[attrition] 'Electronic Jihad' fails to materialise

[security curmudgeon]

[More info available at www.infowarrior.org, treachery.net or
 attrition.org! -jericho]

'Electronic Jihad' fails to materialise
By John Leyden
Published Thursday 26th August 2004 11:06 GMT
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/26/cyberfud/

Rumours that the Internet would witness a sustained and devastating
cyber-attack by Islamic "cyber-terrorists" today have turned out to be
completely baseless.

The non-story kicked off earlier this week when Kaspersky Labs execs
referred to reports on unspecified Arab websites that Islamic hackers had
declared 26 August as a day of "electronic jihad" against Israel. The
comments were picked up in the Russian media, resulting in a number of
alarmist articles on the supposed threat. "Terrorists will paralyse the
Internet on 26 August," reported MosMews.

Vmyths editor Rob Rosenberger was quick to dismiss the reports as
"baseless hysteria" pointing out that the latest prediction of
cyber-apocalyse are nothing new. Previous "cyber-wars" have resulted in
nothing beyond a few defaced websites. Rosenberger's predictions have been
borne out by a notable absence of carnage of the information cyber-highway
this morning.

Meanwhile Kaspersky Labs is distancing itself from the story. It seems the
Russian media put a sensationalist spin on off the cuff remarks by company
founder Eugene Kaspersky.

In a statement, it said: "Kaspersky Labs do not believe that anything
serious will occur [on 26 August], although obviously it will be prepared
accordingly. However, Kaspersky Labs is concerned of the use of the term
'electronic jihad' for the first time, implying that Arab hackers are
thinking about a more aggressive attack." ®