''Iraq will destroy us by computer,'' the experts screamed (part 3)

Rob Rosenberger, Vmyths co-founder
Thursday, 15 May 2003 "IRAQ WILL CRIPPLE the U.S. with cyber-attacks," the fearmongers warned. I tell you, everyone got into the act — from Congress to the FBI to former CIA officials to computer security salesmen.

"I know we're all preoccupied with Iraq, al Qaeda terrorists and North Korea, but the greatest threat is one we're ignoring: cyber-terrorism on a global scale."

This, from a man who wrote a fiction novel. Even a fire-breathing Muslim cleric living the high life in Britain got into the act. Even a delusional narcissistic hacker living in the slums of Kuala Lumpur got into the act. I tell you, everyone screamed about the coming cybergeddon. Hmph. Wusses. All of them. I mean, c'mon! How much effort does it take to open a digital can of whoop-ass on the United States? From what I hear, even a 14yr-old Iraqi nomad can remotely shut down our national power grid and remotely pollute our vital toilet water supplies. Let's review what the "experts" said as they pounded the drums of cyber-war.
Part 3: hot off the press (release)
Press releases? You say you want to hear about cyber-war press releases? Hey, you came to the right place. A red-hot missive from Engedi Technologies said CTO Jeff Carley would make himself available during the war with Iraq "to provide analysis on the White House's National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace (NSSC)." Carley observed:
In these troubling times, we have been warned that our enemies are looking to exploit our every weakness, and our information networks are a prime target. Our military might is second to none, yet a few determined and well trained computer experts can wreck havoc on our government and commercial computer systems... Our nation is counting on us to do our part in this undertaking. We are on the front line of this battle.
I love it when a press release includes a motivational speech. Don't you? Carley nailed at least four radio interviews (two of them in the "show me" state of Missouri) thanks to his patriotic prose. I'd offer you a link to Carley's words of wisdom, but Engedi hasn't added a press release to their website in the last six months. Go figure.
BILL NEUGENT, AUTHOR of the book "No Outward Sign," used Gulf War II as a pretext to raise his Amazon.com ranking. Neugent wrote a book of fiction and then he issued a blatant cyber-terror press release to promote it. Neugent explains he's been "besieged with calls" to give keynote speeches, including "a Government Chief Information Officer Summit, which will be providing copies of his novel to several hundred high-ranking attendees."
Yes: your hard-earned tax dollars funded a book author's promotion tour. For a fiction novel, no less. Get used to it.
Yes: your hard-earned tax dollars funded a book author's promotion tour. For a fiction novel, no less. Get used to it. Federal Computer Weekly bit hard on the press release as you might expect. And you gotta hand it to Neugent — his website claims he "spent a career avoiding the press, due to his role as a behind-the-scenes consultant." Now he "strives to attract press attention while not making news." Do tell. Fiction book author John Mariotti sent out a press release for "The Silence." It actually quotes him as saying "I know we're all preoccupied with Iraq, al Qaeda terrorists and North Korea, but the greatest threat is one we're ignoring: cyber-terrorism on a global scale." This, from an author who wrote a book of fiction. No doubt Mariotti would ask New Yorkers to turn over, say, five percent of their physical terrorism budget to protect FDNY computers. "Be concerned. Be very concerned!" the press release concludes. "Read 'The Silence' and see why." Do tell. Hey, don't get me wrong! I'd love to spring for books written by Neugent & Mariotti — but my tiny counter-cyber-terrorism budget doesn't give me any leeway. Besides, my boss wouldn't like it if I sat around all day reading sci-fi fantasy novels. I'm not a government Chief Information Officer, you know...
[continued in part 4: "Save the best for last"]