August 30,
2008: European nations are alarmed at
the recent increase in probes, via the Internet, of public utilities
(electricity, water, sewage, transportation). Cyber War experts are divided on
whether this is just the next big thing in criminal activity (finding out how
to shut down utilities via the Internet, then using the threat of that to
extort money), or military Cyber War operations, scouting utilities in
anticipation of damaging them in wartime or a time of crises.
A lot of
these probes can be traced back to the usual sources (China, Eastern Europe and
the Middle East), the places where many of the Internet based criminal gangs
hide out. So far this year, there has been an increase in probes, but not
attacks. At least as far as anyone knows. However, the most professional
Internet attacks are unnoticed (as the intruder gets away with data, or a deep
understanding of how the target site operates, and thus a good knowledge of how
to take it down.) Utilities, and large corporations in general, are being urged
(and sometimes ordered) to check, and double check, the adequacy of their Internet
defenses.
