NewsBits for December 23, 2004 ************************************************************ NewsBits will not be produced on Friday, 12/24/04 in honor of Christmas and Friday, 12/31/04 for New Years. NewsBits will be produced 12/27 to 12/30 and will return to normal distribution on Monday, 01/03/05. Merry Christmas! RJL ************************************************************ Iowan first convicted in "Fastlink" Internet investigation An Iowa man is the first to be convicted under "Operation Fastlink," an international investigation of the distribution of pirated software, games, music and movies over the Internet, federal officials said. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/hacking/2004-12-23-fastlink-conviction_x.htm - - - - - - - - - - Exploits released for new Windows flaws A Chinese security group has released sample code to exploit two new unpatched flaws in Microsoft Windows. The advisory comes in the week before Christmas, a time when many companies and home users are least prepared to deal with the problems. Security firm Symantec warned its clients of the vulnerabilities on Thursday, after the Chinese company that found the flaws published them to the Internet. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5502534.html Database flaws more risky than thought http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5502538.html - - - - - - - - - - Google Stops Santy's Claws - For Now Google acted quickly to block Santy.A, a worm that targeted the company's popular Internet search engine. Antivirus experts say this threat has passed, but predict that it may be just the first of a new wave of worms that attempt to spread through the search engine. http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_title=Google-Stops-Santy-s-Claws---For-Now&story_id=29250 http://computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,98514,00.html - - - - - - - - - - New Symbian Mobile Phone Virus Identified The METAL Gear.a virus encourages mobile phone users to install it by masquerading as a Symbian version of the Metal Gear Solid game. The trojan is the first to target Symbian antivirus software specifically and is another example of the increasing sophistication of malware for the Symbian platform. http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_title=New-Symbian-Mobile-Phone-Virus-Identified&story_id=29253 http://computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,98515,00.html - - - - - - - - - - Apple Sues over Leaked Mac OS X Tiger Apple is in court again, suing three developers who allegedly distributed a prerelease version of the next iteration of Mac OS X, code-named 'Tiger,' through file-sharing networks. More than 2,500 copies of the software have been downloaded, Apple says. http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_title=Apple-Sues-over-Leaked-Mac-OS-X-Tiger&story_id=29260 - - - - - - - - - - Ohio speeds recovery for victims of identity theft Last year almost 10 million people were robbed of something more precious than gold: their identity. Ohio is using technology to help victims restore their identities. Next month Ohios state attorney general, working with the National Notary Association, will begin issuing biometric identification cards to help victims of identity theft recover quickly. http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/31413-1.html - - - - - - - - - - Legal Hurdle For Internet Sting Investigators who ran an undercover sting operation have been stung by a judge's ruling. Officers have had to round up the same suspects a second time. When Trooper Scott Haugaard reports for duty he doesn't act his age. He plays the part of an underage girl or boy being enticed over the Internet into a sexual encounter. "Mostly they try to look for easy prey," he tells us. A few months ago, working with La Vista Police investigator, Haugaard made several arrests. http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/1304051.html - - - - - - - - - - Experts Say India's Cyber Law is Outdated Cyber law expert Pavan Duggal feels India's Information Technology Act of 2000 is completely outdated and not fit to deal with cyber crimes. He said that the law was promulgated four years ago primarily to bolster the e-commerce business and not intended to deal with cyber crime issues. http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?StoryId=CqCJ_ueidAw5KAweTy3LIzxjSyxC - - - - - - - - - - Army focuses on cyber protection A recently issued Army white paper, "Fight the Network," provides a new framework for the Signal Regiment, the service's communications organization, as it changes to support lighter, more mobile warfighting units. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/1220/web-armywp-12-23-04.asp - - - - - - - - - - DHS info assurance chief resigns Frank Libutti today tendered his resignation as undersecretary for information assurance and infrastructure protection at the Homeland Security Department. The department did not disclose when he would step down, and Libutti declined to detail where his career will take him next. DHS has named no interim chief. http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/31418-1.html - - - - - - - - - - Union: Make ID standards public Concerns about proposed standards for federal employee identification cards have prompted Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, to request wider discussion of the standards before they are adopted. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/1220/web-cards-12-22-04.asp Veterans Affairs spurs smart-card growth http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1204/122304td1.htm - - - - - - - - - - When viruses strike It's a message people like Ryan Kokai try to knock into the heads of family, buddies and co-workers time and time again. And he's not talking about sex. In his role as tech wizard, the 25-year-old is frequently called away from his desk to clean up co-workers' computers that have been infected with viruses or other troublesome computer ailments. http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041222.gtvirus1222/BNStory/Technology/ - - - - - - - - - - 2005: The year IT gets easier? It's about time to ring out the old year and ring in the new, and we believe IT pros have plenty to look forward to in 2005. Why? Next year should be marked by a confluence of innovative and mature technologies to help automate labor-intensive processes and make it easier to do more with less. Through intelligent use of these tools and sound operational discipline, IT professionals should be able to achieve significant improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of operations. http://computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,98479,00.html - - - - - - - - - - Poor IT hindering crime fighting Most of Britain's police forces have come under fire in a recent Home Office report for poor use of IT systems, with London's Metropolitan Police coming in for particularly heavy criticism. Police forces in England and Wales are suffering from "outdated and overstretched" crime recording systems, with many failing to meet Home Office data standards, according to an Audit Commission report. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/applications/0,39020384,39182224,00.htm - - - - - - - - - - Marine's family gets e-mail dispute help Offers of help have been pouring in for a Michigan man who is trying to persuade online giant Yahoo! to allow him access to the e-mail account of his son, a Marine killed in Iraq. From lawyers to computer-code crackers, people across the nation have come forward wanting to help the family of 20-year-old Justin M. Ellsworth, who was killed last month during a foot patrol in Iraq. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/hacking/2004-12-23-hack-email_x.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. 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.