(3/10/99)

Computer hacking is becoming a world wide epidemic, and experts say most of the hackers are kids. Central Utah Correspondent Robert Walz tells us about the problem.

The language is foreign to most adults. But thanks to new technology newbies can download kiddie script, fire off a vulnerability scan and come up with a juicy target list.

What all that means is: Millions of kids are playing games on the internet, trying to break into large computer systems. Five teenage boys hacked their way into the Pentagon last year. Another 15 year old attempted to break into NASA.

Officials at the Defense Department say they have 80 to 100 hack attacks every day, and most of the hackers are under 15 years of age.

Glenn Ricart, Chief Technology Officer of Novell says, "It's not surprising to me with the technology that the ages are becoming younger and younger and the natural exploration that they like to go after."

Thanks to a number of easy to use computer hacking programs available on the internet, kids with little experience can become hackers.

What was once a small circle of high tech computer experts, is now opening up to the masses, and those most interested are kids.

Ricart says, "In almost every business it is the younger employees who understand the real power of informational systems. As the chief technology officer here at Novell I find myself talking more an more to younger children who will take over those businesses."

But not all the interest is so innocent. Experts estimate that criminal computer hacking caused $123 million in business losses last year, and is growing.

Most of the kids who get involved do not go on to become criminals, but the potential is always there. Ricart says, "I think that all parents should show control over the computer. There are web sites you would not want them to visit, but there are things you would not want them to do to web sites."