Malicious hackers have long had easy access to automated tools designed to find flaws in Web servers and other software exposed to the public Internet. But the timing of the NIPC warning comes amidst a raft of bad Net-security news. The same week, hackers published a free program that makes it easy to compromise encrypted passwords on computers running older versions of e-commerce software from IBM, which expressed frustration that customers weren't applying readily available patches. The majority of those breaches came over the Internet. The CSI study likely lowballs the real figures.
Many companies are loath to admit to anyone that they've been hacked.
Likewise, the NIPC is probably understating the number of companies facing extortion threats. This changes what people think about Web hacking. These guys are methodically looking at systems over the Internet, looking for the next target. This should no longer come as a surprise. The amount of commerce and financial transactions now passing over the Internet means it's now a far more enticing environment for organized hackers looking to pick the low-hanging fruit.