Is The War On Cyberterror Doing More Harm Than Good?

from the a-distraction dept

For years, we've been noting that there's no evidence that we're at any real risk from a "cyberterrorist" attack. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be aware and prepared, but Bruce Schneier is now adding to the voices saying that focusing so much on cyberterrorism is distracting from the real problem of cybercrime: "I think that the terrorist threat is overhyped, and the criminal threat is underhyped. I hear people talk about the risks to critical infrastructure from cyberterrorism, but the risks come primarily from criminals. It's just criminals at the moment aren't as 'sexy' as terrorists." It seems clear at this point that most of the threats are monetary, from criminals looking to make money, than ideological. There are ways to prepare against both, but if we're focusing too much on one, we may not be paying enough attention to the other.

7 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    typo

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    amazon10x, Nov 23rd, 2005 @ 10:19am

    Uh, did you read the headline before you posted it?

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Re: typo

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    Mike (profile), Nov 23rd, 2005 @ 10:38am

    Fixed. Thanks.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Data Havens

    identicon
    gid, Nov 23rd, 2005 @ 10:53am

    There has always been criminal activity on the internet. Because the internet reaches beyond a single countries borders can we apply american laws to the electron? HavenCo for instance is an isp who operates entirely out of Sealand. The niche HavenCo has is that Sealand has no laws over net traffic. Should we be afraid of countries declairing e-war with data havens for harboring e-terrorists? It really gives me an e-headache.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: Data Havens

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    Jared Anderson, Nov 23rd, 2005 @ 12:08pm

    Yes we should.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    The Federal Focus On Cyberterrorism

    identicon
    Darin Codon, Nov 23rd, 2005 @ 1:57pm

    Cyberterrorism and Cybercrime are interrelated. For people in our field spending in both areas helps us build security wherever it's needed.

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    Re: Data Havens

    identicon
    dorpus, Nov 24th, 2005 @ 8:05am

    > HavenCo for instance is an isp who operates entirely out of Sealand. < br>
    what they going to do when dubya/bushco bomb the shiat out of them cause they had some pro-abortion / anti bp / shell, pro muslim website who threatened usa security !?!

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    Re: Data Havens

    identicon
    gid, Nov 24th, 2005 @ 10:54am

    Drop their pants and spread their cheeks?

    reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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