'Digital Pearl Harbor': Symantec warns of cyber-terror threat

The world's high-tech infrastructure is under a serious and credible threat from terrorist groups, according to Rob Clyde, CTO of the world's biggest security firm Symantec.

In an exclusive interview with silicon.com, Clyde said the IT industry, as well as governments, need to prepare for terrorist attacks over the internet, mirroring concerns voiced by US Attorney General John Ashcroft last year,

Clyde said his biggest concern is about attacks on IT systems by hackers with new and complex motives. "The advent of attackers that may come from terrorist groups or rogue nations could affect our critical infrastructure," he said.

He added: "Most of our critical infrastructures are controlled by computer systems - we live in a cyber world. If you affect these computers, you affect these infrastructures - power, transportation, financial trading systems, telecommunications - these can all be affected by disrupting the computer systems they rely on."

Clyde's comments highlight the profound impact the terrorist attacks last year have had on the IT security industry, at a time when hacks motivated by more 'traditional' incentives such as money or notoriety were on the increase.

While Clyde admitted there are not many known threats from cyber-terrorism he said this situation could quickly change. "This is a significant threat and one we need to be ready for," he said.

US concern about cyber-attacks has risen in recent months with John Ashcroft making a number of statements warning the IT world to be on guard. Richard Clarke, President Bush's man in charge of protecting US infrastructure, has warned repeatedly about the potential for a "digital Pearl Harbor" in which a terrorist attack would paralyse computers, electrical grids and other key infrastructure.

Symantec's Clyde shows his company at least is taking these warnings seriously. He also said IT security faces a threat from the "democratisation of hacking" - enabled by the presence of hacking tools on the internet.

For the full exclusive video interview click the 'play' button at the top of this story.