Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

by Julianne LaJeunesse- University of New Mexico

The International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. held a conference Friday calling for more public and private participation to stop internet "hackers."

At the conference, former U.S. director of the National Intelligence organization Mike McConnell said that internet hacking isn't a laughing matter, that instead, hacking could have a global effect.

"I'm not worried about someone, some hacker, turning off your refrigerator and spoiling tomorrow night's dinner," McConnell said. "I'm worried about some terrorist group that has the capability to attack the U.S. money supply."

McConnell said "destroying data, not stealing data" could have worldwide effects because it could contaminate the country's accounting system.

McConnell and other experts said public support through increased firewall use and knowledge about hacking could help decrease the number of "hack jobs" in the country.

James Lewis, director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, added that hacking includes spying. He said in the United States, like it or not, spying is a part of people's everyday internet use.

Lewis noted that current proposed legislation aims to provide more internet protections, but said as of now, spying and a weak U.S. defense toward hacking are "a big problem."

Controls such as Sen. John Rockefeller's (D-W.V.) proposed cyber security bill S.773 has drawn some support for its safety measures, but many people believe the potential of decreased internet access as granted by the President is a step too far.