Cyber attacks raise alarm

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 | 2:06 a.m.

On local public radio station KNPR’s “State of Nevada” news show Thursday morning, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was interviewed about the cyber attacks launched over the Fourth of July weekend on federal Web sites as well as sites operated commercially and by the government of South Korea.

Reid was circumspect in his remarks, mentioning that he attended a classified briefing on the attacks and that their seriousness was not to be underestimated. He said he would meet to discuss legislative options for addressing the attacks, which he said are a growing threat in an increasingly cyber-dependent world.

The fact that Reid’s briefing was classified underscores the critical nature of the attacks and that the public has not likely learned the whole story.

What is known, as reported by The New York Times and the Associated Press, is that beginning July 4 and extending into this week, cyber attacks were aimed at 27 American and South Korean agencies and at commercial sites, including those of The Washington Post and the New York Stock Exchange.

More than a third of the sites, including those of the Treasury and Transportation departments, the Secret Service and the Federal Trade Commission, succumbed to various degrees. The White House Web site came under attack, but officials there said no disruption in service occurred.

All in all, the attacks are being described by computer security experts as mild and relatively unsophisticated, seemingly aimed at temporarily jamming sites used by the public rather than bringing down networks that control government operations and public works.

Nevertheless, the attacks served notice that key public and private computer systems contain major vulnerabilities. The attacks exposed how uneven our security systems are, with some repelling the attacks and some caving in to the bombardments.

The government should spare no expense as it investigates the attacks and begins the job of upgrading the security of all government networks and Web sites. Another attack might not be so mild.