Sure, the Oklahoma City bomb worked. None other than the computer security firms that stand to benefit from hyping the threat. How nice it would be if this laissez faire attitude toward hacking were completely justified. What an uncomplicated world it would be if hacking was no more dangerous than the spray painting that street gangs leave behind when they mark urban alleyways. But that's not the way it is.
Hackers already are far more dangerous than most people know.
In the last year alone, intentionally inflicted viruses have taken down airport control systems and 911 emergency call centers. They have permanently converted millions of personal computers into cybertrash. They will only get worse. Most of today's Internet viruses depend on the stupidity of strangers. As viruses go, they're strictly common cold.