Cyberattack on CIA Website “A Major Wakeup Call” for Country
Washington,
June 16, 2011 -
Bachus says Financial Services Committee hearing will examine threat posed by hackers
WASHINGTON –Reports that the CIA was the victim of a cyberattack on Thursday underscore the seriousness of the threat posed by hackers and cybercriminals, said Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus.
The reported attack on the CIA comes as the Financial Services Committee prepares to hold a field hearing on June 29 at the National Computer Forensics Institute in Alabama, where law enforcement officers from across the country are trained on how to detect, prevent and prosecute cyber crimes.
“There has been a series of high-profile cyberattacks in recent weeks that should serve as a major wakeup call for our country,” said Chairman Bachus. “Cybercriminals here at home and abroad are constantly trying to discover and exploit weaknesses in our security, both on a national level and a personal level. The Committee’s hearing at the National Computer Forensics Institute could not come at a more appropriate time as the frequency of these attacks appears to be growing.”
Among the major cyberattacks that have been reported in recent weeks – in addition to the CIA – are hacking incidents at the International Monetary Fund, the European Union’s headquarters, Citigroup, Sony Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp., RSA Security, the U.S. Senate and Nintendo Co..
The Committee’s field hearing at the National Computer Forensics Institute will examine the threat hackers pose to individuals, businesses and financial institutions; the methods hackers employ; and ways law enforcement has been able to foil hackers and solve cyber crimes.
The institute was established in 2007 through a partnership of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service, the State of Alabama, the City of Hoover, Shelby County, the Alabama District Attorneys Association and the Alabama Securities Commission.
