October 17, 2001 'Anthrax' computer worm stopped by bad code-experts A computer virus that preys on the anthrax scare is not spreading very quickly because of apparently inadvertent flaws in the way the malicious program was created, antivirus companies said Wednesday. Current antivirus software also can easily detect and block the so-called ``Anthrax Virus'' because it was written with old code used in a prior virus, according to Sophos Antivirus. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/tech/043701.htm http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/reuters_wire/1573051l.htm http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5098409,00.html New Anthrax Worm Fails to Deliver http://www.techtv.com/news/story/0,24195,3354416,00.html http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2097422,00.html http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-7549706.html http://www.msnbc.com/news/643969.asp Anthrax Worm Rated A Low Risk Threat http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171191.html Scumbag virus writers try to whip up 'Anthrax outbreak' http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/22301.html - - - - - - - - No evidence bin Laden tampered with Web Amid heightened concern about cyberterrorism, U.S. scientists said they have found no signs that Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network have used technology to hide secret messages on the Internet. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/tech/038314.htm http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2001/10/17/bin-laden-site.htm - - - - - - - - 'Stung' Russian Hacker Guilty Russian computer cracker Vasily Gorshkov was found guilty Tuesday of 20 charges of conspiracy, computer crimes and fraud, according to court papers filed by the Washington state district prosecutor. Gorshkov was arrested in April in an FBI sting operation that provoked some protests. Agents used a digital wiretap to gather details about Gorshkov's computer, and then hacked into the machine to gather some of the evidence that was used to prosecute him. http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,47650,00.html - - - - - - - - Accused hacker pleads no contest Oganesyan admits one count of computer access, fraud. A former employee of a company that makes guidance systems for the Defense Department has pleaded no contest to hacking into the company’s computer system and shutting it down for 24 hours. http://www.msnbc.com/news/643977.asp - - - - - - - - Pakistani Hackers Deface U.S. Site With Ultimatum A Pakistani hacking group has defaced a Web server operated by the U.S. government and threatened to hit American and British military sites unless its demands are met. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171217.html - - - - - - - - Anti-Terror Hackers Seek Govt Blessing A vigilante hacking group is attempting to obtain government approval for its anti- terrorism efforts, Yihat's leader announced Tuesday. During an online meeting of the group's members, founder Kim Schmitz said Yihat is negotiating with one European and one Asian government to "legalize" the group's hacking activities in those nations. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171223.html - - - - - - - - Internet watchdog takes down pirated Software site An Austrian-based Web site that allegedly became a popular online exchange for software pirates around the globe has been shut down by an industry watchdog group, officials said on Wednesday. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/reuters_wire/1575078l.htm http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5098426,00.html - - - - - - - - Cybersecurity Hearing Cut Short By Anthrax Scare Virginia Gov. James Gilmore, R, today warned a congressional panel about the threat of a terrorist cyberattack, and urged the federal government to adopt an array of new defenses against possible electronic strikes. Gilmore outlined the panel's cybersecurity findings at a hearing that was cut short when an Anthrax scare forced a postponement. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171239.html - - - - - - - - Bush panel to fight cyberterror President Bush, calling the protection of information systems critical to the nation's well-being, issued an executive order creating a panel to fight cyberterrorism. The President's Critical Infrastructure Board has the task of preventing disruptions of the nation's critical infrastructures, Bush said in an executive order issued Oct. 16. Critical infrastructures include such things as transportation and electrical power. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2001/1015/web-cip-10-17-01.asp http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1001/101701tdam1.htm http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171225.html Cooperation needed to stop cyberattacks, panel says http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/tech/029378.htm - - - - - - - - Bill aims at data-sharing gap If a foreign national commits a crime in the United States, the FBI stores a record of the incident in an electronic database. But the State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service don't have access to those FBI records when deciding whether to grant re-entry visas. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2001/1015/web-fbi-10-17-01.asp Clinton-era officials urge agencies to share information Two prominent Clinton-era officials on Wednesday urged government agencies to communicate with each other and share information in order to more effectively fight terrorism. Former Director of Central Intelligence James Woolsey and former National Security Advisor Samuel R. “Sandy” Berger spoke in Washington at the "E-Government Integration and National Security" conference hosted by webMethods, a Fairfax, Va., software developer. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1001/101701j1.htm - - - - - - - - Tech Group Hails Demise Of Encryption Backdoor Idea A coalition of high-tech companies today praised Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., for his decision not to introduce legislation requiring law enforcement "backdoor" access to U.S.-made encryption products. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171233.html http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,47635,00.html - - - - - - - - Chewing on Carnivore New anti-terrorism laws may give FBI unprecedented power to use its controversial email surveillance system. So exactly how does it work? Just hours after the towers of the World Trade Center collapsed in lower Manhattan, FBI agents were already visiting the offices of ISPs, network providers, and email vendors around the country in a search for those who perpetrated the attacks. http://www.techtv.com/cybercrime/privacy/story/0,23008,3353087,00.html FBI's cyber-snooping system plays part in terrorism probe http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2001/10/15/BU 142868.DTL - - - - - - - - UK anti-terror law will invade privacy ISPs can keep logs of who does what online if Home Secretary David Blunkett relaxes the Data Protection Act in response to terror fears. An emergency package of anti-terrorism measures rushed forward by the UK government to allow data surveillance across the Internet was described by Internet think-tank Foundation for Information Policy Research (FIPR) as nothing to do with fighting terrorism but simply an invasion of consumer privacy. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2097482,00.html - - - - - - - - Net Gaming Language Stripped From Money-Laundering Bill Leadership in the House of Representatives has killed language within an anti-money- laundering bill that would outlaw many kinds of Internet gambling. A little more than a week after the language was inserted into the bill,H.R. 3004 - the Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 - House leadership determined that it would come out again. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171219.html - - - - - - - - Groups Seek Support For Online Music Law Trade groups are trying to drum up Congressional support for legislation that would give online music distributors the same copyright exemptions enjoyed by radio, cable, and satellite broadcasters to distribute music with impunity. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171236.html Aimster Earns Procedural Victory In RIAA Litigation http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171234.html Music Rights Battle Spins On http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,47632,00.html - - - - - - - - Virtual hotel cracks down on Net paedophiles An Internet chat site for teenagers has been forced to hire 200 moderators after an investigation found widespread cybersex, bullying and racism. A "virtual hotel" for teenagers on the Internet has been forced to implement tighter safety procedures after it was discovered that children were using the service for simulated sex, bullying, harassment and other activities. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2097489,00.html - - - - - - - - Analysts shed more light on post-attack technology spending The federal government will ratchet up spending on information technology products and services 65 percent in the next five years, according to a report released Wednesday by INPUT, an IT analysis and marketing services firm in Chantilly, Va. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1001/101701h1.htm - - - - - - - - Bigger role seen for defense R&D A lack of venture funding for startups combined with a heightened fear of cyberterrorism may bring greater prominence to a long-time, behind-the-scenes investor in high-risk network research: the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/10/17/defense.research.idg/index.html - - - - - - - - Ex-EMC exec hits back in $1B wrangle A former EMC executive has accused the world's top maker of data-storage systems of improperly booking revenue after EMC filed a lawsuit against him to protect trade secrets amid a bid for an estimated $1 billion in potential revenue with customers such as Dell Computer. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5098398,00.html - - - - - - - - Microsoft to security experts: Don't publish code Microsoft, whose software has been at the center of several recent high-profile security incidents, has decided to turn up the heat on those the company considers at least partially responsible: security firms and hackers who release sample programs to exploit software flaws. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-7560391.html - - - - - - - - Anthrax aside, experts say hard to shift mail online Anthrax scares have slowed, and in some cases even paralyzed, mail delivery to businesses in the United States, but e-mail service providers should not expect an automatic windfall of new demand, experts said on Tuesday. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/reuters_wire/1573180l.htm - - - - - - - - It's E-mail Only At Arizona Paper After Anthrax Scare If you want to send mail to the Arizona Daily Star newspaper in Tucson, you'll have to use the electronic kind. Saying that its employees want to be able to do their jobs without worrying about letters carrying anthrax bacteria, the newspaper told its readers Tuesday that they should use e-mail, fax or the company's AzStarNet Web presence if they want to submit something to the Daily Star. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/171222.html - - - - - - - - Secure Web site holds Arizona law enforcement information To beef up security, Arizona Public Safety Department officials set up a secure Web site to allow state and county police and emergency divisions to exchange information. State IT workers launched the site early this month. http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/17296-1.html - - - - - - - - CHiPs: Hazmat reporting needs electronic system California Highway Patrol officials have asked the Transportation Department to develop an electronic hazardous materials transportation incident reporting system to simplify reporting, increase accuracy and speed data entry. They recommended a system that would let officials submit reports over the Internet. Floppy disk, e-mail and fax submissions should be accepted as well, they said. http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/17297-1.html - - - - - - - - Oakland airport to run face checks A facial recognition technology used by police east of San Francisco will soon be working at the Oakland International Airport, said Imagis Technologies, the system's developer. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/newsbursts/0,7407,2818294,00.html - - - - - - - - ID card idea attracts high-level support Silicon Valley software mogul Larry Ellison's proposal to create a national ID card has gained substantial ground -- and the interest of top Bush administration officials -- in a signal that the controversial idea may be closer to reality than ever. http://www0.mercurycenter.com/premium/front/docs/idcard17.htm - - - - - - - - Phone lie detectors to test insurance claims companies are introducing lie detector tests to combat an increase in fraudulent claims. From next April, customers who call some of Britain’s biggest companies to make a claim will have the stresses in their voices analysed to ensure that they are telling the truth. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2-2001361276,00.html - - - - - - - - Can government balance civil liberties, security? The attacks on the United States, which have now led us to see even the mail as a threat, have been assaults on trust itself. But at least one institution -- government -- has regained much of the faith citizens have lost in recent years. http://www0.mercurycenter.com/premium/business/docs/gillmor17.htm *********************************************************** Search the NewsBits.net Archive at: http://www.newsbits.net/search.html *********************************************************** The source material may be copyrighted and all rights are retained by the original author/publisher. The information is provided to you for non-profit research and educational purposes. 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