US intelligence chief says cyberattacks pose biggest threat to nation

James R. Clapper, Director of US National Intelligence, says that one of the biggest threat that US currently faces is that of cyberattacks carried out by miscreants aiming to breach government and private computer networks.

According to the Washington Times, Clapper said in prepared remarks to the Senate Armed Services Committee: "Cyber threats to US national and economic security are increasing in frequency, scale, sophistication and severity of impact; [and] the ranges of cyber threat actors, methods of attack, targeted systems and victims are also expanding."

He said the likelihood of a catastrophic attack from any particular actor is remote at this time.

He asserted that politically motivated cyberattacks were now a growing reality, adding that foreign hackers were developing access to US critical infrastructure systems which could be quickly exploited for disruption if an adversary's intent became hostile, the report added.