Attacks on government systems by international hackers
could undermine the economic competitiveness of the US, a
congressional committee has been told.
The disclosure follows
warnings from the UK National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination
Centre that overseas intelligence agencies were systematically
targeting government and private sector computer systems in the
UK.
James Langevin, chairman of the
Emerging Threats and Cyber Security Subcommittee of the
Homeland Security Committee, said that the infiltration by foreign
nationals of government networks was the most critical issue facing
the US.
His comments, made at the start of the first major public
investigation into government-sponsored hacking, will add new
urgency to private sector and government agencies to step up their
security, said security specialists.
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