The United States tops the list of governments suspected of involvement in cyber attacks, according to a major survey of IT executives released on January 28 by US software security firm McAfee (NYSE:MFE). The U.S. was cited as a worry by 36 percent of executives. China was seen as the next most serious threat, named by 33 percent.

The survey of 600 IT security executives from critical infrastructure enterprises worldwide showed 54 percent have already suffered large scale attacks or infiltrations from organized crime, terrorists or governments.

Nearly two thirds of the executives believe representatives of foreign governments have been involved in previous infrastructure infiltrations.

The report quotes former CIA Director General Michael Hayden as saying cyberspace is like the Wild West. "Everybody has to defend themselves, so everyone's carrying a gun."

But Hayden played down the report's ranking of the U.S. as top governmental threat. "It might simply be a reflection of the raw capabilities and frankly the raw size of US intelligence agencies," he said.

Majorities of those surveyed in China, Brazil, Spain, Mexico and Russia named the U.S. as the most serious governmental threat. Indian executives saw the U.S. and China as equally worrisome. Despite Germany being a traditional US ally, IT executives there were most concerned by the potential threat from the U.S.

The report says that critical infrastructure, such as electrical grids, oil and gas production, telecommunications and transportation networks traditionally had "little cyber protection, and have relied on guards, gates and guns." But connection to the Internet has made corporate computers accessible from anywhere in the world.

"From public transportation, to energy to telecommunications, these are the systems we depend on every day. An attack on any of these industries could cause widespread economic disruptions, environmental disasters, loss of property and even loss of life," the report quotes McAfee CEO Dave DeWalt, as saying.

The survey was carried out on behalf of McAfee by technology marketing consultancy Vanson Bourne. The survey polled IT security executives in 14 countries (USA, UK, Japan, China, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Saudi Arabia).

The report was authored by Washington-based Think Tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and is available on the McAfee website. http://img.en25.com/Web/McAfee/CIP_report_final_uk_fnl_lores.pdf