WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On Friday, Aug. 29, United States Secret Service DirectorRalph Basham issued the following statement on the arrest in the "Blaster" computer virus investigation:
"The Secret Service's participation in this investigation -- with our partners at theU.S. Attorney's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Microsoft -- isabout sharing information and resources in an effort to enhance our strengths andminimize our weakness against those that would do us harm.
As shown with our participation in today's arrest, the Secret Service -- as a keyinvestigative agency within the Department of Homeland Security -- is preparedto protect not only the leaders of this nation, but to investigate attacks on thecritical infrastructures that are so vital to this nation. The Secret Service pridesitself on its unique ability to partner with the private sector, academia and otherlaw enforcement agencies to investigate high-tech crimes committed againstprivate industry, the public and the government.
We are not only concerned with apprehending those individuals that commitcomputer crimes, but in assisting private companies in limiting the damage doneby these criminals to private industry and the public. On behalf of the SecretService, I want to commend the hard work of those individuals and agenciesinvolved in this investigation. Our success in this investigation is a very goodexample of how, by working together, the public and private sectors can combinetheir resources effectively to combat computer-based crimes."
Source: U.S. Secret Service