The president warned of the perils of an interconnected world.
"The very technologies that empower us to create and to build also empower those who would disrupt and destroy," said President Obama.
From ATMs and cell phones ... to computer networks running electrical grids and air traffic control systems ... cybercriminals have no shortage of vulnerable targets.
MacAfee President Dave Dewalt said, "Last year we saw a 500 per cent increase in malware ... malicious software like worms or viruses. That was more than we saw in the last five years combined."
And most of those were aimed at stealing your money.
"This is what drives the activity we're seeing. There's a very low risk, high reward for cybercrime," said Dewalt.
To fight what he called a growing threat to national security ... the president is creating a cyber security "czar".
Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups have spoken of their desire to unleash a cyber attack on our country -- attacks that are harder to detect and harder to defend against. Indeed, in today's world, acts of terror could come not only from a few extremists in suicide vests but from a few key strokes on the computer -- a weapon of mass disruption," said President Obama.
The president wants more education ... training ... and new technologies to fight cybercrime ... something even he dealt with last year when his campaign computers were hacked.
"To all of who donated to our campaign, I want you to all rest assured our fundraising web site was untouched," said President Obama.
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