Many folks have observed that with the cooling down of the
cold war and the rapid dissovling of the economy, many
proffessionally trained (militarily trained as well)
computer security folks are on the streets looking for work.
The hall mark of the professional is that you usually don't
know if you have been penetrated or not. Most of the press
stories and published attacks and vulnerabilties are the
'easy' one's, not used by professionals except as cover.
In fact, conspiracy theorist's can revel in the thought that
virus making tool kits and script's for the so-called
'script-kiddies' have been prepared as cover for
professional attacks.
In light of this, here is an interesting story:
"In an article published in this month's issue of Foreign
Affairs magazine
(http://www.foreignaffairs.org/Search/document.asp?i=20010501FAESSAY4771.XML)
James Adams, a member of the National Security Agency's
advisory board, reveals that Pentagon computers have for the
past three years been the target of some sophisticated
attacks. According to Adams, unidentified hackers have built
back doors into victim computers that allow them to enter
the systems whenever they choose to. "In a still ongoing
operation that American investigators have code-named
Moonlight Maze," Adams writes, "a group of hackers has used
sophisticated tools to break into hundreds of computer
networks at NASA, the Pentagon, and other government
agencies, as well as private universities and research
laboratories. These cyber-intruders have stolen thousands of
files containing technical research, contracts, encryption
techniques, and unclassified but essential data relating to
the Pentagon's war-planning systems." While the State
Department reportedly lodged a formal protest with the
Russian government last year after investigators determined
that the attacks appeared to have originated from Russian
Internet addresses, Adams claims authorities still do not
know "who is behind the attacks, what additional information
has been taken and why, to what extent the public and
private sectors have been penetrated.""
