NewsBits for January 22, 2004 sponsored by, Southeast Cybercrime Institute - www.cybercrime.kennesaw.edu ************************************************************ FBI joins hunt for Half-Life code The FBI has joined efforts to track down those who took part of the computer code of one of the year's most highly anticipated games, Half-Life 2. Federal agents mounted a dawn raid on a San Franciscan computer programmer last week, seizing hardware and software. The programmer, Chris Toshok, detailed the events on his web log, denying any illegal activity himself. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3414157.stm - - - - - - - - - - Prosecutor's staff goes after child pornography on Net An undercover investigation by the St. Joseph County prosecutor's office has identified 26 people around the world suspected of possessing or distributing child pornography on the Internet. The monthlong investigation resulted in the seizure of more than 10,000 images and movies portraying child pornography, officials reported. During the operation, Mitch Kajzer, an investigator in the prosecutor's office, posed on the Internet as someone who wanted to trade child pornography files, said Prosecutor Michael Dvorak. In just one month, more than 100 people approached Kajzer wanting to download child pornography and Kajzer traded with 39 of them. Twenty-six of those people now face criminal charges such as child exploitation, possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2004/01/15/local.20040115-sbt-MARS-A2-Prosecutor_s_staff_g.sto - - - - - - - - - - Easing of Internet Regulations Challenges Surveillance Efforts The Federal Communications Commission's efforts to reduce regulations over some Internet services have come under intense criticism from officials at law enforcement agencies who say that their ability to monitor terrorists and other criminal suspects electronically is threatened. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/22/technology/22VOIC.html - - - - - - - - - - Trust at risk from new hacking techniques The outbreak of so-called 'phishing' attacks on financial services providers could have serious implications for consumer confidence in the internet. Most major banks have been hit in recent weeks, and the flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) browser is making the task of copying web sites simpler for fraudsters. http://www.vnunet.com/News/1152203 FTC: ID theft on the rise http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-5145486.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38420-2004Jan22.html http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4029541/ http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-01-22-complaint_x.htm http://computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/cybercrime/story/0,10801,89299,00.html Consumers deluged as fake e-mails multiply http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3784331/ - - - - - - - - - - A Winning Strategy on Internet Piracy? There are two lines of thought on the music labels' latest round of lawsuits. One is that the Recording Industry Association of America's legal campaign is working by scaring millions of Americans away from illegally downloading music online. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38196-2004Jan22.html RIAA goes lawsuit loopy http://www.vnunet.com/News/1152214 Execs vow global crackdown on music file sharing http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/01/22/media.music.reut/index.html http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,61989,00.html - - - - - - - - - - Democrats cyber-embarrassment offers lessons on IT security At the office of Senate Sergeant at Arms William Pickle is investigating the apparent unauthorized access to computer files of the Judiciary Committee Democratic staff, and hopes to present a report to the committee in three or four weeks, a source familiar with the investigation said. http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/24702-1.html - - - - - - - - - - Be leery of fraud, theft Credit card fraud and identity theft are things to be leery of. Even so, often times people do not think they can become a victim of these crimes. But either can ruin the victims credit line for years. Identity theft and credit card fraud occur in several different ways, said Capt. Patrick Dyson, of the 8th Fighter Wing staff judge advocate office here. http://www.af.mil/stories/story.asp?storyID=123006408 - - - - - - - - - - Pentagon stands behind Internet voting system for troops An Internet-based voting system for U.S. citizens in other countries that was developed by the Pentagon is so vulnerable to attacks that it should be scrapped, security experts said in a report released Wednesday. But the Pentagon is backing the system, which could be tested Feb. 3 in South Carolina's primary election, the Associated Press reported. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0104/012204cdam1.htm http://www.wired.com/news/evote/0,2645,62012,00.html http://computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,89290,00.html - - - - - - - - - - Users still waiting for browser patch Microsoft has admitted that it is still unable to release a fix for a serious flaw in Internet Explorer (IE) that allows hackers to clone websites. http://www.vnunet.com/News/1152192 - - - - - - - - - - AOL tests caller ID for e-mail America Online is testing an antispam filter intended to accurately trace the origin of e-mail messages, a move that could bring new accountability to the Net if it proves reliable. The online unit of media giant Time Warner last week implemented SPF, or Sender Permitted From, an emerging authentication protocol for preventing e-mail forgeries, or spoofing. The trial involves the company's 33 million subscribers worldwide and is the first large-scale test for the protocol, which standards groups are considering along with various other e-mail verification proposals. http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5145065.html http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4028710/ http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040122.wadware0122/BNStory/Technology/ California 'disempowered' by federal spam law http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-5145849.html - - - - - - - - - - Network Associates fights spyware Network Associates, the maker of McAfee antivirus software, is joining the fight against spyware, programs that track people's Internet habits, gather personal information and deliver it to advertisers. http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-5145842.html - - - - - - - - - - Virus writers - masterminds or muppets? Each week vnunet.com asks a different expert to give their views on recent virus and security issues, with advice, warnings and information on the latest threats. This week Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, suggests that, far from being computer masterminds, most virus writers simply download a kit from the internet. http://www.vnunet.com/News/1152184 - - - - - - - - - - Root out the administrative password menace When password management comes to mind, most IT managers think of their own personal passwords or those of end users, which are used to access the company's network, sales database or e-mail systems. http://computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,89245,00.html - - - - - - - - - - Internet safety 'should be treated like road safety' Online fraudsters targeting bank customers were getting smarter and could undermine consumer confidence, security professionals warned yesterday. And industry professionals believe internet safety should be taught like road safety to warn people about the risks of online security fraud. At the Sydney launch of a product targeting scam banking emails, or phishing, Auscert general manager Graham Ingram said consumer protection had become an even more pressing concern than corporate online security. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/22/1074360867825.html - - - - - - - - - - Web scams proliferating, demand vigilance What's worse? A year in which $55 billion in damages are caused by computer viruses? Or one that starts off with a dangerous one and a fast spreading one? According to Trend Micro, last year hit records in damage caused by worms, viruses and Trojan horses launched against computer networks and users http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04022/264269.stm - - - - - - - - - - ACLU: States' crime database a privacy threat A seven-state crime database launched with $12 million in federal funds is a more powerful threat to privacy than its organizers acknowledge, the American Civil Liberties Union alleged Wednesday after obtaining documents relating to the program. The law enforcement officials and private database company behind the Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange, or Matrix, contend it is merely an investigative tool that helps police quickly gather already- available information on suspects. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-01-22-aclu-vs-matrix_x.htm http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/2365475 - - - - - - - - - - Legal Battle Over Chat-Room STDs Frustrated by America Online's refusal to interfere with its huge network of chat rooms, public health officials are considering legal action to force AOL and certain websites to warn members about outbreaks of sexually transmitted diseases among gay men who use their services. "They're clearly facilitating the transmission of STDs and new HIV infections," said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, the city of San Francisco's outspoken STD czar. "They're setting themselves up for serious liability." http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,62005,00.html - - - - - - - - - - Nevada coroner puts photos of deceased on Internet Her naked corpse was discovered by accident by a pair of brothers more than 23 years ago along a dirt road on the edge of town. She looked like a teen, perhaps no older than 18, possibly a runaway. Her head was beaten with a hammer, but the coroner believes she actually died from stabbings of an unidentified 3-inch object. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/01/22/MNGQF4F7HN1.DTL *********************************************************** Computer Forensics Training - Online. An intense, 150 hour, instructor lead program that teaches you computer forensics and helps prepare you for the Certified Computer Examiner exam. 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