Information Security News: FBI moves to thwart up to 20 Y2K threats

[mea culpa <jericho () DIMENSIONAL COM>]

Forwarded From: darek.milewski () us pwcglobal com

http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1009-202-1516401.html

FBI moves to thwart up to 20 Y2K threats
January 7, 2000, 4:20 a.m. PT
URL: http://news.cnet.com/category/0-1009-200-1516401.html

WASHINGTON--The FBI yesterday said it had moved to thwart up to 20 or so
possible threats against targets such as power plants and computer
networks during a heightened security watch that started before 2000
dawned.

About a dozen "physical incidents" involved threats to blow up equipment
such as electrical power plants, while another six or so involved
cyberintrusions or detection of sophisticated "hacker" tools aimed at
knocking out computer networks, deputy assistant director Michael Vatis
told reporters.

"On neither side did we think that this level of activity was particularly
unusual," added Vatis, who oversaw a 24-hour headquarters command post
tied to special year-end watches at all 56 FBI field offices.

Asked to explain what he meant by the type of "physical" violence in
question, Vatis said: "Threats involving explosives or physical
destruction of equipment or a plant of electrical power or something like
that."

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