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U.S. Warns of Possible Cyber Biz Attack

Posted by Zonk on from the rather-that-not-happen dept.

mikesd81 writes "The AP has an article about a possible attack against the New York Stock Exchange via the internet by a radical muslim group. The notice was issued to the U.S. cybersecurity industry after officials saw a posting on a 'Jihadist Web site' calling for an attack on U.S. Internet-based stock market and banking sites in December, said Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke. Knocke has said: 'There is no information corroborating the threat and that the alert was issued as a routine matter and out of an abundance of caution.' There is no immediate threat to our homeland at this time. The attacks were to be conducted in December, 'until the infidel new year,' the site said, according to a U.S. government translation. It called for attackers to use viruses that can penetrate Internet sites and destroy data stored there. Spokespeople for the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq declined to comment on the cyber-terror threat."

9 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. Infidel New Year? by minotaurcomputing · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't wait to watch Dick Clark's Infifel New Year's Rockin' Eve!

    -m

  2. Up next, nano-virus threat to create mutants! by khasim · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So, some joker on some website posts a piece about how people should release viruses to attack the stock exchange ... and our government issues an alert?

    What happens when the same joker posts a call for nano-viruses to be released into our water supply to create a generation of flesh eating mutants from our own children?!?

    Seriously, you deal with terrorism by NOT being afraid.

    You do NOT deal with it by hyping every single fantasy that they can post.

    1. Re:Up next, nano-virus threat to create mutants! by Thansal · · Score: 4, Funny
      What happens when the same joker posts a call for nano-viruses to be released into our water supply to create a generation of flesh eating mutants from our own children?!?


      I buy the movie rights!
      --
      Do Or Do Not, There Is No Spoon, There Is Only Zuul. Everything in the above post is probably opinion.
    2. Re:Up next, nano-virus threat to create mutants! by ScentCone · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Fortunately, this last set of elections proved that fear-mongering by itself isn't enough; or that it can last only so long.

      Heh! Not really. This last election was all about fear mongering. The dems gained seats in the legislature entirely by talking about how people should be afraid of the other party being in control. They certainly didn't win seats by actually spelling out contstructive, real-world things they'd actually, successfully do that would actually be helpful in any way. In fact, just yesterday they made it clear they were already going to break one of their loudest campaign promises (to implement all of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission). Fear is exactly what it's all about, but they just played it differently ("the republicans want to starve your baby!" "the republicans want to make sure your social security money is wasted on dot-com investments!" "the republicans like to see our soldiers die!" "the republicans work for scary corporations that want to hurt you!"). Say you don't know exactly what I mean.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  3. Not gonna happen by 31415926535897 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    This is a very funny attack. All of the important network connections, those that allow the NYSE and other exchanges to operate, and connections between them and brokers are not on the Internet. There are connections from the NYSE to the Internet, but they are not needed for trading (it's for when the traders are bored, they can look at porn). This group would definitely need somebody working on the inside to do any real damage.

    The best these groups could do are take down the websites of discount brokerages (E*Trade, Ameritrade, etc.), but that won't have one bit of impact on the financial markets. Even if those websites go down, the brokerages will still have their direct connections to the exchanges, so if you can call your broker, you'll still get your trade through.

    I wish them the best of luck, because their attack is an exercise in futility.

  4. about time for another one by WolfMansDad · · Score: 4, Informative

    Warning, that is. Don't you know we're at war! Americans aren't that good at hate, so we have to be given something to fear. Keeps the govt in business.

  5. Re:Advertising attacks? by russ1337 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Exactly,

    If they were really serious they'd submit an article about taking down the stock exchange, and include a link to the stock exchanges webserver to have it Slashdotted...

    It looks to me like mikesd81 is trying to take down excite.com. (why do you hate our freedom?)

  6. Re:Advertising attacks? by truthsearch · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The intent of terrorists is to incite terror in order to bring about change. Terror can be spread without any actual attack. Just the fact that the government and companies are responding to a threat, plus the spread of this information through media, increases fear. Since we are listening the terrorists are successful to some extent, even without actually committing the cyber-attack.

    --
    Developers: We can use your help.
  7. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion