CNBC ORIGINAL TAKES VIEWERS INSIDE THE THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY, BANKING AND INFRASTRUCTURE
One-Hour Documentary Reported by CNBC’s Melissa Lee to Premiere on CNBC on Thursday, May 26th at 9PM ET/PT
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., May 16, 2011— In the United States, our financial systems, power grids, telecommunications, water supply, flight controls and military communications are all controlled online—making them vulnerable to attack by a growing breed of cyber criminals that operates anonymously, and often with impunity. On Thursday, May 26th at 9PM ET/PT, CNBC presents “Code Wars: America’s Cyber Threat,” a CNBC Original reported by Correspondent Melissa Lee, that investigates this global cyber threat, and explores the vulnerabilities we face as a nation.
Cybersecurity has become a top priority of the Obama administration. Cyber crimes cost the U.S. economy more than $100 billion a year, and scores of security companies are banking on the fact that more money will need to be spent to defend against online attacks. In this one-hour documentary, CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, tells the stories of the hackers who pose these threats, the companies that work to protect information, the cyber-sleuths who’ve uncovered the biggest security breaches, and a government struggling to defend against this 21st century warfare.
Lee takes viewers to the front lines of America’s cyber defense with a rare behind-the-scenes look inside National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC), a top secret facility near Washington that stands ready to respond to a large scale cyber attack. The program also profiles the leader of a group of Chinese hackers who have tried to penetrate American government interests, and unravels the mystery behind Stuxnet, perhaps the most sophisticated and vexing computer virus ever deployed.
In the U.S., 240 million people, or 77% of the population, are online, leaving a wealth of sensitive information exposed to cyber criminals. CNBC speaks with the co-founders of Lookout, a San Francisco company that designs security tools for mobile devices, who show Lee how easy it is for a hacker to steal information with just a laptop, a $50 antenna, and free software found online. CNBC also looks at the cyber crime underground, an estimated $5 billion economy where hackers from across the globe buy, sell and trade stolen goods and illegal services.
CNBC also travels to Estonia, one of the most Internet dependent countries in the world, which suffered a sustained cyber attack in 2007 that took down the nation’s banking system for days. The attack served as a wake-up call for Estonia and the rest of the world, and a window into the new world of cyber insecurity.
For more information including web extras, log onto, codewars.cnbc.com.
Melissa Lee is host of CNBC's "Fast Money" (M-Thu 5PM-6PM ET), “Fast Money Halftime Report” (Weekdays 12:30PM ET), "Options Action," (Fridays 5:00PM ET) and “Money in Motion Currency Trading” (Fridays 5:30PM ET).
Mitch Weitzner is the Senior Executive Producer of “Code Wars: America’s Cyber Threat.” Wally Griffith is Senior Producer. Alison O’Brien and Deborah Camiel are Producers. Ray Borelli is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Research, Scheduling and Long Form Programming.
CNBC’s “Code Wars: America’s Cyber Threat” will re-air on Thursday, May 26th at 10PM ET/PT and Sunday, May 29th at 10PM ET.
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