TechTalk

CIA war game simulates major Internet attack

The CIA is conducting a cyber-war game this week geared to simulate a major Internet attack by enemy computer hackers, an intelligence official said Thursday.

Dubbed "Silent Horizon," the three-day unclassified exercise is based on a scenario set five years in the future and involves participants from government and the private sector.

"These are people who could likely be affected or enlisted in a real situation," the intelligence official said.

"Its goal is to help the United States recognize indicators of a large-scale cyber attack."

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Sony: Small Gamer, Small Price

Since its May 2003 announcement, Sony's PlayStation Portable has been highly anticipated. But to beat Game Boy and iPod, experts felt that PSP would need to be aggressively priced. Last week Sony finally announced that it would ship PSP in Japan on Dec. 12 for about $185 in U.S. dollars.

This suggests that when it ships next March in the United States, it will likely retail for $199, or $50 to $100 less than what industry observers predicted. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter now expects 2005 PSP sales in the United States and Europe to significantly outstrip the 6.4 million units originally forecast. That's the kind of news that could have Sony's competitors tearing their hair out.

—N'gai Croal © 2004 Newsweek, Inc.