Why would someone hack my site?
Sandi Hardmeier often has something to say that I want to listen to, even if she approaches things from a different perspective.
Today, she posed the question "Why would somebody want to hack into my network?"
My first thought is to note that the "PC in Herndon, VA" may not necessarily be even as harmless as it sounds, given that Herndon is a "bedroom community" for certain intelligence-gathering organisations.
Okay, so there's still a little of the dreamer living in fantasy-land in me; but I think my second thought is something you can give to your boss.
Who is to decide the value of your network?
You have bought your network, and all of the computers it comprises, for a specific purpose. To maintain the process of that purpose, you've bought space, you've hired personnel, and you have a lot invested in making sure it stays available for your use. There is value in that, and such value is reasonably easily evaluated.
Where else is there value? Who else sees your network as valuable?
If you're not using all your processing and communications resources - or even if you are - someone out there believes that he has a better use for those resources. If they can pay a few hundred dollars to steal your system, even if they get to steal them while the systems remain in your building, then what's to stop them from exchanging a few hundred dollars for a hack into your systems?
Then there's the worth to consider - what is it worth to you, every day, for your systems to remain under your control? How much would you spend per day to retain that value?