Visit Your Local PBS Station PBS Home PBS Home Programs A-Z TV Schedules Watch Video Support PBS Shop PBS Search PBS
       
the Online NewsHour The Web site of the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
E-mail This Page   Print This Page  
the Online NewsHour EXTRANews for Students AND Teacher Resources MAIN: ONLINE NEWSHOUR
7 - 12 grade level
SEARCH
ALL OR STUDENT VOICES LESSON PLANS VIDEO GO
Main: NewsHour ExtraU.S.WorldScienceHealthArts/MediaStudent VoicesTeacher Center
NewsHour Teacher Center Blog
August 14, 2008

hack.jpg
In this report: quotes, warm up questions, discussion questions, resources

Cyber attacks are the topic of this video, which serves as an explainer of how technology can be used to target an opponent's websites or online resources.

While Georgia and Russia have clashed over two separatist provinces, tensions have also played out online. Georgia's internet was crippled by hackers, who flooded the Georgian president's website with requests, shutting it down for days.

Georgian government Web sites were also defaced with anti-Georgian and pro-Russian images.

An Internet security specialist explains how the hackers accomplished this, and how security investigators try to fight back and shut hackers down.

SELECTED QUOTES:

"In mid-July, as there were some increased tensions between Russia and Georgia over these regions under dispute, we began seeing an attack commanded to a large botnet that was directed to flood the Georgian president's Web site with requests to load the page repeatedly as fast as possible."- Jose Nazario, Arbor Networks

"It does not require specialized hardware or specialized -- or uncommonly specialized software and tools. And it doesn't require much sophistication on the part of the user."- Jose Nazario, Arbor Networks

"This is, unfortunately, a very common occurrence…and the size of those attacks has increased." - Jose Nazario, Arbor Networks

WARM UP QUESTIONS

What is a cyber attack?

What important information about you is online that a hacker could get access to?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

- Why do you think these cyber attacks were carried out against Georgia's government? What purpose do they serve?

- How does 'cyber warfare' open the door for a larger variety of people to participate in hostilities between two countries or groups?

-What are some other ways cyber attacks have been used, or could be used, in other conflicts or by terrorists?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Read the transcript


In-depth coverage: Georgia's Breakaway Provinces

Author

Comments

Post a Comment:
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you need to be approved by Brian before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)
Name: (required, pseudonym ok)
Email address: (required, will not be published)
Comment:

Recent Lesson Plans
Recent Comments
Web Resources
Recently Added:
What is this?
Teacher to Teacher
Share your teaching experiences: What works, what didn't, what's needed?
What is this?
Previous EntriesTOPICS
Video Clips
What is this?
Blog Jam
National Public Radio
From Education Stories
5/2/08 updated daily
What is this?
The Online NewsHour
FRIDAY'S PROGRAM
Shaky Economy
News Wrap
Holiday Shopping
White House Security Breach
Shields and Brooks
The Online NewsHour, an hour-long daily news broadcast
Check your Local Listings