Computer Virus crashes customs computers

The virus affected computers at Miami, LA, Houston, San Francisco and other airports. This caused huge delays for incoming international passengers at these airports.

I still think a computer attack against vital US infrastructure(power grids, financial networks) could be the next terror attack. Cyber attacks aren't very sexy but could be far more damaging than a 9-11 style attack.

Part of the Associated Press article is below.

MIAMI -- A virus caused the U.S. Customs computer system used to process passengers arriving on international flights to shut down for several hours Thursday, leaving long lines of impatient travelers, including at Miami International Airport, officials said.

Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said the virus impacted computer systems at a number of airports, including those in New York, San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas and Laredo, Texas.

The worst delays appeared to be in Miami, where as many as 2,000 people waited to clear immigration, airport spokesman Marc Henderson said.

At New York's airports, customs officials processed passengers by hand during the shutdown. In Los Angeles, they used backup computer systems to keep passengers moving.

The computer problem originated in database systems located in Virginia and lasted from around 6 p.m. until about 11:30 p.m., said Zachary Mann, spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in southern Florida.

``Unfortunately with technology you have periods where things happen,'' he said. Knocke declined to provide further details on where the computer virus originated.