Hi, I'd be pretty interested to see what they come up with!
cheers
martin
----
>
>
> Friday December 07 12:58 PM EST
>
> Feds To Draw 'Map' of Internet
> By Tim McDonald, www.NewsFactor.com
> http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nf/20011207/tc/15181_1.html
>
> The U.S. federal government will begin the work of drawing a "map" of the
> Internet next month, in an attempt to improve the country's ability to
> better respond to future cyber-attacks, according to Richard Clarke,
> President Bush's advisor on cyber-security.
>
> The National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center will diagram the
> complex links between the country's critical Internet infrastructure, such
> as interdependent telecom and information technology networks, electric
> power grids, transportation systems, and gas and oil pipelines.
>
> "The center will create an acupuncture map of the country, so we will know
> where to harden our protection," Clarke said in statement.
>
> Better Information Exchange
>
> The plan calls for better exchange of information between the private and
> government sectors, though it is not yet clear how the information exchange
> will take place.
>
> The goal is for the security industry overall to better understand the links
> between networks -- how one incident in one network may affect others -- so
> it can devise better security systems and put in place more effective
> responses.
>
> For example, a train derailment in Baltimore recently caused a fire in a
> tunnel, which, in turn, affected Internet connections in Chicago.
> Investigators learned later that the fire had damaged high-speed Internet
> backbone connections that were in the tunnel.
>
> Maps Available Now
>
> The effort would certainly not be the first attempt to diagram the Internet.
> There have been many, including the Internet Mapping Project, a long-term
> effort that collects routing data.
>
> The project describes its Internet map as a "tree-like structure with
> 100,000 nodes." Included on its site is a map of Serbia showing damage from
> the war. Researchers say they hope one day to make a movie that shows the
> growth of the Internet, based on the data they have collected.
>
> John Quarterman is perhaps the best-known cartographer and demographer of
> the Internet. His published maps can be found at Matrix Maps Quarterly.
>
> Billions to be Spent
>
> The action by the federal government is one of a flurry of moves involving
> the nation's Internet infrastructure since the September 11th terrorist
> attacks.
>
> Congress is currently considering legislation that would release roughly
> US$900 million to be used for research into cyber security. The money would
> be divided between the National Science Foundation and the National
> Institute of Standards and Technology.
>
> Another bill would increase overall IT security spending at six federal
> agencies by about 50 percent -- roughly $7 billion over five years.
>
> In addition, Congress is considering legislation that would ease
> restrictions included in the Freedom of Information Act. The new provisions
> would allow private companies to share information involving security
> breaches with the government without worrying about whether the information
> would be made public.
>
> That move has been opposed by some consumer groups, who claim the companies
> want to protect themselves from liability stemming from flawed software and
> hardware products.
>
> Attacks More Ambitious
>
> Federal law enforcement authorities have become increasingly concerned with
> the ability of malicious hackers, including hostile governments and
> terrorist organizations, to halt or disrupt critical government computer
> systems.
>
> In south Florida, for example, a hacker was able to break into local
> government systems and divert 911 calls to a local pizza parlor. In Houston,
> Texas, FBI officials nabbed a hacker before he could insert a worm into
> computers that would have resulted in the widespread shutdown of 911.
>
> And in 1997, a juvenile hacker shut down communications at an FAA tower in
> Worcester, Massachusetts, for six hours.
>
> Evolving Attacks
>
> There are increasing signs that large, organized cyber attacks will become
> part of future large-scale conflicts between nations and terrorists.
>
> For example, NATO servers were shut down for several days during the 2000
> bombing campaign in Serbia and Kosovo.
>
> "Recent attacks have targeted vital communications and critical
> infrastructure systems," said Michael Vatis, former head of the National
> Infrastructure Protection Center. "In the weeks and months to come, cyber
> attacks will evolve further."
>
>
>
>
_________________________________________________________________________
martin dodge
cyber geography research
centre for advanced spatial analysis, university college london
gower street, london, wc1e 6bt, united kingdom
email: [log in to unmask] tel: +44 (0)207 679 1782
http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk http://www.cybergeography.org
http://www.atlasofcyberspace.com
__________________________________________________________________________
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