| Submit your comments on this article |
| Terror Networks |
| Internet terrorist attacks unlikely |
| 2005-12-08 |
| Al-Qaeda and other terror groups are more sophisticated in their use of computers but still are unable to mount crippling Internet-based attacks against U.S. power grids, airports and other targets, the FBI's top cyber crime official said Wednesday. Investigators keep a close watch on terror groups' use of computers but have not detected any plans to launch cyber attacks against major public institutions in the United States, FBI assistant director Louis M. Reigel said. "I don't think that capability exists today," Reigel said in a briefing for reporters at FBI headquarters. The government has conducted simulated terrorist attacks on computer, banking and utility systems, and Reigel said his division of around 1,100 agents treats seriously the prospect of such a strike. FBI cyber experts have noticed progress in the technical mastery suspected terrorists have shown online, he said. One new wrinkle first appeared four months ago, Reigel said, declining to be more specific. Terrorists also have made only infrequent use of stenography, the practice of hiding a text message in another kind of file, typically a picture, Reigel said. "It looks like a picture, but if you have the right program, you can extract a text message embedded in a picture," said Reigel, a 31-year FBI veteran who formerly led the New Orleans field office. On another matter, the FBI still has no suspect in the spread of the latest version of a computer worm that began appearing last month as e-mails purporting to come from the FBI, CIA and German security services, Reigel said. The third version of the Sober worm spread so quickly and widely that at one point the FBI was bombarded with 200,000 e-mails a minute over four days, he said. "It almost killed our system," Reigel said, before technicians developed a means to divert the messages. Unlike with earlier versions, "this time we believe we have enough information to where we can pursue a logical investigation," he said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #8 Steganography using porno has been used by resistance elements in Iran since the early 90s. Seemed the Mad Mullahs didn't care about porno so pr0n was a good way to talk. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-12-08 15:23 |
| #7 ""I don't think that capability exists today," Reigel said in a briefing for reporters at FBI headquarters." Awhile back RB posted an article re: Saudi pornography with hidden messages encoded within them. Also, I thought an unknown terror group took credit for the blackout in Ohio a couple of summers ago? The FBI can't afford to be guessing in the midst of a bitter cold winter. |
| Posted by: Danielle 2005-12-08 11:57 |
| #6 "Actually, stenography is the practice of shorthand." I'm glad someone else caught that. Steganography comes from the Greek Steganos (covered) and graphie, (writing). Steganography=Covered Writing. |
| Posted by: Doitnow 2005-12-08 10:44 |
| #5 Reigel said his division of around 1,100 agents treats seriously the prospect of such a strike. This is shitforbrains stuff. The notion that islamic terrorists will mount some kind of crippling cyber attack is ridiculous. Unless of course the instructions are secretly encoded in the Koran. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-12-08 09:26 |
| #4 I'd not look to the Federal Bureau of Idiots for your internet answers. They've had quite a time over the past few years with their own boxes. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-12-08 09:04 |
| #3 For some reason, being reassured by the FBI doesn't reassure me... |
| Posted by: Spot 2005-12-08 08:37 |
| #2 Zhang, don't expect miracles: Mark Sherman, Associated Press One of these so called journalists. [ |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2005-12-08 04:13 |
| #1 Article: Terrorists also have made only infrequent use of stenography, the practice of hiding a text message in another kind of file, typically a picture, Reigel said. Actually, stenography is the practice of shorthand. Steganography is the practice of hiding messages in graphics files. I guess those checks and balances the media are always on about don't work 100% of the time. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2005-12-08 02:59 |