Next target: the computer

People have been reassessing security following the 11 September attacks, as the full extent of our appalling vulnerability becomes apparent.

The smouldering ruins of the World Trade Center must leave us in no doubt that terrorist groups want to bring the western world to its knees by destabilising the economy.

Having grabbed global attention through some of the most disturbing images ever seen on TV, the likelihood is that the perpetrators will attempt to wreak further havoc, perhaps in lower-profile, lower-risk operations, which could cause just as much economic damage.

I don't wish to be alarmist - I have not bought a gas mask or a nuclear-chemical-biological suit - but if I were an IT manager I would be buying digital security and advice by the bucket load.

If we are to believe media speculation that these terror groups are both well funded and well educated, surely it would not be beyond the bounds of possibility for them to consider launching their next attack in cyberspace.

I wonder how many others, like me, thought the Nimda worm, which emerged on 18 September, was the second phase of a highly orchestrated attack.

Feelings of paranoia were understandably running high, but wouldn't it have made perfect sense to follow up the physical destruction of 11 September with the release of a particularly virulent and unrelenting virus, designed to bring about digital devastation?

The FBI was quick to reassure businesses that the virus was not terrorist-related, but that could only provide cold comfort as Nimda hit companies hard when they were already reeling.

The fact is, it doesn't really matter who launches the next killer bug - there are enough freaks hiding in the woodwork out there to feel inspired by current political and economic uncertainty to create more. I read of a fancy dress shop in Brighton where someone had stolen a pilot's uniform, leaving in its place the chilling note: "I see millions dead." There are some seriously sick people out there.

It's fair to say that digital technology and the internet now form the hub of western economic power. Every day we hear more stories about how the collapse of mission-critical systems result in the loss of millions of pounds and in extreme cases, when the health services are involved, even loss of life.

The vulnerability of the fragile network that we have created in the past 10 years is well documented, with individuals, books and websites falling over themselves to map these weaknesses in step-by-step detail, to say nothing of the rise of the professional hacker.

The recent rallying call from e-minister Douglas Alexander for firms to protect and patch their networks against attack for the national good was long overdue. But targeting such campaigns at big business is preaching to the converted: the Government should target the thousands of smaller companies and home users who have done nothing to shore up their defences.

With the emergence of worms, each machine is capable of acting as a catapult to spread the infection still further. At the same time, it wouldn't hurt if the Government shamed major software manufacturers into spending more time on creating bug-proof products.

Perhaps, instead of issuing warnings to the troops in the field, the Government should re-examine its own battle plans. It's time to address the sentencing of hackers to ensure that the punishment matches the crime. The Tony Blair administration should also create a properly co-ordinated and well-funded computer crime unit, in tandem with MI5 if necessary.

Otherwise the only ears that the Government's campaign is going to reach at all will be deaf ones.