Monday, December 12, 2005
Cyberterrorism: Myth or Reality?
ZDNet: Printer Friendly - Terrorism threat to Net 'overstated'
A cybersecurity expert and founder of an Internet security company, Bruce Schneier, does not believe in that terrorists are a real threat to internet security. It's a lot of "hype" according to Schneier:
ZDNet asked Schneier to respond to Roger Cummings prediction of a potential alliance between criminals and hackers and terrorists. Schneier answered that it would make a good movie. According to Schneier:
The ZDNet interviewer asked Schneier an interesting follow up question:
So the trick according to this particular Internet security expert is to defend ourselves against "multiple threats" while not allowing the fear of any one of these menaces to prompt us to relinquish our cyber-liberties to a national security state built on the fear of terrorism.
Schneier recently gave a speech at a security conference where he summed up his feelings about the 'threat' posed by cyberterrorism:
A cybersecurity expert and founder of an Internet security company, Bruce Schneier, does not believe in that terrorists are a real threat to internet security. It's a lot of "hype" according to Schneier:
"The U.S. government gives a lot of money to fight terrorism, so cyberterrorism is hyped. I hear people talk about the risks to critical infrastructure from cyberterrorism, but the risks come primarily from criminals. But at the moment, criminals aren't as "sexy" as terrorists.Schneier thinks we should be spending more money on defending against criminal attacks on security and less on the mythic cyber terrorist.
ZDNet asked Schneier to respond to Roger Cummings prediction of a potential alliance between criminals and hackers and terrorists. Schneier answered that it would make a good movie. According to Schneier:
"Roger Cummings (director of the NISCC) said on Tuesday there is a danger that the links between criminals and hackers, and hackers and terrorists, will become stronger...Well, if we were making a movie, then that's what we'd do. I think that the terrorist threat is overhyped, and the criminal threat is underhyped."
The ZDNet interviewer asked Schneier an interesting follow up question:
What do you think about governments using the threat of terrorism to collect information on citizens and the implications of that on police powers?
It's very scary. This is a very complex issue--one I've written books about. My view is that we're faced with multiple threats. The worry is that while we are trying to defend ourselves against one threat (terrorism), we are actually making ourselves less secure. People are scared, and because they're scared they're handing over powers to the government and giving up their liberties. The threat of terrorism in the U.K. has led to national e-card debates and biometric passport discussions.
So the trick according to this particular Internet security expert is to defend ourselves against "multiple threats" while not allowing the fear of any one of these menaces to prompt us to relinquish our cyber-liberties to a national security state built on the fear of terrorism.
Schneier recently gave a speech at a security conference where he summed up his feelings about the 'threat' posed by cyberterrorism:
"Nobody's getting blown to bits," Schneier said. "I don't think that cyberterrorism exists--if you add 'terrorism' to things, you get more budget. If you can't get e-mail for a day, you're not terrorized, you're inconvenienced."
"We should save 'terror' for the things that deserve it, not things that piss us off," he added.
Italian law hits cybercafes
Silicon Valley News: Italian law hits cybercafes
Maria Sanminiatelli of the Associated Press reports that the Italian government has decided to crack down on free access to cybercafes by requiring them to register with the police. The cybercafes are also supposed to keep a photocopy of the identification of anyone using the internet and be able to keep track of the sites visited by their patrons. This law was a part of an anti-terrorism bill passed after the bombings in London this past July.
The law seems to have had an effect in immigrant neighborhoods where the patrons are uncomfortable presenting their passports to use a computer. According to the owner of one such establishment: "``Before, I was full of Internet clients, now I have no one left,'' said Sohel, a gentle, middle-aged man from Bangladesh." One cybercafe in Florence has been shuttered for not complying with the law and several others have been temporarily shut down for not registering.
Is this an issue of civil liberties or just a necessary security measure against terrorism? Why should an honest person be afraid to leave their name and a record of what they viewed behind them? Or is that right to privacy exactly what a free society is supposed to protect?
Italy is the first nation in the European Union to pass such legislation. In Asia this kind of registration is not unusual:
Maria Sanminiatelli of the Associated Press reports that the Italian government has decided to crack down on free access to cybercafes by requiring them to register with the police. The cybercafes are also supposed to keep a photocopy of the identification of anyone using the internet and be able to keep track of the sites visited by their patrons. This law was a part of an anti-terrorism bill passed after the bombings in London this past July.
The law seems to have had an effect in immigrant neighborhoods where the patrons are uncomfortable presenting their passports to use a computer. According to the owner of one such establishment: "``Before, I was full of Internet clients, now I have no one left,'' said Sohel, a gentle, middle-aged man from Bangladesh." One cybercafe in Florence has been shuttered for not complying with the law and several others have been temporarily shut down for not registering.
Is this an issue of civil liberties or just a necessary security measure against terrorism? Why should an honest person be afraid to leave their name and a record of what they viewed behind them? Or is that right to privacy exactly what a free society is supposed to protect?
Italy is the first nation in the European Union to pass such legislation. In Asia this kind of registration is not unusual:
Several Asian countries and cities, most prominently China and the Indian technology hub of Bangalore, require registration at cybercafes.This legislation has not attracted much attention in Italy or in Europe, perhaps because it does not affect or worry the majority of Italians who don't need a cybercafe to access the web. What kind of surveillance are Europeans ready to accept in exchange for security and some peace of mind?
But the leaders of some of those nations tend to be thinking at least as much about inhibiting speech as preventing terror attacks in making the requirement. In Vietnam, Internet cafes also are required to block access to Web sites deemed subversive or pornographic.
FBI: We're not worried about terrorist cyberattack
[print version] FBI: We're not worried about terrorist cyberattack | CNET News.com
The Assistant Director of the FBI Louis M. Reigal held a news briefing in Washington last week in which he stated that "We're not aware of any plan to attack U.S. infrastructure."
Reigal who is in charge of the bureau's Cyber Division does not believe that Al Queda has the resources mount a serious attack on our "critical infrastructure" using the internet.
It seems that the FBI is more concerned about foreign governments probing our cyber defenses, although they have no actual proof, they do have "suspicions" that many of the recent attacks on secure computers have been "state-sponsored."
The Assistant Director of the FBI Louis M. Reigal held a news briefing in Washington last week in which he stated that "We're not aware of any plan to attack U.S. infrastructure."
Reigal who is in charge of the bureau's Cyber Division does not believe that Al Queda has the resources mount a serious attack on our "critical infrastructure" using the internet.
It seems that the FBI is more concerned about foreign governments probing our cyber defenses, although they have no actual proof, they do have "suspicions" that many of the recent attacks on secure computers have been "state-sponsored."
NPR : Pentagon Faces Computer Security Problems
NPR : Pentagon Faces Computer Security Problems
Follow this link to listen to an NPR story on the Pentagon's problems with hackers. 80,000 attempts to "disrupt the system" were reported last year.
Follow this link to listen to an NPR story on the Pentagon's problems with hackers. 80,000 attempts to "disrupt the system" were reported last year.
Friday, December 09, 2005
"The World Wide Web of Jihadists"
Stratfor: "Kamran Bokhari"
Kamran Bokhari has written an article for the STRATFOR World Terrorism Report explaining how Al Queda's Islamist militants use the Internet to communicate with the world and maintain their status as a global threat:
Also interesting is the fact that the fugitive leadership of Al Queda is not on the internet directly. The Al Queda leadership relies on a lower level network of Islamic militants to maintain their web presence and contacts with the world media.
Kamran Bokhari has written an article for the STRATFOR World Terrorism Report explaining how Al Queda's Islamist militants use the Internet to communicate with the world and maintain their status as a global threat:
"Al Qaeda leaders understand the value the media attach to the messages they send and have dedicated significant resources to public relations. The Internet offers Islamist militants a low-tech, cost-effective, minimal-risk medium through which they can demonstrate their existence and operational status, conveniently reach out to their constituents and participate in the battle for public support in the Muslim world."One interesting aspect of this article is the description of how the traditional news media scour the web for Jihadi messages to report on terrorism; this reporting facilitates the terrorists goal of maintaining their public image.
Also interesting is the fact that the fugitive leadership of Al Queda is not on the internet directly. The Al Queda leadership relies on a lower level network of Islamic militants to maintain their web presence and contacts with the world media.
Give Them Da Boot: Internet Warfare
Give Them Da Boot: Internet Warfare
Vinny's Give Them Da Boot has posted a link to a Wired article about "Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare, or JFCCNW" which Wired describes as an elite team of hackers working for the Defense Department. This team both defends DOD networks and reportedly plans offensive operations as well. According to Vinny,
Vinny's Give Them Da Boot has posted a link to a Wired article about "Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare, or JFCCNW" which Wired describes as an elite team of hackers working for the Defense Department. This team both defends DOD networks and reportedly plans offensive operations as well. According to Vinny,
"I think that they are commonly used to get information from whatever laptops, computers, and hardware are recovered in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world. The team is probaly more than sufficiently trained in taking out computer networks of opposing regimes or terrorists groups."
Thursday, December 08, 2005
IWS - The Information Warfare Site
IWS - The Information Warfare Site
The best web resource on Information Warfare is a British site called the Information Warfare Site. Check out the sidebar "categories" for links to resources about different sub-topics of cyberwar.
The best web resource on Information Warfare is a British site called the Information Warfare Site. Check out the sidebar "categories" for links to resources about different sub-topics of cyberwar.
Frontline Cyberwar Episode
Frontline (PBS) produced a documentary on Cyberwar which you can view online. Read the transcripts of the interviews with Richard Clarke, John Arquilla, John Hamre, and James Lewis on the reality of the cyberwar threat. This documentary tries to assess whether we are really at risk of a cyber-attack by terrorists like Al Queda. In the section called "vulnerablities" they ask "how vulnerable are we?"
Also worth reading is the letter to President Bush written by a group of "concerned scientists in 2002 warning of the danger of cyber-terrorism.
Also worth reading is the letter to President Bush written by a group of "concerned scientists in 2002 warning of the danger of cyber-terrorism.
Network Centric Warfare
Network Centric Warfare
One of the key concepts of Information Warfare that is tossed about by analysts is Network Centric Warfare. Here is a 2001 Department of Defense Report to Congress explaining the what "information age warefare" is all about. Check out the Executive Summary for a glimpse of this view of 21st century war.
One of the key concepts of Information Warfare that is tossed about by analysts is Network Centric Warfare. Here is a 2001 Department of Defense Report to Congress explaining the what "information age warefare" is all about. Check out the Executive Summary for a glimpse of this view of 21st century war.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Teenagers, the Internet and the Anti War Movement
Give Them Da Boot: Internet and the Anti War Movement
Vinny over at the Give Them Da Boot blog has created an interesting post about how the internet has made the anti-war movement grow so quickly since the invasion of Iraq. He observed that a recent anti-war demonstration was attended by a lot of high-school age kids and he attributes this to the popularity of anti-war web-sites with teenagers.
Vinny over at the Give Them Da Boot blog has created an interesting post about how the internet has made the anti-war movement grow so quickly since the invasion of Iraq. He observed that a recent anti-war demonstration was attended by a lot of high-school age kids and he attributes this to the popularity of anti-war web-sites with teenagers.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Virtual Right, Virtual Left
All of the media attention paid to the online activism of Moveon.org led to a reaction from the right. Rightmarch.com is a conservative version of Moveon.org. It was formed after the success of Moveon.org's virtual march on Washington. If you would like to examine the world of online activism these two sites are a good place to start.
Conservatives Unite (Online)
Townhall.com :: Columns :: Conservatives Unite by Jonathan Garthwaite
The Left is not alone in cyberspace. Conservative organizing is growing on the web at an amazing clip. Here is a link to Townhall.com discussing the use of "Conservative Townhall MeetUps" as a networking tool. According to Townhall.com this successful campaign is attracting national press attention:
The Left is not alone in cyberspace. Conservative organizing is growing on the web at an amazing clip. Here is a link to Townhall.com discussing the use of "Conservative Townhall MeetUps" as a networking tool. According to Townhall.com this successful campaign is attracting national press attention:
A lot of the media coverage lately has been focused on what the Left is doing online but quietly you've been building your own grassroots team.Both the Left and the Right are pouring a lot of time and money into exploiting the possibilities of online organizing. The fact that digital technology reduces the cost of networking has been a boon for the left which has not been able to afford access to the traditional commercial media in the same way as some well-funded liberal or conservative organizations.
And you're starting to get the credit you deserve.
In fact, the CEO of MeetUp told CNN's Inside Politics last month that you have grown the Townhall MeetUp faster than any other MeetUp topic has started out. 11,000 in the first month. Over 19,000 by this morning.
The nation's newspapers are noticing too.
New York Observer: "On the evening of Jan. 6, the Manhattan Lounge on Second Avenue and 89th Street became the amber-lit sanctuary of that rarest breed of New Yorker: the unapologetic conservative."
Net Changes Game of Political Advocacy
OJR article: Net Changes Game of Political Advocacy for Groups on the Right and Left
An article from the Online Journalism Review describing the impact of online advocacy on American politics. Who will master the power of online organizing? The Right or the Left? Will this replace traditional forms of grass roots mobilization? Clearly electoral politics has changed with the influx of digital networking and money-raising techniques. This article also features a sidebar full of links to a number of influential digital activist web sites.
An article from the Online Journalism Review describing the impact of online advocacy on American politics. Who will master the power of online organizing? The Right or the Left? Will this replace traditional forms of grass roots mobilization? Clearly electoral politics has changed with the influx of digital networking and money-raising techniques. This article also features a sidebar full of links to a number of influential digital activist web sites.
Calling All Activists: Cell Phone Activism
Relationships in the Digital Age: Calling All Activists
Cbarr's Relationships in the Digital Age blog has a good post about the use of cell phones by political activists. Digital cell phones are the point of entry into networking for the vast majority of the planet. Laptops and internet connections can cost a lot more than cell phone service. The cell phone is fast becoming the new basic necessity of modern living. Cell phones are the basic tool of the Smart Mob according to Howard Rheingold. Cell phones seem to be harder for governments to control as well.
Cell phone networks are a powerful tool for social change and activism, but not all of these cell-phone users are fighting for freedom and democracy. As Ms. Barr notes:
Cbarr's Relationships in the Digital Age blog has a good post about the use of cell phones by political activists. Digital cell phones are the point of entry into networking for the vast majority of the planet. Laptops and internet connections can cost a lot more than cell phone service. The cell phone is fast becoming the new basic necessity of modern living. Cell phones are the basic tool of the Smart Mob according to Howard Rheingold. Cell phones seem to be harder for governments to control as well.
Cell phone networks are a powerful tool for social change and activism, but not all of these cell-phone users are fighting for freedom and democracy. As Ms. Barr notes:
"And while it may seem that there isn't a downside to the "freedoms" that are gained from this technology, there is.Of course, text messaging can also land in the hands of terrorist groups. Al Qaeda has been using mobile communication to organize. There also have been cases where text messaging has led to violence, as in Nigeria during the Miss World pageant in 2002, when more than 200 people were killed in riots.Overall, any tool that enhances communication and networking is valuable, and when in the right hands, can be an excellent method for promoting change, but as with all things, there are negative aspects and dangers when such a tool winds up in the wrong hands."
