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                    U.S. SAID VULNERABLE TO COMPUTER ATTACK
                                       
     cyberwarfare October 21, 1997
     Web posted at: 5:02 a.m. EDT (0902 GMT)
     
     WASHINGTON (AP) -- A report concluding the nation is vulnerable to
     electronic warfare was delivered to the White House Monday by a
     presidential commission.
     
     The classified findings and recommendations of the Commission on
     Critical Infrastructure Protection say the danger of computer
     attacks that could shut down communications and power grids is real
     and requires early action.
     
     "Today, the right command sent over the Internet to a power
     generating station's control computer could be just as effective as
     a backpack full of explosives and the perpetrator would be harder to
     identify and apprehend," the panel wrote in its executive summary to
     the report.
     
     The report recommends stepping up research and establishing a
     nationwide program to educate people on the scope of the problem. It
     also recommends revising existing laws to ensure protection against
     electronic attacks through the Internet.
     
     "Law has failed to keep pace with technology. Some laws capable of
     promoting assurance are not as clear or effective as they could be,"
     the panel wrote.
     
     Because revamping laws would be a "lengthy and massive undertaking,"
     the commission offered several suggestions to jump-start the
     process.
     
     "We identified existing laws that could help the government take the
     lead and serve as a model of standards and practices for the private
     sector," it wrote. "We identified other areas of law that can enable
     infrastructure owners and operators to take precautions
     proportionate to the threat."
     
     P.J. Crowley, a White House spokesman, said a task force composed of
     representatives from several government agencies will review the
     report and come up with recommendations, which is likely to take the
     rest of the year.
     
     In addition, an advisory committee headed by former Sen. Sam Nunn,
     D-Ga., and former Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick will work
     with the private sector on ways to protect against cyber attacks.
     
     At a conference on computer security two weeks ago, commission
     Chairman Robert T. Marsh said the ability to do serious harm over
     the Internet is real.
     
     "While a catastrophic cyber attack has not occurred, we have enough
     isolated incidents to know that the potential for disaster is real
     and the time to act is now," he said.
     
     Copyright 1997   The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
     material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or
     redistributed.
     
    
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  Related stories:
     * Threat of 'techno' terrorism being explored - March 18, 1997
     * Military sees high-tech future - March 8, 1997
       
  Related sites:
  
     Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
     * Argonne National Laboratory Decision and Information Sciences -
       Presidential Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection
       Survey Form
     * Naval Research Laboratory Information Technology Division -
       Clinton creates Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection
     * U.S. Business Advisor - Survey -- Presidential Commission on
       Critical Infrastructure Protection
     * The Whitehouse - Executive order on Critical Infrastructure
       Protection
       
     
     
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