NewsBits for July 14, 2004 ************************************************************ Arkansas FTP site hacked by jihadist group An Arkansas government message board doesnt usually top the list of likely terrorist targets, but that didnt stop it from getting walloped this week by an attack that loaded its server with online videos of Osama bin Laden and other multimedia jihadist materials. http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/26596-1.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47681-2004Jul13.html Hactivism and How It Got Here http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,64193,00.html - - - - - - - - - - Manchester police arrest 45 in child porn raids In brief Police are questioning 45 suspects over alleged child pornography offences following raids across Greater Manchester (GMP) this morning. Operation Baglan targeted individuals suspected of downloading paedophile images from child abuse websites. A team of 500 police officers conducted raids on 50 homes. Computers were seized and suspects detained for questioning later today. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/14/operation_baglan/ - - - - - - - - - - Woman Is Arrested in 2nd Pimping Case She was awaiting trial on charges of running an online prostitution ring in Redondo Beach. A woman who is awaiting trial with her husband for allegedly running an Internet prostitution ring out of their home when they lived in Redondo Beach was arrested Monday on suspicion of pimping, authorities said. Police arrested Jill Ellen McGrath, 36, who had been out on bail, at her Lawndale home. Redondo Beach Police Sgt. Phil Keenan said she was being held on suspicion of pimping and pandering the same charges she and her husband, Christopher Davis, 36, faced after being arrested last November. (LA Times article, free registration required) http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-me-pimping14jul14,1,4916456.story - - - - - - - - - - Stealth virus is stealthiest of all There's a new mass mailing virus in town, and it's built to make life even more difficult for anti-virus researchers. Atak uses a variety of tactics in its attempts to escape antivirus analysis. Its main trick is to check to see if it's being run in a debugging environment. If so, it exits to avoid detection. The ploy prevents casual perusal of the code by researchers and (potentially) rival virus writers. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/14/atak_stealth_virus/ Your data is at risk - from everything http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/14/your_datas_is_at_risk/ - - - - - - - - - - 'Important' Windows flaw could turn critical Security experts are bracing themselves for a spate of new worms and viruses designed to exploit of the seven new vulnerabilities announced by Microsoft on Tuesday as part of its monthly patch cycle. Of the new vulnerabilities, Windows Shell (MS04-024)--has been picked out by security experts as a potential target for future worms and viruses. http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-5268989.html http://www.vnunet.com/news/1156635 http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/14/ms_july_patches/ Microsoft delays some security updates http://computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,94532,00.html Software fuse shorts bugs http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2004/063004/Software_fuse_shorts_bugs_063004.html - - - - - - - - - - Hacker group hawks hooky software A hacker group claiming to have stolen source code from many Fortune 100 software companies says it is attempting to drum up business by offering the complete source of a leading security system, at a price of $16,000. The operation, calling itself the Source Code Club (SCC), annouced its existence with an email to the Full Disclosure security mailing list on Monday, offering the source code and design documents for Enterasys Networks' Dragon IDS (Intrusion Detection System) and the Napster client and server. http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsid=1914 - - - - - - - - - - Defence Department computers hacked: report Determined computer hackers broke through federal firewalls several times last year, gaining access to Defence Department networks. A newly obtained report on security breaches at the department in 2003 also reveals dozens of internal lapses. Computer security has become a high-profile concern in federal circles in light of cyber- terrorism, operations mounted by foreign intelligence services and, more often, the sloppy practices of employees. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1089760805385_18/?hub=SciTech http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040713.wfedhack0713/BNStory/Technology/ - - - - - - - - - - Survey: ID theft costing UK billions in taxes Public sector organisations are losing billions each year due to ID theft, according to a survey by risk management firm SPSS. Billions of pounds of taxpayers' money is stolen each year through ID theft and other fraudulent activities, according to a survey of public sector security analysts and IT managers. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/security/0,39020375,39160532,00.htm http://www.vnunet.com/news/1156655 - - - - - - - - - - Clampdown on rogue diallers is imminent ICSTIS is expected to win stronger powers over premium rate services in an attempt to protect Web users from fraud. Agreement has been reached between ICSTIS, which regulates the UK premium rate phone services market, and the government over new powers that will be introduced to try and crack down on the threat posed by rogue diallers, according to people familiar with the matter. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/security/0,39020375,39160535,00.htm Outage reports spur national security debate http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/07/14/telecom.secrecy.ap/index.html - - - - - - - - - - Crackdowns don't slow Internet piracy Study: Twice as many films, games, tunes downloaded from last year; larger files, faster downloads. Internet users download twice as many films, games and musical pieces as they did a year ago, despite a big crackdown on the activity, according to a study released Tuesday. Better broadband Internet connections and compression technologies mean larger files can be downloaded more rapidly, creating as big a piracy headache for movie studios as for music labels. http://money.cnn.com/2004/07/13/technology/internet_piracy.reut/index.htm - - - - - - - - - - More firms keep an eye on outgoing e-mail More businesses, already battling spam and viruses, are watching for outbound e-mail that contains sensitive information or breaks laws. About 30% of 140 businesses with more than 1,000 employees check outgoing mail, says a June survey by Forrester Consulting, the first time it has issued such a report. "The regulatory climate has intensified, and if you're not careful, you could be subjected to lawsuits or an SEC investigation," says Steve Weiswasser, a lawyer who specializes in media and technology. "It's life in the post-Enron age." http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-07-13-email_x.htm - - - - - - - - - - Microsoft hails "real progress" on improving security Microsoft claims it has made "real progress" in the last year towards its goal of Trustworthy Computing but criticised businesses for failing to be more proactive on security. Speaking at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner conference in Toronto, Mike Nash, corporate VP of the security business and technology unit at Microsoft, said key milestones include the forthcoming Windows XP Service Pack 2 and the availability of Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 standard edition. http://www.silicon.com/0,39024729,39122224,00.htm - - - - - - - - - - Stopping PC Spies at the Gate "For many years, I think we accepted the fact, 'Okay, I get to use this for free, so I don't care if they track Web sites I visit,'" Gartner's Richard Stiennon said. "Today, though, it's not as anonymous. Spyware gets us more junk mail and our name on lists, and it slows down our PCs." http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_title=Stopping-PC-Spies-at-the-Gate&story_id=25866 - - - - - - - - - - Experts see room for information sharing advances The deputy director of the Terrorist Threat Integration Center said huge strides have been made in sharing data since Sept. 11, 2001, but warned that the issue is much more complicated than people realize. "Information sharing has become a bit of a bumper sticker," said Russell Travers, deputy director for information sharing and knowledge development at TTIC. "Everyone supports it, but few understand its complexity." http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/0712/web-ttic-07-14-04.asp Mass. governor praises data sharing, says more is needed http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0704/071404tdpm1.htm - - - - - - - - - - Airline Screening System Delayed A controversial and much-delayed proposed airline screening system may face further delays as the Transportation Security Administration restructures the system to better protect privacy and civil liberties, a senior homeland security official told Congress on Tuesday. Adm. David Stone, acting administrator for the Transportation Security Administration, told members of the Senate Commerce Committee that the Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening System II, known as CAPPS II, " is not going forward as previously briefed." http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,64201,00.html - - - - - - - - - - Are you flirting with a felon? Criminal background checks aren't just for Little League coaches and church volunteers any more. Now they are another way to vet prospective online dates. Earlier this year, online dating upstart True.com announced it would use technology to protect members from flirting with felons. New members must submit to criminal background checks, and if they fail the test, they're out. The site also plans to add systematic screening for marital status soon. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5429902 - - - - - - - - - - Police, camera, zapper A futuristic gadget which disables suspect vehicles with radio waves could soon be used by police in car chases. It's their latest weapon in safely ending pursuits. The invention of a device which is effectively a stun gun for cars has roused the interest of senior officers. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3890127.stm *********************************************************** 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. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however copies may not be sold, and NewsBits (www.newsbits.net) should be cited as the source of the information. Copyright 2000-2004, NewsBits.net, Campbell, CA.