FBI: Terrorists exploring cyberattacks

The FBI is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to al Qaeda. It's now looking into whether the terrorist organization could attack the U.S. by launching a cyberattack.

The law enforcement agency is looking at people with suspected links to al Qaeda who have shown an interest in mounting an attack on computer systems that control critical U.S. infrastructure, a senior official told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. "The FBI is aware of and investigating individuals who are affiliated with or sympathetic to al Qaeda who have recognized and discussed the vulnerabilities of the U.S. infrastructure to cyber-attack," said Steven Chabinsky, deputy assistant director of the FBI's Cyber Division.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said that a lack of security protections in U.S. computer software increases the likelihood that they could be a target. "I don't think [al Qaeda] are the most capable in the world, but they have some capability," he said.

Chertoff expects al Qaeda to develop more cyber-attack skills that would allow them to attack infrastructure that is less well protected, perhaps in the transportation and energy sectors. "It's only a matter of time," he said. "They're getting the capability to do some damage."

For more on the FBI's analysis:
- see this Wall Street Journal article

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