The Open Internet's Growing Security Problem -- Part XV

Evidence of the Open Internet's growing security problem only continues to mount. There also appears to be a growing and troubling disconnect between the seriousness of the actual problem and the seriousness of attention paid to the growing Internet security problem.  

• For example, despite President Obama making cybersecurity a national security priority in his cybersecurity address 5-29-09, none of the FCC's 18 currently planned public workshops designed to help develop a National Broadband Plan are on cybersecurity.   

"Twitter, Facebook Sites Disrupted by Web Attack"  WSJ

• "Multiple Internet sites, including popular hangouts Twitter and Facebook, were temporarily disrupted Thursday after they were struck by apparently coordinated computer attacks..."
• "The companies traced the problem to what the computer industry calls "denial-of-service" attacks, which are designed to make sites inaccessible by overwhelming them with a flood of traffic. Though such attacks are fairly routine, simultaneous action against multiple consumer Internet companies is rare."

"Most users clueless about cybersecurity, FBI says" PC World

• "According to two U.S. government officials, Internet crime rates will continue to increase because end-users and enterprises lack awareness and education about the current online threat landscape." ...
• "You don't have to be that technically sophisticated to commit a cybercrime now," he said. "You don't have to be a computer genius to partner with other criminals, or to purchase what you need to commit these crimes."  

"One out of six responded to spam"  WSJ

• “You might assume that the more technically savvy you are, the less likely you are to be hit
  by a virus, but that is not true,” research firm Ferris Research said in comments included with the MAAWG report. “Our previous research indicates that the more you use computers, the more likely you are to get hit by a virus.”

"Cisco: Internet criminals imitate and operate like successful businesses" International Business Times

• "Online Criminals are increasingly operating like successful businesses, borrowing some of the best strategies from legitimate companies and forming partnerships with one another to help make their illegal activities more lucrative."
• "They are collaborating with each other, preying on individuals' greatest fears and interests, and increasingly making use of legitimate Internet tools like search engines and the software-as-a-service model."

"Lawmakers: Electric Utilities Ignore Cyber Warnings" PC World

• "...several lawmakers said they're concerned that the electrical grid will become more vulnerable as its controls move onto Internet Protocol networks. "There is a massive computer espionage campaign being launched against the United States by our adversaries," said Representative Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat and chairman of the full Homeland Security Committee. "Intelligence suggests that countries seek or have developed weapons capable of destroying our grid."

See previous parts of this series on "The Open Internet's Growing Security Problem" here:  I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, & XIV.