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CyberTerrorism - Reality or FUD?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the ghost-in-the-machine dept.

Random Utinni writes "The director of the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit (part of Homeland Security) claims that terrorist hackers are poised to create total chaos. He predicts all sorts of scenarios, from changing the formulae for medications to causing cars to explode after a few weeks of driving. Is this guy fearmongering for an increased budget, or is he on to something here?"

5 of 358 comments (clear)

  1. It's FUD by wirelessbuzzers · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It would take an expert insider a lot of work to cause the kind of catastrophes the author is predicting here. Making a bomb is quick, easy way to kill a lot of people, and it gets a lot more media attention. It's also much closer to Al-Quaeda's traditional area of expertise.

    --
    I hereby place the above post in the public domain.
  2. My question... by laughingcoyote · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From TFA:

    "Chatter on Scada attacks is increasing," says Borg, referring to patterns of behaviour that suggest that criminal gangs and militant groups are now fully capable of unleashing such attacks.

    Then especially in the case of terrorists, WHY THE HELL HAVEN'T THEY DONE IT YET? If one of them had a shot at bombing the White House tomorrow, do you think he'd say "Eh...no, I'd rather wait until next week and hope they don't improve security by then."

    This is not fearmongering for money. This is fearmongering for POWER-and the power they're going to shoot for is the power to control the Internet.

    What a hell of an ironic name for that guy, Borg. I think that might tell us about everything we need to know.

    --
    To fight the war on terror, stop being afraid.
  3. Re:TERRORISM IS FUD PERIOD by kfg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    to suppress its peoples rights. the reason? who knows..

    Power, money, Jesus, hot and cold running hookers.

    I think that pretty much covers it.

    One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong. . .

    KFG

  4. Re:TERRORISM IS FUD PERIOD by Retric · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Let's see annual death total from TERRORISM 2000 to 2006
    ~2k from 9/11 + 2.5k in Iraq(Which seems silly but we can add them in if you want...) / 6 = ~750 / year.

    So my annual risk from TERRORISM is about 250,000,000 / 750 US deaths / year or so my risk is around 1 in 333,333 per year.

    Let's compare that to:
    "Normal" Homicide which kills over 20,000 people in the US every year. Which means I am 27 times as likely to be killed by someone in the US vs. a foreign TERRORIST.

    Motor Vehicle Crashes: 26,000+ US deaths / year aka 35x as likely to kill me vs. Al Qaeda, yet I still drive.

    Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity: 365,000 US deaths / year aka 467x as likely to kill me which is why I work out and try to keep a healthy diet.

    Yet we are spending how much to fight TERRORISM?

  5. Re:TERRORISM IS FUD PERIOD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "This stone keeps tigers away."

    "Really?"

    "See any tigers around?"