http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=640686>

The Bush administration's top cyberdefense official said today there is
evidence that the terrorist group al-Qaeda was using the Internet to
gather intelligence about critical facilities in the U.S., and other
terrorist groups and nations may be doing the same.

But so far, said Richard Clarke, the head of the White House's Office of
Cyberdefenses, al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations have limited
their use of the Internet for communication and propaganda purposes.

"None of those traditional terrorist groups has yet to attack over the
Internet," said Clarke, who appeared today before the U.S. Senate
Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts, but
"that may be about to change."

There is now evidence found in caves in Afghanistan, said Clarke, that
al-Qaeda "was using the Internet to do at least reconnaissance of
American utilities and American facilities."

Clarke said al-Qaeda was gathering useful information off public Web
sites. "If you put all the unclassified information together, sometimes
it adds up to something that ought to be classified," he said.

Clarke said the U.S. doesn't know whether there have been successful
penetrations of critical infrastructure networks. But, "if I were a
betting person, I would bet that many of our key networks have already
been penetrated," he said.

Trap doors, a secret means to gain network access, and logic bombs,
devices that can cause systems havoc when triggered, "may already be in
many of our key infrastructures because it is easy to do," said Clarke.

Committee Chairman Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) warned that a "well-planned
and well-executed cyberattack on America wouldn't just mean the
temporary loss of e-mail and instant messaging. Terrorists could gain
access to the digital controls for the nation's utilities, power grids,
air traffic control systems and nuclear power plants."

The threat isn't just from terrorists groups. Criminal organizations,
teenage hackers and nations such as Iraq, Iran, China, North Korea and
Russia have all developed information warfare units, said Clarke.

However, Clarke added, U.S. software makers such as Microsoft Corp. are
taking steps to improve the security of products. That effort is coming
partly in response to Sept. 11, but also to some virulent viruses that
have caused $12 billion in damages last year.

That damage caused a lot of end users to ask vendors why companies were
paying so much for products that aren't secure."I think the word has
gotten through to the IT manufacturers," he said.

Clarke said the U.S. doesn't know the capability of potential enemy
countries or terrorists groups to conduct cyberwarfare. Unlike physical
weapons, he noted, "There's nothing for our satellites to take pictures
of."

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