Cyberattack FUD

Barry Shein bzs at world.std.com
Thu Nov 21 19:38:07 UTC 2002



Given the attacks and scale of attacks, such as 300+ broken into
servers simultaneously spewing the same spam (we've experienced this)
recently described here, I think it would be very naive to shrug it
all off as mere obnoxiousness.

The attack on the WTC not only took out the WTC, it essentially has
taken out our airline industry.

Many bombings and similar have been targetted at tourist locations in
countries sensitive to tourist income.

This enemy is very savvy about economics. Their general terrorist
technique is to scare or discourage the general populace out from
under some economic base.

It's nearly impossible to believe they haven't figured out that
poisoning the internet with spam, worms, viruses etc will drive the
public away, as it has.

One of our worst problems has been we (i.e., the targets) have been
relatively slow to "get it" and prefer to dismiss attacks as random
events by sociopaths rather than concerted efforts by true and viable
enemies.

Final food for thought:

Just because spam actually seems to advertise something doesn't prove
it's innocent.

Remember that Al Qaida was funding millions of dollars per month via
discount coupon fraud in the US. Just because they were real coupons
for real and innocent looking products didn't mean there wasn't evil
afoot.

How much is really known about the spammers? That they may be roping
in dopes to pay them doesn't particularly exonerate them in my
mind. In fact, it would tend to fit their MO (i.e., don't just wreck
things, try to make some money wrecking things!)

-- 
        -Barry Shein

Software Tool & Die    | bzs at TheWorld.com           | http://www.TheWorld.com
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