Alert on Hacker Power Play

U.S. Official Signals Growing Concern Over Anonymous Group's Capabilities

By SIOBHAN GORMAN

The National Security Agency has warned that the hacking group Anonymous could have the ability within the next year or two to bring about a limited power outage through a cyber-attack, Siobhan Gorman reports on digits.

The director of the National Security Agency has warned that the hacking group Anonymous could have the ability within the next year or two to bring about a limited power outage through a cyberattack.

Gen. Keith Alexander, the director, provided his assessment in meetings at the White House and in other private sessions, according to people familiar with the gatherings. While he hasn't publicly expressed his concerns about the potential for Anonymous to disrupt power supplies, he has warned publicly about an emerging ability by cyberattackers to disable or even damage computer networks.

AFP/Getty Images

Gen. Keith Alexander of the NSA, shown above in 2010, has warned publicly about cyberattackers' ability to disable computer networks.

Anonymous Attacks

Some recent acts by the group:

• December 2010: Attacks groups and individuals that had tangled with WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange.
• February 2011: Followers break into computer systems of California Internet-security company HBGary Federal, release tens of thousands of internal emails online. Company CEO resigns.
• Aug. 14, 2011: Hacks a Bay Area Rapid Transit website to protest the rail system's move to temporarily shut down cellphone service.
• Jan. 19, 2012: Attacks Justice Department website and apparently knocks it offline to retaliate against shutdown of a media-downloading site.
• Feb. 12, 2012: Announces a plan that it says will shut down the Internet on March 31.
• Feb. 17, 2012: Attacks two sites of the Federal

Gen. Alexander's warning signals a growing federal concern over the capabilities of Anonymous, a loose affiliation of so-called hacktivist computer programmers who have launched a raft of high-profile cyberassaults against U.S. government and corporate targets such as Visa Inc., MasterCard Inc. and eBayInc.'s PayPal service.

So far, the attacks have primarily served to embarrass companies and organizations, and cybersecurity experts differ on the extent of the threat posed by Anonymous

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