DATE=6/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233679
TITLE=U-S CYBER THREAT (L ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM MALONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  U-S INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS TOLD CONGRESS WEDNESDAY THAT A
SIMULATED ATTACK LAST YEAR ON GOVERNMENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS SHOWED 
A GAPING HOLE IN NATIONAL SECURITY WHICH COULD BE EXPLOITED BY 
HOSTILE NATIONS AND TERRORIST GROUPS. V-O-A NATIONAL 
CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE REPORTS THAT CONGRESS AND THE CLINTON 
ADMINISTRATION ARE TRYING TO BEEF UP THE NATION'S CAPABILITY TO 
COUNTER A CYBER-ATTACK FROM BOTH INSIDE THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD.

TEXT:  IT IS A FRIGHTENING SCENARIO. WITH A FEW TAPS OF A 
KEYBOARD THOUSANDS OF KILOMETERS AWAY, A SMALL BAND OF 
COMPUTER-SAVVY TERRORISTS COULD CONCEIVABLY DISRUPT 
COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

AS THE NEW CENTURY APPROACHES, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS 
AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM BOTH PARTIES ARE TAKING THE THREAT 
SERIOUSLY.

SENATOR JOHN KYL (REPUBLICAN-ARIZONA) CHAIRS A SENATE (JUDICIARY)
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY AND TERRORISM PROBING HOW THE UNITED 
STATES CAN BETTER DEFEND ITSELF FROM CYBER-WARFARE. 

                         /// KYL ACT ///

         TODAY AN ENEMY DOES NOT NEED TO TRAVEL THOUSANDS OF 
         MILES TO ATTACK US. AN ENEMY DOES NOT NEED TO CARRY TONS
         OF IRON BOMBS. AN ENEMY DOES NOT NEED TO RISK DETECTION 
         DURING THE LONG JOURNEY. TODAY, BECAUSE OF THE NETWORKED
         NATURE OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES, OUR ENEMIES DO 
         NOT NEED TO RISK ATTACKING OUR MILITARY IF THEY CAN MUCH
         MORE EASILY ATTACK OUR SOFT DIGITAL UNDERBELLY.

                        /// END ACT. ///

THAT SOFT UNDERBELLY MAY BE MORE VULNERABLE THAN FIRST THOUGHT. 
OFFICIALS OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY TOLD CONGRESS THAT THE 
RESULTS OF A SIMULATED CYBER-ATTACK AS PART OF A DEFENSE 
DEPARTMENT EXERCISE LAST YEAR REVEALED SOME MAJOR FLAWS.

THE OFFICIALS SAY IT TOOK GOVERNMENT EXPERTS SEVERAL DAYS TO EVEN
REALIZE THAT VITAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS WERE UNDER ATTACK. AND IT 
TOOK EVEN MORE TIME TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE ATTACKS WERE COMING 
FROM. THEIR CONCLUSION WAS THAT IT WOULD ONLY TAKE A MATTER OF 
DAYS BEFORE A CAREFULLY PLANNED CYBER-ASSAULT WOULD DISRUPT THE 
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO RAPIDLY DEPLOY FORCES OVERSEAS.

RICHARD CLARKE IS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY 
COUNCIL. HE IS WORKING WITH THE F-B-I TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE 
DEFENSE FOR CYBER-WARFARE.   

                       /// CLARKE ACT ///

         BY ATTACKING THE INTERCONNECTED COMPUTER NETWORKS THAT 
         ARE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH PUBLIC TELEPHONE LINES AND ARE 
         NETWORKED INTO EACH OTHER, IT COULD, AND I THINK THIS IS
         MORE THAN THEORETICALLY, IT COULD BE POSSIBLE TO DISRUPT
         SECTORS OF OUR BANKING INDUSTRY AND OUR FINANCE 
         INDUSTRY. (AND) TO CREATE WIDESPREAD AND PERSISTENT 
         POWER OUTAGES, TO INTERRUPT KEY TRANSPORTATION NODES 
         (CENTERS)--RAIL, HARBORS, AVIATION. AND IT COULD BE 
         POSSIBLE TO CRASH COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS FAR MORE 
         DAMAGING THAN THE OUTAGE OF THE GALAXY FOUR 
         (COMMUNICATIONS) SATELLITE (LAST MONTH) BY THE ENTIRE 
         NETWORKS GOING OFF LINE AND STAYING OFF LINE.

                        /// END ACT. ///

SECURITY OFFICIALS SAY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND 
PRIVATE INDUSTRY WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE 
DEFENSE SYSTEMS. ONE OF THE FIRST PRIORITIES IS AN IMPROVED 
WARNING AND DETECTION SYSTEM SO THAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN KNOW WHEN
ITS COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE IS UNDER ATTACK.

LAST MONTH, PRESIDENT CLINTON ISSUED TWO POLICY DIRECTIVES AIMED 
AT IMPROVING THE U-S CYBER-DEFENSE SYSTEM. ADMINISTRATION 
OFFICIALS AND THE CONGRESS ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON ESTABLISHING 
WHAT THEY CALL AN INITIAL CYBER-DEFENSE CAPABILITY WITHIN TWO 
YEARS. (SIGNED)

NEB/JBM/JO

10-Jun-98 4:57 PM EDT (2057 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.