December 12, 2001 Police arrest six in global cyberpiracy probe Police said on Wednesday they had arrested six men as part of an internationally coordinated crackdown on a multi-million pound software piracy scam. Officers from the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHCTU) detained the six men, all British nationals in their 20s and 30s, in raids across the country on Tuesday afternoon and evening. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/reuters_wire/1702340l.htm Feds: Warez crackdown's just begun http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5100571,00.html http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-8145809.html http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/51/23329.html http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/193009p-1872000c.html - - - - - - - - Court forbids former Intel worker from mass e-mails In a case that could force the California Supreme Court to consider how far free speech protections extend to company e-mail systems, a state appeals court in Sacramento has upheld an unprecedented order that forbids a former Intel employee from flooding the chip giant's e-mail system with missives related to his 1995 firing. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/depth/email121201.htm http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/172926.html Ruling revives spam debate http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5100631,00.html - - - - - - - - Wham, Bam, Thank You Spam A small claims court judge in Bellevue, Washington, awarded Bennett Haselton $2,000 for getting spam. The judge on Monday found in Haselton's favor in four separate cases for $500 apiece. In each case, he ruled that the defendants, none of whom bothered to show up, had sent Haselton deceptive e-mail solicitations prohibited under Washington state's 3-year-old anti-spam law. http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,49089,00.html - - - - - - - - FBI spokesman confirms 'Magic Lantern' project exists An FBI spokesman confirmed Wednesday that the U.S. government is working on a controversial Internet spying technology, code-named ``Magic Lantern'', which could be used to eavesdrop on computer communications by suspected criminals. ``It is a workbench project'' that has not yet been deployed, said FBI spokesman Paul Bresson. ``We can't discuss it because it's under development.'' http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/tech/043634.htm http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-8160201.html http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,49102,00.html - - - - - - - - Interior Department still lost in cyberspace Interested in making an online reservation for a National Park? Want to use the Internet to find out about federal supplies of water? Fuggidaboutit. For nearly a week, the U.S. Interior Department has been lost in cyberspace. Because of a judge's order, the Interior Department pulled the plug on its Web sites and external e-mail five days ago, and as of Tuesday evening, most of those services were still off-line. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/tech/001418.htm - - - - - - - - No Hidden Messages At Pro-Bin Laden Site - Experts Photos at an anti-American Web site that provides information about Jihad are unlikely to contain hidden messages for terrorists, experts said today. A review today of dozens of photos at the Azzam.com Web site turned up no evidence that the images contained steganographic content, according to Niels Provos, an expert in the technology. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/172919.html - - - - - - - - New Suit Targets Obscenity Law A national organization that promotes sexual tolerance and an artist who photographs pictures of couples engaged in sadomasochism filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to overturn Internet obscenity laws. The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and photographer Barbara Nitke argue that the obscenity provision of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) is so broad that it violates free speech. http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,49044,00.html - - - - - - - - Locals seek help for homeland State and local officials appeared before two Senate committees Dec. 11 to call on the federal government for assistance as local governments bear much of the burden for securing the home front in the war on terrorism. The hearing coincided with the release of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' final homeland security recommendations, which details the strain on municipalities: http://www.fcw.com/geb/articles/2001/1210/web-home-12-12-01.asp - - - - - - - - State anti-terror laws proposed 17-Point Republican Plan Includes Death Penaly, Relaxed Wiretap Rules. California lawmakers and state officials proposed a spate of new laws Tuesday to counter terrorism, including new wiretap rules and the death penalty for terror attacks. A 17-point Assembly Republican plan would stiffen sentences for terror activities, including adding terrorism to the list of special circumstances for which the death penalty could be imposed. http://www0.mercurycenter.com/premium/local/docs/newlaws12.htm - - - - - - - - Lawmaker: Net Security Bill Will Pass This Year A bill designed to strengthen U.S. defenses against online attacks appears likely to pass both the full House and Senate this year, according to House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y. Speaking at a conference hosted by the lobbying group Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), Boehlert said that he has received promising words from the House leadership and senators that the bill H.R. 3394, the "Cyber Security Research and Development Act," will make its way to the White House before 2002. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/172918.html http://www.securityfocus.com/news/298 White House CyberSecurity Jobs, Research, and Rhetoric, but Few Results. The commitment by the federal government to further computer security research may be laudable, but it fails to address the root cause of most security issues: bad software. Diane Frank’s December 5 article Bills Aim at Cyber R&D in Federal Computer Week reports that the Cyber Security Research and Development Act, introduced by Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), seeks to provide nearly half a billion dollars in funding for research and education of information security matters. http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/46 - - - - - - - - Lords attack Anti-Terror Bill again The Lords has continued to attack the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill, voting in a tenth amendment yesterday which will ensure public debate of the voluntary code of practice on retaining phone and email data. Lord Rooker led the charge, claiming that the code of practice does not comply with either the Data Protection Act or the Human Rights Act. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/23342.html - - - - - - - - Bush to name technology panel Case, Dell, others to help set nation’s high- tech agenda. President Bush will appoint AOL Time Warner Inc. Chairman Steve Case and other prominent executives to an advisory panel that will help shape policy on issues ranging from research-and-development funding to new broadband incentives, according to White House officials. http://www.msnbc.com/news/671382.asp http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/172923.html - - - - - - - - Bush high-tech council to discuss terrorism at first meeting White House officials will convene the first meeting today of the President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology to discuss broadband policy, research and development priorities, as well as the role of technology in stopping terrorism and increasing energy efficiency. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1201/121201cdam1.htm Feds urge tech firms to assume cybersecurity leadership http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1201/121201td1.htm http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/industry/12/12/bush.technology.reut/index.html - - - - - - - - Cerf cautions against cyber-security proposals. One of the Internet's founders said Wednesday there were important weaknesses in the Bush administration's plans to build an ultra-secure government network and to encourage companies to make computers safer for consumers. http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/tech/040822.htm - - - - - - - - Where Was Kid Porn Evidence? Larry Benedict's halcyon life as a soon-to-be husband, a senior engineer at Xerox and a computer game buff abruptly ended on Feb.10,1995. On that chilly winter evening, an armed squad of New York state police and postal inspectors broke through Benedict's patio door. Their search warrant cited violations of 18 U.S.C. 2252: the federal child pornography law. http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,49013,00.html - - - - - - - - DoD pumps up cybercrime investment The US Department of Defense (DoD) has invested in a extensive cybercrime training program with Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) that will earn the firm up to $86 million over the next eight years. Under the contract, CSC will assist the DoD in researching, developing and delivering state-of-the-art computer investigation training courses for military law enforcement professionals. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/23356.html - - - - - - - - Hackers, programmers tear apart Xbox From its cutting-edge graphics processor to the video game industry's first built-in hard drive, Microsoft's Xbox has been praised as one of the most technologically sophisticated game devices ever. But that's just not good enough for hardware and software experimenters who have been tinkering with the Xbox since the day it went on sale. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5100590,00.html http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2100792,00.html - - - - - - - - California candidate spams voters Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bill Jones turns to e-mail. California Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Jones sent out a spam e-mail Monday to voters, asking for support as he seeks his party’s nomination. A spokesperson for the campaign defended the e-mail, saying recipients were given the choice to opt-out of further solicitations. http://www.msnbc.com/news/671170.asp - - - - - - - - Check Point, Nokia team up for security Firewall maker Check Point Software and com- munications giant Nokia have expanded their alliance and will co-develop security technology for mobile and Internet applications. The move, announced Wednesday, is the culmination of a four-year working relationship in which Nokia Internet Communications has used Check Point's software in its firewall and virtual private networking (VPN) products. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5100613,00.html - - - - - - - - Incident Management with Law Enforcement Working with law enforcement may be the most interesting and challenging part of the computer security professional’s job. Depending upon how well the professional prepares prior to a security incident, such an interaction can offer either a smooth, pleasant ride or a rough, rocky ride. This article will offer an overview of dealing with law enforcement agencies in security incident handling. It will offer some suggestions that will help to make private sector involvement with the cyber- police satisfactory and effective for both sides. http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1523 - - - - - - - - He Can't Kick Sneakercam Habit A man sentenced to probation for using a tiny video camera in his sneakers to peek up women's skirts also used the "sneakercam" to ogle women at his probation office, prosecutors told a Florida court. The allegations came to light during a hearing on Tuesday after defendant Daniel Searfoss was arrested a second time on voyeurism charges, the Tampa Tribune reported on Wednesday. http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,49054,00.html *********************************************************** 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. 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