"In a recent annual review, a team at the Department of Homeland Security that works to counter the threat of attacks on critical computer infrastructure counted 198 incidents in fiscal 2012. The events reported ranged from the use of malware to sabotage systems to phishing attacks for retrieving sensitive information. In roughly 40 percent of those cases, the target was the energy sector – 'an alarming rate,' the report said."
"Last year the Obama administration championed passage of a Cybersecurity Act, which would have helped companies that operate critical infrastructure to improve the security of their computer systems and share information about attacks on their networks with the federal government. But Senate Republicans succeeded in fending off the bill last August, arguing that it would have imposed a financial burden on companies.
In November, a White House draft executive order picked up the baton by calling for concerted agency action on the issue."
Dylan Walsh reports for the New York Times' Green blog January 10, 2013.
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