Cyberterrorism is a misleading term, says expert

Date: December 05, 2004
Source: ZDNet UK
By: Dan Ilett in Barcelona

RSA Conference: Richard Clarke, who has advised three US presidents on security, says talk of 'cyberterrorism' is misleading

The former security advisor to three US presidents has called for the IT industry and media to stop using the term 'cyberterrorism'.

Richard Clarke, who left the White House after disagreements over 9/11 with the Bush administration, said that the term was distracting people from the real threats of cyberspace.

"'Cyberterrorism' confuses people," said Clarke. "People think of Bin Laden in his cave with a laptop when they hear it. Use 'information security' or 'cybercrime', but please don't use 'cyberterrorism'."

Clarke, who openly criticised the Bush administration for its handling of 9/11 and the Iraq war, said he suspected that Russia, China and the US had been involved in cyberattacks.

Clarke was talking at the RSA conference in Barcelona, which ends today.

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