Cyber security: US says computers safe

The US State Department gave a low-key response Friday to reports that Beijing might be developing the ability to launch cyber attacks on Taiwan and US computer systems. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that the US government has an extensive computer protection system. He made the remarks at a routine State Department briefing in response to wire service reports carried in various newspapers that quoted a CIA analysis as saying that while Beijing might want to develop the ability to attack computer systems in order to disrupt infrastructure in Taiwan and US military systems, it does not at present have this capability. Asked whether the US has strengthened its anti-hacking measures recently, Boucher replied that US protection programs can cope with any possible threat at any time.