Asymmetric cyber threat

The Washington Times ^ | 11-13-07 | James A. Lyons Jr.

[JZelle]

One asymmetric threat to our military forces and the nation is "cyber terrorism." Our advanced technologically based military forces — dependent on our satellites, critical infrastructure computers, the Internet, secure software programming, computer-driven telecommunications, air traffic control centers and other sophisticated sensor systems — are tempting targets for cyber terrorism.

Not only do we use our satellite and communication technology to support our military forces, but it has also become a key link in all aspects of our complex economic society. Banking, control of electrical grids, stock markets, telecommunications and a vast array of computer networks are part of our everyday life. Microprocessors and soon nanoprocessors have been built into our social fabric.

The control mechanisms at our nuclear power plants rely on performance analysis not by operators but by micro-processors. The flow of oil through thousands of miles of pipelines is adjusted by computers at valve sites remotely managed with communication systems vulnerable to interference and disruption. Railroad switches often are controlled the same way.

Experts have said 80 percent of successful intrusion into our government computer systems can be attributed to software errors or poor software quality. Many software products have poorly written or have poorly configured security features. Computers and networks without operating firewalls, up-to-date virus and password protection are invitations for disasters. DHS computers were subjected to penetration by Chinese hackers because we failed to install and monitor the necessary "intrusion-detection systems."

[JZelle]

"Compounding the problem, offshore outsourcing provides a programmer overseas the chance to secretly insert a "Trojan Horse" or other trapdoor into a new software product. Oracle, a major database software vendor and a supplier to U.S. intelligence agencies, has contracted for software development in India and China. It is to be noted that U.S. agencies are not permitted to use unsupervised development of software from untrusted sources."

Incredible!