FBI Director Says Cyberthreat Will Surpass Threat From Terrorists

“Threats from cyber-espionage, computer crime, and attacks on critical infrastructure will surpass terrorism as the number one threat facing the United States, FBI Director Robert Mueller testified today.
Mueller and National Intelligence Director James Clapper, addressing the annual Worldwide Threat hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, cited their concerns about cyber-security and noted that China and Russia run robust intrusion operations against key U.S. industries and the government.”

(Source: FBI Director Says Cyberthreat Will Surpass Threat From Terrorists – ABC News.)

Two American tourists kidnapped in Egypt

“Two American tourists and their guide have been kidnapped near a popular Red Sea resort in Egypt, South Sinai’s chief of police confirmed to NBC News Friday.”

(Source: World News – Two American tourists kidnapped in Egypt.)

Six Killed In Attack On Colombia Police Station

“At least six people have been killed and more than 20 injured in an attack on a police station in the western Colombian town of Villa Rica by suspected Leftist rebels, media reports citing local officials said late on Thursday.”

(Source: Six Killed In Attack On Colombia Police Station.)

Manila scores ‘big anti-terrorism success’

“Philippine military officials said 15 Al Qaeda-linked militants – including a Singaporean and a Malaysian who is on the United States list of most-wanted terrorists – were killed yesterday in an air strike on a rebel camp in southern Philippines.
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(Source: TODAYonline | World | Manila scores ‘big anti-terrorism success’.)

In hunt for terrorists, NYPD document said to focus intelligence collections at Shiite mosques

“The New York Police Department recommended increasing surveillance of thousands of Shiite Muslims and their mosques, based solely on their religion, as a way to sweep the Northeast for signs of Iranian terrorists, according to interviews and a newly obtained secret police document.”

(Source: In hunt for terrorists, NYPD document said to focus intelligence collections at Shiite mosques – The Washington Post.)

US: Iran “More Willing” to Conduct Attack on American Soil

“The U.S. intelligence chief says there is an increased threat that Iran could conduct an attack on U.S. soil in the wake of last year’s failed plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the United States.”

Source: US: Iran “More Willing” to Conduct Attack on American Soil « VOA Breaking News

Terror Attack Database

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The worm that turned: A new approach to hacker hunting

After 23 years as a CIA analyst, having briefed the president and his team on every conceivable threat to national security, Bob Gerber was scared. More scared than he’d been in a long time. Holed up in his cramped, 11th floor office on a stark, colorless hallway at FBI headquarters in Washington, Gerber’s stomach turned as he took his first look at a new enemy. It was named Leaves after “w32.leave. worm,” the poisonous file it implanted in unsuspecting computers. Like all worms, Leaves bored through cyberspace, probing Internet connections for holes in personal computers or Web servers. It slithered inside the machines and spewed venomous strings of data that threw its victims into electronic shock. Full Story

Net Attacks Down, But Sophistication Is Up

We saw fewer security incidents last year, but we should expect more serious attacks in the future, experts say. The number of security attacks on the Internet seem to be leveling off after a rocket-like rise during the last decade, but the attacks still happening are more sophisticated, said the president and chief operating officer of security vendor Symantec. John Schwarz, speaking at ComNet Wednesday, said he didn’t have the company’s complete data from 2002 yet, but early indications were that the rise in the raw number of attacks has slowed in the last year. “What is happening is that the seriousness of the attacks is getting more aggressive,” he added. “The attacks are better designed, they’re less perpetrated by school kids that are playing around with scripts, more perpetrated by professionals who are actually targeting a specific commercial opportunity.” Full Story

Canada's biggest Identity theft?

IBM has lost a hard drive containing the records of 180,000 clients of an insurance company. Details include “names, addresses, beneficiaries, social insurance numbers, pension values, pre-authorized checking information and mothers’ maiden names”, according to wire reports. Anything else? Oh yes, their bank account details. But is it carelessness, or is it theft? No-one knows yet, but the hard-drive was stored in a supposedly secure facility in Regina, SK, at ISM Canada, an IBM subsidiary. Local police and the RCMP (the Mounties) are investigating. Meanwhile, Co-operators General Insurance Co. has sent a letter to 180K clients this week, warning them of the possibility of identity theft. Full Story