CYBER ATTACK - AT 7:56 P.M. ET:  The latest on the new cyber attacks against the U.S. Government and others:

July 8 (Bloomberg) -- Web sites of the U.S. departments of State, Treasury and Transportation were attacked by unidentified hackers during the July 4 holiday weekend and in some cases the attacks were continuing today, officials said.

In addition, NYSE Euronext, the world’s largest owner of stock exchanges, said it was notified by authorities that it had been the target of a cyber attack aimed at slowing or shutting down its Web site.

The Department of Homeland Security is aware of the attacks and its Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or CERT, has advised government agencies and private companies on “steps to take to mitigate against such attacks,” Amy Kudwa, a spokeswoman for the department, said in an e-mail today.

COMMENT:  Some stories making the rounds theorize that the attacks came from North Korea, as some South Korean sites were also hacked. 

If it did come from North Korea, you can be sure that the Obama administration will pull out all stops and write a really tough letter to the UN.  Major league complaining.  Threats of further study and anguish.

July 8, 2009