Last week the media was the report that the computer attackers managed to penetrate the U.S. energy system. At the end of March, again appeared the extensive espionage network of computers in China. Both cases are likely not linked together, but together raise the question of how far they may be attackers?
According to the U.S. the Wall Street Journal the computer attackers managed to infiltrate into the system for managing distribution of electricity, and leave in the program, which would in future be able to cripple the entire electricity network. Said the attackers had come from China and Russia, but both countries deny this fact.
It could be the preparation of land for the future
Journalists were the information obtained from high-ranking representatives of the American secret services. He even expressed concern that if the United States found themselves at war with the State, from which computer attackers are or work for the government, it would not be difficult to use software backdoor. Threatened to be the infrastructure for the supply of potable water and sanitation.
After the report appeared immediately fears that the U.S. could be threatened by a similar loss of electricity, as six years ago. Then find the power to 50 million people. While most experts believe that computer attackers to prove something similar, according to some, however, are legitimate concerns.
“If anyone is able to map their network, so it is likely that someone cares about her. If someone is able to map the network, it is likely that with the networks to make something, “said the rapporteur ČT24.cz server security expert Tomas Charvat. According to him, to attack and to become terrorists and is not excluded or industrial interest.
We live in a world of hackers
Living in the 21st century, when computers. Industry attackers have high speed internet access, extensive knowledge of security systems and in a bit of luck I can get very valuable information. Confirmed by the extensive network of computers špionských by Canadian researchers recently discovered. The steal sensitive data from computers in more than a hundred countries, and in addition to foreign ministries, embassies and other government institutions were also attacked a computer Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.
Another illustrating example may be attacks by Russian hackers to computer systems of Estonia in 2007. This lasted for at least three weeks and seriously endanger their entire infrastructure. Were also used while botnetové extensive network, which usually collect current lack of a secure computer users.
The number of attacks, which aim to obtain sensitive information, while increasing each year. According to figures from Homeland Security was in 2008 recorded nearly 5,500 attacks on U.S. government computers, as compared to 2006 represents a more than twofold increase. In addition, the Ministry of Defense has been the aim, for example, the computer space agency NASA. Hundreds of attacks per year recorded the German intelligence services, and a majority of them come from China.
Information to the price of gold
Kyberšpionáž according to security experts, a global problem that affects virtually all sectors. Are threatened by government agencies, large commercial companies and ordinary people. Any valuable information that can exploit or commercialize. And the expansion of computers and other devices to their collection significantly easier. Attackers can now remotely control the webcam at home computer, mobile phone to convert odposlouchávací equipment or even the music your iPod headphones to microphones.
Gone are the time a spy from the Cold War. With the exaggeration it is possible to say that today, virtually anyone can walk into the building and some corporations simply inserting a USB flash disk to the first computer to get more information than these spies have managed to get a few weeks or months of secretive work. Social engineering is now a popular field of study, and although on this issue wrote hundreds of pages, not that it would be changed too.
Approaching the time when the computer attacks have become an integral part of war and the state at the same level as ground attacks. The destruction of the internet and communication infrastructure can now be completely devastating in the extreme case may totally paralyze the entire country. Moreover, a first indication of this combination have also been reported to last year when the Russian invasion of Georgia, where some government and corporate Web sites are, under the surge of DoS attacks. The Kremlin has denied any link, however, stop the monitoring of computer security experts introduced to the Russian Army and intelligence agencies.
Kyberútoky affect all
Cyber attacks are no longer just ideas vědeckofantastických books. Affect all without distinction, without it, many realize. More and more information is entrusted to computers or put on the internet. It is thus almost excluded that their attempts to obtain soon ceased, but rather the contrary, will intensify.
It will be important to find a solution how to prevent computer attacks. Governments will have to cooperate with security experts and computer systems secure. Swallow it has high money, but just to ensure that tomorrow will not be in vain and neprobudíme crease switch for lighting, because the attackers weaned before the electricity network.
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