By Will Sturgeon, 9 February 2005 17:25
NEWS A controversial UK security vendor is calling for the creation of a World Security Organisation (WSO) to crack down on 'cyber-terror' as well as real world threats by air, land, sea and space.
Yet some in the industry have criticised the 'cyber-terror' part of the plan, saying it is bogged down in fanciful thinking and hyperbole. One expert has even branded it "barmy".
DK Matai, the chairman of mi2g will tomorrow night address the Oxford University Internet Institute with a proposal for a body which would tackle the issue of 'cyber-terrorism'.
According to the company, he will address 60 attendees, including senior execs from the banking and insurance sectors as well as representatives from the academic, diplomatic, government and intelligence fields.
Among the proposals he will present are the creation of "a global collaborative venture more powerful than Interpol" as well as plans to "reduce poverty levels in deprived areas from where radicals and organised crime members are recruited".
But such bold claims have lead one leading anti-virus expert to brand the plans as "barmy".
Speaking anonymously he told silicon.com: "We could just laugh this off as barmy, were it not for the fact that government, the City and now Oxford University actually take this self-appointed guru seriously. That's where I stop laughing and start worrying about the direction things are going."
Addressing the specific accusations above a statement from mi2g said: "Far from engaging in hyperbole, we feel that our point of view is balanced and realistic."
And Matai remains bullish about the role the WSO could play in ensuring greater safety for internet users and world governments.
"The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly in favour of The World Security Organisation," he said in a statement. "We invite further dialogue in this area because a significant need for such an institution has now been clearly identified by several countries."
Central to any criticism of these plans is the fact that evidence of a genuine cyber-terror threat is yet to be presented by any respected body, according to Simon Perry, VP security strategy at CA who was recently invited to advise ENISA (the European Network and Information Security Agency) as a member of its permanent stakeholders group.
Supporting this view, Pete Simpson, ThreatLab manager at Clearswift, told silicon.com: "There has not been a single cyber-terror threat. Not one. It's entirely fabricated and non-existent."
Simpson suggested "political propaganda" and "commercial propaganda" may both be playing a part.
Addressing whether the claims of mi2g should be regarded as genuine cause for concern, leading computer science academic, Ross Anderson, from Cambridge University, told silicon.com: "The use of the word 'cyber-terrorism' signals marketing rather than anything else."
The other misconception with cyber-terror, according to CA's Perry, is the idea that terrorists will have a means of attack other than those attacks we see currently.
DK Matai's speech entitled Cyberland Security: Organised Crime, Terrorism and the Internet can be obtained free of charge by emailing intelligence.unit@mi2g.com.
Comments
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1. mi2g Intelligence Unit
Dear Silicon readers
Please note that the proposed World Security Organisation has many facets and the precise reasons for proposing it are discussed in DK Matai's speech delivered at the Oxford Internet Institute. We would urge you to make up your mind after reading DK's speech which can be obtained free of charge from the mi2g Intelligence Unit: intelligence.unit@mi2g.com.
In regard to mi2g's cyber terror views: Far from engaging in hyperbole, we feel that our point of view is balanced and realistic. Feel free to make up your own mind by reading: "How real is the threat of cyber terrorism?" This is a free article and it can be accessed from here: http://www.mi2g.com/cgi/mi2g/press/101104.php
Best wishes
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2. Nick Clark
What "Intelligence" is shown by posting a comment to a public web based service with a disclaimer "This eMail is confidential and may also be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify us immediately. "
3. anonymous
The mi2g piece www.mi2g.com/cgi/mi2g/press/101104.php
concludes "the present threat level of a terrorist digital attack that causes severe loss of life is still low to medium but likely to rise in profile to medium and then to high, in the coming three to five year horizon."
Low to medium? Entirely non-existent is a more accurate consensus assessment across the IT security profession. Such FUD could be easily dismissed to the Recycle Bin were it not for the fact that credulous politicians and heads of industry are easy prey to this meme (mind virus).
Witness the gathering of worthy individuals at Oxford University last night to ingest a hearty dose of this wilful propaganda. Were the dinner of such Augean quality there would have been howls of protest. But no the dignatories swallowed it with relish.
Caveat emptor.
4. Rob
You have to give credit to mi2g for using their brains and using the same spin Mr Bush did.
Create the need for a service you have had planned for awhile and be the first to cash in on that demand that you have created. The idea might have had merit if it didn't come with so much marketing evidently wrapped round it.
5. Tom
This is just stupid scaremongering. Where is the threat - this is just spin and hype? This reminds me of Bush and Blair telling us there is a threat just so they can pretend they protected us when nothing happens. Guess that's why the government are giving these loonies the time of day.
6. anonymous
Who are these mi2g idiots? They were in the Metro newspaper yesterday warning about a "Computer Doomsday"!!! What next, computer viruses that will snuff out the sun and make the sky fall on our heads! Who believes this crap!? (other than the Metro and mi2G themselves)
Do a Google search for "mi2g" - they don't get great press anywhere else.
7. anon
[quote]Name: Anonymous
Country: London
Occupation: Non-believer
Comments: Who are these mi2g idiots? They were in the Metro newspaper yesterday warning about a "Computer Doomsday"!!! What next, computer viruses that will snuff out the sun and make the sky fall on our heads! Who believes this crap!? (other than the Metro and mi2G themselves)
Do a Google search for "mi2g" - they don't get great press anywhere else.[/quote]
Yeah,thinking like you will make an heart attack when something like that will "happen" if will "happen", because there are more "idiots" who are reading this only because they are bored of "News Papers" and they just come read and them post a comment,but they done even know what's this all about.
What you can do,if 2morow you Credit Card will be used all over the internet for online orders or even you online banking accout will be use for money laundry ?? what you will say afther that? that your days are over and you will belive in this "cybercrime" org's ? all "idiots" come and post comments without even knowing what's this all about.
ps:think twice or more wise.