NewsBits for September 10, 2004 ************************************************************ Federal judge tosses Pennsylvania online porn law A federal judge threw out on Friday a Pennsylvania law requiring Internet service providers to block Web sites containing child pornography, saying the tools to do so also cause ``massive suppression'' of constitutionally protected speech. Enacted in 2002, the law gave Pennsylvania's attorney general the power to require that companies like America Online Inc. block customers from viewing Web sites the state had identified as containing illegal content. http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/9630210.htm http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5361999.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5962434/ http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2004-09-10-pa-porn-law-tossed_x.htm http://computerworld.com/governmenttopics/government/legalissues/story/0,10801,95845,00.html Federal judge throws out state filtering law http://www.securityfocus.com/news/9484 - - - - - - - - - - S.J. man arrested in child porn case A San Jose man was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of soliciting thousands of dollars worth of child pornography and secretly video recording a young relative in various stages of undress, Santa Clara County sheriff's officials reported today. A month long investigation with the U.S. Postal Service led local authorities to Robert Charles Painter, 22, an unemployed retailer, who surrendered to sheriff's detectives after they served a search warrant at his Burning Tree Drive home, near the Santa Teresa Golf Club. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/9623174.htm - - - - - - - - - - eBay Hawaiian skull vendor on federal rap A Californian man who allegedly sold what he claimed was the 200 year-old skull of a Hawaiian warrior on eBay has been charged with a federal crime that could see him jailed for up to five years if convicted. Jerry David Hasson, 55, of Huntington Beach, California, was charged on Wednesday with a single count of violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act in connection with running one of the most bizarre auctions ever conducted online. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/10/ebay_skull_sale_rap/ - - - - - - - - - - Microsoft: Sasser bounty hinges on conviction Sven Jaschan, the alleged author of the Sasser worm and several variants of the Netsky virus, was charged this week by German police, but the informant who led authorities to the suspect will have to wait for a promised $250,000 reward, Microsoft officials said Friday. The 18-year-old suspected virus writer has been charged with sabotage, but no court date has yet been set for his arraignment, according to an antivirus expert familiar with the case. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5362354.html - - - - - - - - - - PayPal to levy fines for gambling, porn PayPal, the online payments arm of eBay, on Friday said it will soon fine people up to $500 for uses related to gambling, adult content or services, and buying or selling prescription drugs from noncertified sellers. The new policy, which takes effect Sept. 24 and applies to both buyers and sellers, marks the first time PayPal has imposed fines for violations of its use policy, spokeswoman Amanda Pires said. http://news.com.com/PayPal+to+levy+fines+for+gambling%2C+porn/2100-1026_3-5362576.html - - - - - - - - - - Virus writer hides job ad in MyDoom Net worm Times must be getting tough for computer virus writers. Technicians at British anti-virus firm Sophos said on Friday they had discovered a plea for work inserted deep in the lines of code for two new computer worm outbreaks, "MyDoom-U" and "MyDoom-V". "We searching 4 work in AV (anti- virus) industry," read the message. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040910/80/f2c49.html http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5361924.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5962530/ http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/09/10/mydoom.virus.reut/index.html http://software.silicon.com/malware/0,3800003100,39123912,00.htm http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/10/mydoom_job_plea/ - - - - - - - - - - Porn prevention on the Net The Internet has appeared to be a convenient means of communication between paedophiles. Computer technologies open up wide opportunities for perverts to look for and seduce juvenile. Molesters earn more than 3bn EURO only in Europe, according to expert evaluations. Interpol's data state that main porn producers are Ukraine and Russia along with Taiwan and Vietnam. http://www.crime-research.org/news/10.09.2004/626/ Computer Crime Against Kids Escalates http://allafrica.com/stories/200409091120.html - - - - - - - - - - McAfee's Trojan horse error gets developer's goat An Australian software developer is considering suing McAfee after the antivirus company wrongly identified his Internet setup program as a Trojan horse in a recent virus definition update. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5360602.html http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/developer/0,39020387,39166163,00.htm http://news.com.com/McAfee%27s+Trojan+error+ires+developer/2100-7350_3-5361660.html - - - - - - - - - - Next version of Windows will include more anti-data theft protections For years, programmers at Microsoft Corp. and elsewhere have worked to make it easier for devices like cell phones and personal digital assistants to work instantly and easily with computers. Now, Microsoft is working to make it a little harder. http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/9632843.htm - - - - - - - - - - Chicago plans advanced surveillance A surveillance system that uses 2,000 remote-control cameras and motion-sensing software to spot crimes or terrorist acts as they happen is being planned for the city. If that sounds a little like Big Brother is watching, he might be. "Cameras are the equivalent of hundreds of sets of eyes," Mayor Richard Daley said Thursday. "They are the next best thing to having police officers stationed at every potential trouble spot." http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/surveillance/2004-09-09-chicago-surveillance_x.htm http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/10/chicago_camera_snoops/ - - - - - - - - - - Bloggers drive hoax probe into Bush memos When history books are written, bloggers' real contribution to the 2004 election may well turn out to be in providing leagues of amateur sleuths to fact-check political controversy. For the last 24 hours, the Internet has been abuzz with bloggers' claims that the memos about President Bush's time in the National Air Guard publicized by CBS were actually a hoax. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5362393.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5946145/ http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,64917,00.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. 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.