Top Spy: Small Hacks Are Bigger Threat Than ‘Cyber Armageddon’

Clapper’s remarks even ratcheted down some of his own rhetoric from his previous testimony to the same committee. In his 2014 statement (PDF), the intelligence director said that “large segments” of computerized systems used to help manage water, oil,gas, and electrical facilities “remained vulnerable to attack, which might cause significant economic or human impact.” In that testimony, Clapper offered no precise assessment on the likelihood of such a cyber attack, whereas this year he described it as possible but unlikely.

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