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Computer underground Digest Sun Oct 17 1993 Volume 5 : Issue 81
ISSN 1004-042X
Editors: Jim Thomas and Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@NIU.BITNET)
Archivist: Brendan Kehoe
Shadow-Archivists: Dan Carosone / Paul Southworth
Ralph Sims / Jyrki Kuoppala
Ian Dickinson
Copy Eidtor: Etaoin Shrdlu, III
CONTENTS, #5.81 (Oct 17 1993)
File 1--Another BBS/Bombing Connection (Ill.)
File 2--BBS "Porn" Bust in Oklahoma - Another LE Misstep?
File 3--A Few Biblio Items (Paulsen, Encryption, & P. Zimmerman)
File 4--Fourth Annual HOHOCON
File 5--"Hacker" Documentary Proposed
File 6--CuNews
File 7--Student Pugwash Conference
File 8--Response to CuD 5.80 - Itar article
Cu-Digest is a weekly electronic journal/newsletter. Subscriptions are
available at no cost electronically from tk0jut2@mvs.cso.niu.edu. The
editors may be contacted by voice (815-753-0303), fax (815-753-6302)
or U.S. mail at: Jim Thomas, Department of Sociology, NIU, DeKalb, IL
60115.
Issues of CuD can also be found in the Usenet comp.society.cu-digest
news group; on CompuServe in DL0 and DL4 of the IBMBBS SIG, DL1 of
LAWSIG, and DL1 of TELECOM; on GEnie in the PF*NPC RT
libraries and in the VIRUS/SECURITY library; from America Online in
the PC Telecom forum under "computing newsletters;"
On Delphi in the General Discussion database of the Internet SIG;
on the PC-EXEC BBS at (414) 789-4210; and on: Rune Stone BBS (IIRG
WHQ) (203) 832-8441 NUP:Conspiracy; RIPCO BBS (312) 528-5020
CuD is also available via Fidonet File Request from 1:11/70; unlisted
nodes and points welcome.
EUROPE: from the ComNet in LUXEMBOURG BBS (++352) 466893;
In ITALY: Bits against the Empire BBS: +39-461-980493
ANONYMOUS FTP SITES:
AUSTRALIA: ftp.ee.mu.oz.au (128.250.77.2) in /pub/text/CuD.
EUROPE: nic.funet.fi in pub/doc/cud. (Finland)
UNITED STATES:
aql.gatech.edu (128.61.10.53) in /pub/eff/cud
etext.archive.umich.edu (141.211.164.18) in /pub/CuD/cud
ftp.eff.org (192.88.144.4) in /pub/cud
halcyon.com( 202.135.191.2) in /pub/mirror/cud
ftp.warwick.ac.uk in pub/cud (United Kingdom)
COMPUTER UNDERGROUND DIGEST is an open forum dedicated to sharing
information among computerists and to the presentation and debate of
diverse views. CuD material may be reprinted for non-profit as long
as the source is cited. Authors hold a presumptive copyright, and
they should be contacted for reprint permission. It is assumed that
non-personal mail to the moderators may be reprinted unless otherwise
specified. Readers are encouraged to submit reasoned articles
relating to computer culture and communication. Articles are
preferred to short responses. Please avoid quoting previous posts
unless absolutely necessary.
DISCLAIMER: The views represented herein do not necessarily represent
the views of the moderators. Digest contributors assume all
responsibility for ensuring that articles submitted do not
violate copyright protections.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1993 21:18:43 CDT
From: CuD Moderators <cudigest@mindvox.phantom.com>
Subject: File 1--Another BBS/Bombing Connection (Ill.)
Another incident of an alleged BBS/bombing connection has occurred,
this time in Cook County (Illinois). WILLIAM PRESECKY, "6 Youth's
Hobby was Bombs, Police Say," (Chicago Tribute, 8 October, 1993:
Section 2,pp1, 4) summarizes six 15 and 16 year-old highschool
students' escapades in blowing up over 70 mailboxes in Lyons Township,
Ill., in Cook County near Chicago. The story begins:
Armed with potentially deadly materials and some
computer-generated know-how, six west suburban teenagers
allegedly formed the nucleus of a bomb-making club broken up
by authorities this week.
....
At least two of the suspected teens could be charged as
adults, pending a review of the juvenile petitions next week
by the Cook County state's attorney's office, authorities
said.
....
"These are A and students, honor roll students. They come
from well-to-do families," but appear to have no other
activities to keep themselves busy, according to ((a police
spokesperson)).
As many as 10 more teenagers from the same area are
suspected of being involved in the manufacture and
detonation of assorted homemade bombs that police said may
have damaged or destroyed as many as 70 mailboxes in the
west and southwest suburbs over the past several months,
according to ((a police spokesperson)).
....
A search of two of the teens' homes yielded a large cache of
bomb-making material, including pipes, chemicals, black
powder and detonating devices as well as eight to 10
partially made bombs. Also found were several ready-to-use
bombs that were rendered harmless by members of the Cook
County Bomb Squad and sent for analysis to the federal ATF's
laboratory in Maryland.
Also confiscated from one of the homes were three computer
didks containing recorded information that, despite its
disclaimers, ((the police spokesperson)) said could be used
to create an assortment of mayhem, with titles such as "22
Ways to Kill a Human Being With your Bare Hands." The disks
contained information on advanced bomb-making technology,
including the use of remote-control and time delay
detonation, ((the spokesperson)said.
Whether the teens accused of making and using the bombs
actually used the computer-generated information to
manfacture the devices isn't certain.
....
"It's a frightening thing that kids have this kind ov
access, that anyone with access to this kind of material
would be this irresponsible," said Burr Ridge Police Chief
Herbert Timm.
Chicago's Channel 2 tv, a CBS affiliate, also covered the story on
it's evening news. "The SHOCKING part of it is where they learned" the
information, intoned the story (original emphasis). In a substantial
(by news standards) segment, Channel 2 reporters interviewed what
appeared to be a computer store owner who claimed that most BBS sysops
are "kids from 8 to 14" and that there are even a few adults who run
BBSes. The reporters informed the audience that most "hackers" are
under 14, and that there are "thousands of BBSes in the Chicago area
and elsewhere." Although the intent to inform parents of their
responsibility in monitoring juveniles and instilling a social ethic
is laudable, the factual errors and superficial hyperbole are not.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1993 18:22:21 CDT
From: CuD Moderators <jthomas@well.sf.ca.us>
Subject: File 2--BBS "Porn" Bust in Oklahoma - Another LE Misstep?
((MODERATORS' NOTE: A number of posters forwarded the following,
apparently originally posted on Usenet, to us. We have edited the
stories down to conform to "fair use."
++++
From The Dialy Oklahoman Newspaper, September 27, 1993, Page 1:
COMPUTER PORN CASE TRIGGERS LEGAL QUESTIONS
By David Zizzo, Staff Writer
Is talking to Anthony Davis hazardous to your health?
In a manner of speaking, that's what numerous people with computers and
modems apparently have been worrying about since late July. That's
when Oklahoma City police raided Davis' software publishing firm and
confiscated his sophisticated commercial computer bulletin board
system. Authorities allege Davis was selling pornographic computerized
materials on CD-ROM and through files downloaded over phone lines.
Names of everyone who signed onto Davis' bulletin board service, those
who downloaded or uploaded graphic files depicting sexual acts and
those who didn't are in the hands of investigators.
.....
The Davis bust sent a chill throughout the national computer community,
said Jack Rickard, editor and publisher of Boardwatch magazine, a
bulletin board newsletter published in Littleton, Colo. "It's causing
chaos," he said. Rickard said Oklahoma City is being viewed "a little
bit like clown city" in computer circles, since the explicit material
Davis offered can be purchased in nearly every computer magazine and is
carried by numerous bulletin boards. "This is off the shelf," he said.
"It's considered pretty mundane stuff."
.....
The bust will test Oklahoma laws on "community standards" regarding
pornography, said Mike Godwin, attorney for the Electronic Frontier
Foundation. The Washington, D.C., advocacy group is funded by donors
that include large software companies. "When you talk about community
standards, who's the real community?" Godwin wonders. "Is it the city
or ... the community of people on-line?"
Holmes, a former Cleveland County prosecutor, calls Oklahoma's
pornography law "an extremely broad statute." "I'm not sure it wouldn't
include Playboy or Penthouse type publications," he said.
.....
Critics also say police over reached in grabbing Davis' entire system,
shutting down his pay-for-play computer service, because of four CDs.
Prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of the system, which includes a 13
gigabyte memory unit and 10 high speed modems. "They don't have to
seize it any more than they have to seize the building when they
confiscate a bookstore," said Godwin of the Electronic Frontier
Foundation.
================================================
From Boardwatch Magazine / September, 1993. Under the byline of
Lance Rose:"BBS BURNINGS" in the Legally Online column, p. 62
================================================
OKLAHOMA BBS RAIDED ON PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
The legal assault on bulletin boards continues this month with a raid
by Oklahoma City Police Department Vice Division on Tony Davis's
OKLAHOMA INFORMATION EXCHANGE BBS and his associated Mid-America
Digital Publishing Company.
About 4:00 PM on July 20, four officers of the Oklahoma City Police
Department arrived at the offices of Mid-America Digital Publishing
with a search warrant for "pornographic CD-ROMs." Davis was arrested
on suspicion of the sale and distribution of pornographic CD-ROM
disks. Of the 2000 CD ROM disks available on site, they confiscated
about 50 disks, and an estimated $75,000 worth of equipment Davis runs
his 10-line OKLAHOMA INFORMATION EXCHANGE BBS on. The equipment
including two computers with gigabyte hard drives, two Pioneer 6-disk
drives, four single CD ROM drives, 10 High Speed Hayes modems, Novell
network software and associated hardware, etc.
Apparently, an undercover agent had contacted Mid-America Digital
Publishing on two occasions and purchased CD-ROM disks containing
adult material from the company. At the raid, Davis cooperated with
the police showing them whatever they wanted to see, and even removing
four disks from CD-ROMS on the BBS machine and showing them to the
police. Curiously, these were standard off-the-shelf CD ROM
collections NOT published by Davis, including "Busty Babes", "For
Adults Only #2," "For Adults Only #3", and "Storm II". More
curiously, the police themselves put the disks BACK into the BBS in
order to video tape callers accessing the files on the disks.
......
Despite Davis' notification, none of the specific procedures required
by federal law (Privacy Protection Act) when serving search warrants
on publishers was followed, and no acknowledgement or even apparent
cognizance of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act made when
notified of the electronic mail for some 2000 BBS users available on
the system. OKLAHOMA INFORMATION EXCHANGE carries some 750 FidoNet
conferences, an additional 750 Usenet Newsgroups, and offers callers
private FidoNet mail and Internet mail and actually hubs mail for
other bulletin board systems as well.
......
All possible charges relate to Oklahoma State statutes against
obscenity. Located in the heart of the Bible Belt, this could be
serious. A penalty of up to $5000 and 5 years in prison per infraction
is possible. If you count each file on a CD-ROM as an infraction, Mr.
Davis could in theory be facing over a 100,000 years in jail and
nearly a $100 million in fines - another contrast between
technological reality and our legal system. From what we understand,
in Oklahoma, it is technically illegal to actually BE naked at any
time when not actually getting wet somehow, and some legal theorists
posit that HBO and Showtime cable television channels are actually
infractions under the state laws as written.
((MODERATORS' NOTE: BOARDWATCH Magazine, chalked full of information
and news, can be obtained for $36/year (12 issues) from:
Boardwatch Magazine / 8500 W. Bowles Ave. / Suite 210 / Littleton,
CO 80123)).
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1993 17:22:11 CDT
From: CuD Moderators <cudigest@mindvox.phantom.com>
Subject: File 3--A Few Biblio Items (Paulsen, Encryption, & P. Zimmerman)
--JULIAN DIBBELL'S "Code Warriors: Battling for the Keys to Privacy in
the Info Age," (The Village Voice, 28 July, 1993: pp 33-37) summarizes
the debates in encryption and privacy. It includes snippets from John
Gilmore, Tim May, and Eric Hughes, and cleanly and concisely explains
in simple (but not simplistic) lay terms the nature of the debates
underlying Clipper, Moby Crypto, and other issues in the encryption
wars.
--ERIC DEXHEIMER, in Denver Westord (Vol.17, #6, 29 Sept '93), "Secrets
gend: The Government wants to Breakhim,but Boulder's Prince of Privacy
remains Cryptic" summarizes the issues in the Phil Zimmerman/PGP
encryption controversy. The story inludes an indepth analysis and a
strong profile of Zimmerman (in CuD archives).
--JONATHAN LITTMAN, "The Last Hacker," in Los Angeles Times Magazine (p
18), 12 September, '93, focuses on Kevin Poulsen and his recent legal
problems.
While not unsympathetic to Paulsen, the story concludes:
Born in a time when hacking was an innocent rite of
boyhood, when laws were as unclear as the boundaries of the
Arpanet, Kevin Poulsen had outlived his era.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 93 2:46:47 CDT
From: Drunkfux <drunkfux@CYPHER.COM>
Subject: File 4--Fourth Annual HOHOCON
[Official Announcement / Call For Participation - October 11, 1993]
(Distribute Freely)
dFx, Phrack Magazine and cDc - Cult Of The Dead Cow proudly present :
The Fourth Annual
H O H O C O N
"Cliff Stoll My K0DEZ!@$#!"
Who: All Hackers, Journalists, Security Personnel, Federal Agents,
Lawyers, Authors, Cypherpunks, Virtual Realists, Modem Geeks,
Telco Employees, and Other Interested Parties.
Where: Austin North Hilton & Towers and Super 8 Motel
6000 Middle Fiskville Road
Austin, Texas 78752
U.S.A.
Hilton : (800) 347-0330 / (512) 451-5757
Super 8: (800) 800-8000 / (512) 467-8163
When: Friday December 17 through Sunday December 19, 1993
What is HoHoCon?
----------------
HoHoCon is the largest annual gathering of those in, related to, or
wishing to know more about the computer underground. Attendees
generally include some of the most notable members of the "hacking"
and "telecom" community, journalists, authors, security professionals,
lawyers, and a host of others. Previous speakers include John Draper
(Cap'n Crunch), Ray Kaplan, Chris Goggans (Erik Bloodaxe), Bruce
Sterling, and many more. The conference is also one of the very few
that is completely open to the public and we encourage anyone who is
interested to attend.
Hotel Information -----------------
The Austin North Hilton recently split its complex into two separate
hotels; the Hilton and the newly added Super 8. HoHoCon guests have
the choice of staying in either hotel. Group rates are as followed :
Super 8: Single - $46.50, Double - $49.50, Triple - $52.50, Quad -
$55.50 Hilton : Single - $69.00, Double - $79.00, Triple - $89.00,
Quad - $99.00
Once again, the hotel has set aside a block of rooms for the
conference and we recommend making your reservations as early as
possible to guarantee a room within the block, if not to just
guarantee a room period. Rooms for the handicapped are available upon
request. To make your reservations, call the the number listed above
that corresponds with where you are and where you want to stay and
make sure you tell them you are with the HoHoCon conference or else
you'll end up throwing more money away. The hotel accepts American
Express, Visa, Master Card, Discover, Diner's Club, and Carte Blanche
credit cards.
Check-in is 3:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 noon. Earlier check-in is
available if there are unoccupied rooms available. Please note that in
order for the hotel to hold a room past 6:00 p.m. on the date of
arrival, the individual reservation must be secured by a deposit or
guaranteed with one of the credit cards listed above. Also, any
cancellations of guaranteed reservations must be made prior to 6:00
p.m. on the date of arrival. You will be responsible for full payment
of any guaranteed reservations which are not cancelled by this time.
The hotel provides transportation to and from the airport and will give
you full information when you make your reservations.
Directions ----------
For those of you who will be driving to the conference, the following
is a list of directions provided by the hotel (so, if they're wrong,
don't blame me):
Dallas : Take IH 35 south to exit 238-B, the Houston exit. At the
first stop light, turn right on to 2222. Turn off of 2222
onto Clayton Lane (by the Greyhound Station). At the stop
sign, turn right onto Middle Fiskville, the hotel is on the
left.
San Antonio : Take IH 35 north to exit 238-B, the Houston exit. At the
second stop light, turn left onto 2222. Turn off 2222 onto
Clayton Lane (by the Greyhound Station). At the stop sign,
turn right onto Middle Fiskville, the hotel is on the left.
Houston (on 290) : Take 290 west into Austin. Exit off of 290 at the IH35
exit (do not get on 35). Stay on the access road
heading west, you will pass two stop lights. Turn off
the access road onto Clayton Lane (by the Greyhound
Station). At the stop sign, turn right onto Middle
Fiskville, the hotel is on the left.
Houston (on 71) : Take 71 west into Austin. Exit onto 183 north. Take
183 north to 290 west. Take 290 west to the IH 35 exit.
Exit off of 290 at the IH 35 exit (do not get on 35).
Stay on the access road heading west, you will pass two
stop lights. Turn off the access road onto Clayton Lane
(by the Greyhound Station). At the stop sign, turn
right onto Middle Fiskville, the hotel in on the left.
Airport : Exit the airport parking lot and turn right onto Manor Road.
Take Manor Road to Airport Boulevard and turn right. Take
Airport Boulevard to IH 35 north. Take IH 35 to exit 238-B. At
the second stop light, turn left onto 2222. Turn off of 2222
onto Clayton Lane (by the Greyhound Station). At the stop sign,
turn right onto Middle Fiskville, the hotel is on the left.
Call the hotel if these directions aren't complete enough or if you need
additional information.
Conference Details
__________________
HoHoCon will last 3 days, with the actual conference being held on
Saturday, December 18 starting at 11:00 a.m. and continuing until 5 p.m.
or earlier depending on the number of speakers. Although a few speakers
have confirmed their attendance, we are still in the planning stages and
will wait until the next update to release a speaking schedule. We welcome
any speaker or topic recommendations you might have (except for, say, "Why
I Luv Baked Potatoes On A Stik!"), or, if you would like to speak yourself,
please contact us as soon as possible and let us know who you are, who you
represent (if anyone), the topic you wish to speak on, a rough estimate of
how long you will need, and whether or not you will be needing any
audio-visual aids.
We would like to have people bring interesting items and videos again this
year. If you have anything you think people would enjoy having the chance
to see, please let us know ahead of time, and tell us if you will need any
help getting it to the conference. If all else fails, just bring it to the
con and give it to us when you arrive. Any organization or individual that
wants to bring flyers to distribute during the conference may do so. You
may also send your flyers to us ahead of time if you can not make it to
the conference and we will distribute them for you. Left over flyers are
included with information packets and orders that we send out, so if you
want to send extras, go ahead.
Cost
----
Unlike smaller, less informative conferences, we do not ask you to shell
out hundreds of dollars just to get in the door, nor do we take your money
and then make you sleep in a tent. We are maintaining the motto of "give
$5 if you can", but due to the incredibly high conference room rate this
year, we may step up to "$5 minimum required donation" or "give us $5 or
we'll smash your head in". Five dollars is an outrageously low price
compared to the suit infested industry conferences or even the new "Cons
are k00l and trendy, I gotta do one too!" conferences that are charging
up to $50 for admission alone.
To encourage people to donate, we will once again be having our wonderless
"Raffle For The Elite" during the conference. We will issue a prize list
in a future update, but we can guarantee that this year there will be a
lot more (and better) prizes than last year, including a full system (and,
no, it's not a c64 or 286). Anyone who wishes to donate worthwhile items
to the raffle, please let us know ahead of time, or if it's a last minute
acquirement, just bring it to the conference.
Miscellaneous Notes
-------------------
To save myself some time by mailing responses to a lot of the same
questions I expect to get, I'll answer a few of them here.
Although I have not talked to him myself yet, Steve Ryan has told me that
Bruce Sterling will indeed be in attendance and may say a few words.
As far as I know, there will not be any visitors from any other planets
at the conference. Scot Chasin is still on Earth and will be making an
appearance.
Video cameras will *not* be allowed inside the conference room without
prior consent due to previous agreements made with speakers who do not
wish for certain parts of their speech to be rebroadcast. Still cameras
and Etch-A-Sketch's are fine and tape recorders are too easily hidden
for us to be able to control.
Videos and T-Shirts from last year's conference are still available, and
will also be on hand during the conference. We do not handle the LoD World
Tour shirts, but I can tell you that that the old ones are gone and a
*new* LoD shirt will be unveiled at the conference. The HoHoCon shirts are
$15 plus $3 shipping ($4.00 for two shirts). At this time, they only come
in extra large. We may add additional sizes if there is a demand for them.
The front of the shirt has the following in a white strip across the
chest:
I LOVE FEDS
(Where LOVE = a red heart, very similar to the I LOVE NY logo)
And this on the back:
dFx & cDc Present
HOHOCON '92
December 18-20
Allen Park Inn
Houston, Texas
There is another version of the shirt available with the following:
I LOVE WAREZ
The video includes footage from all three days, is six hours long and
costs $18 plus $3 shipping ($4.00 if purchasing another item also). Please
note that if you are purchasing multiple items, you only need to pay one
shipping charge of $4.00, not a charge for each item. If you wish to send
an order in now, make all checks or money orders payable to O.I.S.,
include your phone number and mail it to the street address listed below.
Allow a few weeks for arrival.
There will be new HoHoCon '93 shirts available at the conference and a
video of the festivities will be out early next year.
Correspondence
--------------
If anyone requires any additional information, needs to ask any questions,
wants to RSVP, wants to order anything, or would like to be added to the
mailing list to receive the HoHoCon updates, you may mail us at:
hohocon@cypher.com
drunkfux@cypher.com
cDc@cypher.com
drunkfux@crimelab.com
dfx@nuchat.sccsi.com
drunkfux@5285 (WWIV Net)
or via sluggo mail at:
HoHoCon
1310 Tulane, Box 2
Houston, Texas
77008-4106
We also have a VMB which includes all the conference information and is
probably the fastest way to get updated reports. The number is:
713-867-9544
You can download any of the conference announcements and related
materials by calling Metalland Southwest at 713-468-5802, which is the
official HoHoCon BBS. The board is up 24 hours a day and all baud rates
are supported.
Those of you with net access can ftp to cypher.com and find all the
HoHoCon information available in /pub/hohocon. The .gifs from previous
cons are *not* currently online.
Conference information and updates will most likely also be found in most
computer underground related publications and mailing lists, including
CuD, CSP, Mondo 2000, 2600, Phrack, TUC, phn0rd, cypherpunks, etc. They
should also appear in a number of newsgroups including comp.dcom.telecom,
alt.security, comp.org.eff.talk, and sci.crypt. We completely encourage
people to use, reprint, and distribute any information in this file.
Same stupid ending statement from last year to make us look good
----------------------------------------------------------------
HoHoCon '93 will be a priceless learning experience for professionals
and gives journalists a chance to gather information and ideas direct
from the source. It is also one of the very few times when all the
members of the computer underground can come together for a realistic
purpose. We urge people not to miss out on an event of this caliber,
which doesn't happen very often. If you've ever wanted to meet some of
the most famous people from the hacking community, this may be your
one and only chance. Don't wait to read about it in all the magazines
and then wish you had been there, make your plans to attend now! Be a
part of what we hope to be our largest and greatest conference ever.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 93 21:36:59 -0700
From: annaliza@netcom.com (Annaliza T. Orquamada)
Subject: File 5--"Hacker" Documentary Proposed
((MODERATORS' NOTE: Annaliza Orquamada, a film-school graduate from
London, intends to challenge conventional media myths about "hackers"
in a proposed documentary. Below, we print a summary of her project.
We will post a substantial version in about a week. From our
conversations and e-mail interaction with her, we find her a highly
informed and competent observer and a refreshing change from most
conventional media folk)).
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS ONLY
Computers are becoming an integral part of our everyday existence.
They are used to store a multitude of information, from credit reports
and bank withdrawals to personal letters and highly sensitive military
documents. So how secure are our computer systems?
The computer hacker is an expert at infiltrating secured systems, such
as those at AT&T, TRW, NASA and the DMV. Most computer systems that
have a telephone connection have been under siege at one time or
another, many without their owner's knowledge. The really good
hackers can re-route the telephone system, obtain highly sensitive
coporate and government documents, download individuals credit
reports, make free phone calls globally, read private electronic mail
and corporate bulletins and get away without ever leaving a trace.
So who are these hackers? Just exactly WHAT do they DO, and WHY do
they do it? Are they really a threat? What do they do with the
information they obtain? Are hackers simply playing an intellectual
game of chess or are hackers using technology to effectively take
control of corporate and government systems that have previously
appeared omnipotent?
Our group is in the course of filming "Unauthorized Access", a
documentary that will demystify the hype and propaganda surrounding
the computer hacker.
We will expose the truths of this sub-culture focusing on the hackers
themselves. This will be a view from inside the global underground.
We intend to shoot in the United States, Holland and Germany.
This documentary will be of the highest broadcast quality and is
intended for international television, festival and theatrical
distribution.
We are currently looking for additional financial backers interested
in this project. For more information about "Unauthorized Access" or
if you are intrested in providing any information or support, please
contact annaliza@netcom.com.
------------------------------
From: grmeyer@GENIE.GEIS.COM
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 93 22:32:00 BST
Subject: File 6--CuNews
Extortion at AT&T
=================
Two men, one a former computer support services employee at AT&T, have
pleaded guilty to conspiring to extort one million dollars from the
company. The US Attorney in Newark, NJ reports that Lou Pacich and
Richard Vignevic sent AT&T a tape-recorded message claiming sensitive
information about commercial accounts was being leaked to competitors.
The two offered to plug the leak in exchange for the money. To bolster
the claim they sent copies of account information on 4,000 AT&T
commercial customers. The information has been obtained, w/out
authorization, from AT&T computer systems. Each man faces 20 years and
$250,000 in fines.
(Information Week. Sept 20, 1993 pg8)
Piracy Around the Globe
=======================
The Oct 1993 issue of Technology Training reports on software piracy
in various countries. In Cuba, there is a National Software
Interchange Center where all types of software is available to any
Cuban at no charge. The estimated piracy rate in China and South
Korea is about 90%. Italy checks in at 80%.
(Information Week. Sept 20, 1993 pg62)
How do I love thee...
=====================
In "Hard Drives" (Los Angeles Times Magazine, Sept 12, 1993 pg26)
author James Fallows says that we value computers for the ways they
increase our efficiency and productivity. But we love them for the way
they undermine productivity (games, BBSing, etc) and satisfy our
craving for new possessions. Computers play on one of our basic needs,
the compulsion to figure something out and make it work.
(Information Week. Sept 20, 1993 pg62)
IW Security Survey Results
==========================
Information Week magazine and Ernst and Young conducted an extensive
security survey and found, to their surprise, that a _minority_ of
organizations polled considered security to be an important issue.
They also found that one in four companies had last money over last
two years due to security breaches in their networks. Most
organizations don't even have full time security staffs. CuD
encourages you to refer to "Tempting Fate", pgs42-52, October 4, 1993
for complete details.
P&G Consultant Indicted
=======================
A Procter & Gamble consultant, Matthew Daughtery, has been charged
with three felony counts for using P&G computers to access a company
bulletin board without authorization. The BBS is identified as
"Regulatory and Clinical Development Network". Ohio prosecutors have
not said what information Daughtery could have obtained from the
system.
(Information Week. pg8. Oct 4, 1993)
Consumer Privacy Survey ======================= A Harris poll,
sponsored by the non-profit Center for Social and Legal Research
(Washington, DC), found that 53% OF American adults are very concerned
about threats to their privacy from corporations. This is a
substantial increase over results in previous years. Respondents were
most concerned about financial services and health industries (72%),
with mail-order consumer goods businesses rating 48%. For complete
results refer to the Privacy & American Business newsletter. For more
summary information refer to Information Week, pg58, Oct 4, 1993.
Internet Access in NJ
=====================
New Jersey Bell and Bellcore are sponsoring a two-year experiment to
allow people free access to the Internet in three dozen public
libraries in the Garden State. Anyone with a modem can also tap into
portions of the Internet from home by calling the project's dial-up at
(201) 989-5999. Plans are in the works to have fiber-optic cable
installed in every home and business throughout NJ by 2010. Officials
will monitor this experiment to see how pedestrians interact with the
worldwide network and hope the project will become a model for the
nation.
(Communications of the ACM, pg11, Oct 1993. Reprinted with permission)
Sex and Violence Nipper Chip
============================
For as little as $5 parents may soon be able to implement a computer
chip in televisions to monitor programs their children watch. With the
growing concern over TV sex and violence comes the debate whether
"lock out" technologies are the solution. Under pressure from
Congress, networks and stations may eventually be forced to rate shows
-- "V" for violence, "N" for nudity, for instance -- and broadcast a
code along with the show which could then be read by the "V-chip"
installed in the set or cable box. The same technology is already used
for broadcasting closed captioned information for the hearing impaired
and will be used to transmit and display information such as the title
and time remaining of shows in progress. Broadcasters and program
producers are no fans of this idea, arguing the technology will take
away viewers and frighten advertisers. (Communications of the ACM,
pg12, Oct 1993. Reprinted with permission)
Nightline on Security/Privacy?
==============================
According to James Daly ("Security Watch") the folks at NBC's
Nightline have been talking to folks in the computer security industry
over the past few weeks. A show on security/privacy can't be far
behind. Keep an eye out for it.
(Computerworld, pg56, Oct 4, 1993.)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1993 01:45:35 EDT
From: Nikki Draper <draper@EUPHRATES.STANFORD.EDU>
Subject: File 7--Student Pugwash Conference
ANNOUNCING: Student Pugwash USA's Eight International Conference
"SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY"
JOIN: 100 talented students from over 25 countries to meet with
accomplished professionals from science, government, industry,
non-governmental organizations, and academe for a week-long
educational forum to explore the impacts of technology on society and
world affairs.
TOPICS:
* Resource Stewardship for Environmental Sustainability
* Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution for a Secure Future
* The Social Costs and Medical Benefits of Human Genetic Information
* Overcoming Barriers to Health Care Education and Delivery
* Designing the Future--From Corporations to Communities
* Communications and Information Technologies
ELIGIBILITY: ALL students (undergraduate, graduate and professional)
from any and all disciplines. Student Pugwash USA encourages
participation that represents a diversity of race, age, gender, sexual
orientation, and national origin.
APPLICATION INFORMATION:Participants will be chosen through a
competitive, merit-based application process based, in part, upon
applicants' submission of a brief 'issue paper' on one of the topics
listed above. For an application or additional information, please
CONTACT: Nicky Short Student Pugwash USA 1638 R Street NW, Suite 32
Washington, D.C., 20009 phone:(202) 328-6555 email:uspugwash@igc.org
PRELIMINARY APPLICATION DEADLINE: December 15, 1993
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 93 04:55:32 PDT
From: Fredrick B. Cohen <fc@JUPITER.SAIC.COM>
Subject: File 8--Response to CuD 5.80 - Itar article
((MODERATORS' NOTE: The following post was originally less than 25
percent substance, the remainder cascading citations and headers. At
the poster's request, we edited out the superfluous citing while
leaving the poster's comments intact.
We remind readers that CuD is *not* a Usenet discussion group in which
cascades are accepted)).
++++
In CuD 5.80, bjones@WEBER.UCSD.EDU(Bruce Jones) writes:
> Please note that the posting site for Mr. Cohen's message is
> the Science Applications International Corporation, a La Jolla
> California based think tank that has deep ties to the U.S. Gov't and
> does lots of work for the DoD. Given his ties to the DoD, it comes
> as small surprise that he was able to get export permission for his
> RSA cryptosystem.
Wrongo - This application was made by ASP, my company (then) in
Pittsburgh, PA and with no government contracts whatsoever. This is a
typical assumptive response from someone who doesn't understand that
poor people like me get access to computers by the grace of others.
Perhaps you think I was previously a professor at Duquesne University,
and before that an employee of the NSA, and before that an employee of
wherever my previous mail account came from. This kind of response
from someone who appears from his mailing address to be from a person
at a major university who is almost certainly getting government
grants is certainly the pot calling the kettle black.
> Why should a software manufacturer or a private citizen have to ask
> permission in the first place, from the DoD (operating under the
> guise of the Dept of Commerce) to export software that uses
> encryption algorithms freely available in the country to which the
> product is being exported?
Interesting question, and one that I have asked, but then why should I
need any permission from the government for anything? Perhaps I
shouldn't, but the fact is, they have the power, and if you work
within the structure, you may find that it is not as oppressive as you
thought.
> >IBM has been exporting DES for quite a few years according to sources
> >I have in EC who have seen IBM chips with DES on them in EC computers.
> >I believe they simply asked for permission and got it.
> Again, it's likely quite simple for someone who does business with
> the DoD and the U.S. Gov't to get permission to export.
The point is that even ASP, a tiny company with no government ties got
permission by simply following the rules. Should IBM be treated
unfairly?
> >I applaud the EFF for helping defend people in this area, but maybe if
> >they tried to work within the law in the first place, they would have
> >found it was easier to obey the law than break it.
>
> Serious charges without foundation. Whom within the EFF has been
> accused of breaking the law?
Try reading more closely. The EFF is defending those who may have
broken the law. Sorry if I mixed my pronouns, I am a human being.
> >Maybe if they apply now, they will end up with a no-case (assuming
> >they get permission).
>
> A dodge of the issue, which is not about whether or not one can get
> permission to do something specific, but whether or not the
> government has a right to require permission in the first place.
The government certainly has the right to require it, but perhaps it
won't have that right as a result of the PGP case. The issue is that
if they didn't want to go to federal court, why were they trying to
play it so close to the edge? If I walk up to you and swing a
baseball bat within a few inches of your head, are you going to ignore
me because I didn't hit you?
> One of the founding tenets of the Unites States of America is the
> idea that its citizens may do whatever they like, so long as their
> chosen activity is not proscribed by law and doesn't violate the
> rights of their neighbors. The opposite is ostensibly true for
> the government, which may only do what has been permitted it under
> the law. We live in a society where those distinctions apparently
> collapsed some time ago.
Where does the constitution say this? I agree that I would prefer it that
way, but I don't think there is any basis in law for your statement.
------------------------------
End of Computer Underground Digest #581
************************************

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