[19034] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
[Clips] Cyberterror 'overhyped,' security guru says
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (R. A. Hettinga)
Wed Nov 30 10:48:03 2005
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Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 14:48:10 -0500
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From: "R. A. Hettinga" <rah@shipwright.com>
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Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 14:08:41 -0500
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From: "R. A. Hettinga" <rah@shipwright.com>
Subject: [Clips] Cyberterror 'overhyped,' security guru says
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CNET News
Cyberterror 'overhyped,' security guru says
By Tom Espiner
Story last modified Wed Nov 23 07:41:00 PST 2005
Fears of cyberterror could actually hurt IT security, a threats expert
asserts.
Bruce Schneier, who has written several books on security and is the
founder of Counterpane Internet Security, told ZDNet UK that officials
claiming terrorists pose a serious danger to computer networks are guilty
of directing attention away from the threat faced from criminals.
"I think that the terrorist threat is overhyped, and the criminal threat
is underhyped," Schneier said Tuesday. "I hear people talk about the risks
to critical infrastructure from cyberterrorism, but the risks come
primarily from criminals. It's just criminals at the moment aren't as
'sexy' as terrorists."
Schneier was speaking after the SANS Institute released its latest
security report at an event in London. During this event, Roger Cummings,
director of the U.K. National Infrastructure Security Coordination Center,
said that foreign governments are the primary threat to the U.K.'s critical
infrastructure.
"Foreign states are probing the (critical infrastructure) for
information," Cummings said. The U.K.'s (critical infrastructure) is made
up of financial institutions; key transport, telecom and energy networks;
and government organizations.
Schneier, though, is concerned that governments are focusing too much on
cyberterrorism, which is diverting badly needed resources from fighting
cybercrime.
"We should not ignore criminals, and I think we're underspending on crime.
If you look at ID theft and extortion--it still goes on. Criminals are
after money," Schneier said.
Cummings also said that hackers are already being employed by both
organized criminals and government bodies, in what he termed the "malicious
marketplace."
Schneier agrees this is an issue.
"There is definitely a marketplace for vulnerabilities, exploits and old
computers. It's a bad development, but there are definitely conduits
between hackers and criminals," Schneier said.
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R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
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-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
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