582 lines
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582 lines
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> Information<6F><6E><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ŀ
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<EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> Systems <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD>Ĵ
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<EFBFBD> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> Security <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20> <20><><EFBFBD> İ<><C4B0> İ<><C4B0> <20><><EFBFBD>Ĵ
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<EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD> <20>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> Monitor <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>
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"Dedicated to the pursuit of security awareness."
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======================================================================
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Volume 2 Number 4 October 1992
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======================================================================
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/////////////////////////// In this Issue \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
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BPD Security BBS Interview
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Did You Know That...
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Public Debt "Hackers"
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Clyde's Hall Of Fame
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"Dear Clyde..."
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Computer Speak
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Voice Mail Toll Fraud
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Computer Security Day
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///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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BPD SECURITY INTERVIEW
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Editor's Note: The following interview was conducted by Jim
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Thomas, Department of Sociology, NIU, Dekalb, Il., editor of
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Computer underground Digest (CuD), August 12, 1992. Permission
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to reprint the article has been given by the editors of CuD.
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Computer Underground Digest is an open forum dedicated to sharing
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information among computerists and to the presentation and debate
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of diverse views.
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(MODERATOR's NOTE: We heard about the AIS BBS from several
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readers, and checked it out. We were impressed by the collection
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of text files, the attempt to bring different groups together for
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the common purposes of security and civilizing the cyber frontier,
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and the professionalism with which the board is run. AIS BBS is
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a first-rate resource for security personnel who are concerned with
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protecting their systems).
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THOMAS: What is this Board? (Name, number, who runs it (dept &
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sysop). What kind of software are you using? When did the board
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go on-line?
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CLANCY: The Bulletin Board System (BBS) is run by the Bureau of
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the Public Debt's Office of Automated Information System's Security
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Branch. The mission of the Bureau is to administer Treasury's debt
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finance operations and account for the resulting debt. The OAIS
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Security Branch is responsible for managing Public Debt's computer
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systems security. The AIS BBS is open to the public and the phone
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number for the Board is (304) 420-6083. There are three sysops,
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who manage the Remote Access software. The BBS operates on a
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stand-alone PC and is not connected to any other Public Debt
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system. The Board is not used to disseminate sensitive
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information, and has been up operating for the past 15 months.
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THOMAS: What are the goals and purposes of the Board?
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CLANCY: The BBS was established to help manage Public Debt's
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security program. Security managers are located throughout Public
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Debt's offices in Parkersburg, WV and Washington DC. The security
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programmers saw a need to disseminate large amounts of information
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and provide for communication between program participants in
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different locations. Because the Board was established for
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internal purposes, the phone number was not published. However,
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the number was provided to others in the computer security
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community who could provide information and make suggestions to
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help improve the Bureau's security program. Gradually, others
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became aware of the Board's existence.
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THOMAS: What kinds of files and/or programs do you have on the
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Board? Why/how do you choose the files you have on-line?
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CLANCY: There is a wide variety of files posted. In the
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beginning, we posted policy documents, newsletter articles from our
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internal security newsletter, bulletins issued by CERT, such as
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virus warnings, and others for internal use. I located some
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"underground" files that described techniques for circumventing
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security on one of the systems we manage. The information, from
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Phrack magazine, was posted for our security managers to use to
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strengthen security. When we were called by others with the same
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systems, we would direct them to those files as well.
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Unexpectedly, the "hacker" that had written the file contacted me
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through our BBS. In his article he mentioned several automated
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tools that had helped him take advantage of the system. I requested
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that he pass on copies of the programs for our use. He agreed.
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This is how our "hacker file areas" came to be. Other hackers have
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done the same, and we have also received many files that may be
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useful. It is, indeed, an unusual situation when hackers and
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security professionals work together to help secure systems.
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However, this communication has been beneficial in strengthening
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an already secure system.
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THOMAS: Since you and the Secret Service are both part of the U.S.
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Treasury, was the Board set up to catch "hackers?"
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CLANCY: No, the BBS was designed to manage our internal security
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program. We do not allow individuals to sign on with "handles."
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We do not know if people are hackers when they sign on unless they
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identify themselves.
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THOMAS: How did you get the idea to set it up?
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CLANCY: The security branch accesses many BBSs on a daily basis
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for research purposes, information retrieval and to communicate
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with others. Since our security program is decentralized, the BBS
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seemed to be an effective way of communicating with program
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participants in diverse locations.
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THOMAS: What distinguishes your board from sources like CERT, or
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from "underground" BBSes?
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CLANCY: First, there is a wide diversity to our files, ranging
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from CERT advisories to the 40Hex newsletters. Also, many of the
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files on our system are posted as a resource we use for the
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implementation of our security program. For example, the Board
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lists computer based training modules that we have developed,
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policy documents, and position descriptions. These are files that
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other security programs can use to implement or help start their
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programs. On the message side of the BBS, what distinguishes it
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would have to be the open interaction between hackers, virus
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writers, phone phreaks and the security community.
|
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|
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THOMAS: What kinds of difficulties or problems have you
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encountered, either from superiors or from users, in operating the
|
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Board?
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CLANCY: I can recall few, if any, difficulties from anyone, users
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or superiors. Upper management understands the value of the
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technology and has been extremely supportive. All users have been
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courteous, professional, and supportive. Security professionals
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constantly thank us for providing "underground" information for
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them. It allows others in the field to gain access to valuable
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information without having to access "underground" systems. Users
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appreciate the opportunity to share their knowledge with others and
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seem grateful to have an avenue to communicate with security
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professionals who will listen to "hackers" experiences.
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THOMAS: Can you describe any unusual or humorous experiences you
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have had with users while running the Board?
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CLANCY: It is unusual for "hackers" and security professionals to
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work together to help secure systems, but that is what is occurring
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on our system. I have had requests from other government agencies
|
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asking for resumes of "hackers" that may assist them. I have been
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contacted by numerous government and private agencies asking for
|
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our "contacts." I just direct them to the BBS and advise that they
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post messages regarding the questions they need answered. If
|
|||
|
anyone is interested in helping, they will respond. It is an
|
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unusual situation, but, in my opinion, I can attest that the
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|||
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information we have received has been very useful to our security
|
|||
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program.
|
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|
|||
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THOMAS: What future plans do you have for improving the hardware,
|
|||
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such as upgrading modem, number of lines, or storage capacity, or
|
|||
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for developing the services of the Board?
|
|||
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|
|||
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CLANCY: Starting July 13th, the Board will be down periodically
|
|||
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for system upgrades. We are adding an additional phone line, and
|
|||
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a 315 mb hard drive. Also, we are going to make a few changes to
|
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|
reorganize files. It is hoped that group information will be more
|
|||
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efficient in this manner. We are also adding RIME relay net
|
|||
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conferences and will carry topics such as Data Protection.
|
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|||
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THOMAS: What should potential users know about the Board or your
|
|||
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policies before attempting to receive access?
|
|||
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CLANCY: Users must be aware that we do not allow handles on the
|
|||
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BBS. If they sign on with a handle it will be deleted. We also
|
|||
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reserve the right to review all E-mail, public and private. All
|
|||
|
users have access to the BBS upon sign on. If a user wants access
|
|||
|
to the "hacker" file area, they need to send a message to the sysop
|
|||
|
requesting access. Potential users should know they are welcome
|
|||
|
to call in and communicate with us and others.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
----------------------- End of Article ---------------------------------
|
|||
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|
|||
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DID YOU KNOW THAT...
|
|||
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|
|||
|
Public Debt's ISSMs recently completed Disaster Recovery Training
|
|||
|
at classes held in both Parkersburg and Washington. The classes
|
|||
|
consisted of both disaster recovery theory and the use of the
|
|||
|
Bureau's purchased software product "DISASTAR", which is to be used
|
|||
|
to prepare each application's own portion of a Bureau wide recovery
|
|||
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plan...
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There is an ISSM meeting that is held every month. Your ISSM would
|
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be happy to hear from you about any computer security questions,
|
|||
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issues or concerns that you may have so that they can be addressed
|
|||
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at that meeting...
|
|||
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|
|||
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|
|||
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----------------------- End of Article ---------------------------------
|
|||
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|
|||
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|
|||
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|
|||
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PUBLIC DEBT "HACKERS"
|
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|
|||
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|
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After reading the article in this issue of the ISSM about our
|
|||
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bulletin board system, it is no secret that we actively use hacking
|
|||
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tools against our computer systems to test their security. One
|
|||
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tool I have used to test our security is called GETIT.COM. (later
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known as THIEF) . It is a program floating around the underground
|
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community designed to capture logonids and passwords for Novell
|
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Networks. I must say I found the program pretty impressive. It
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is extremely easy to use and install and it works wel
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Another file not included states that this program can be easily
|
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spoofed if a user types "login userid". This allows the program
|
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to only capture a password and not the logonid associated with it.
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Of course, capturing passwords is not a good thing to let happen
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but at least it does not give a person all the pieces at once.
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Following is the documentation for the program.
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Thief is a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) utility written in
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8086 assembly language that attempts to steal Novell passwords.
|
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It originates from a site with consummate hackers and a long,
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colorful history of mischief: George Washington High School in
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Denver, Colorado.
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The school is well endowed with a large variety of IBM
|
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microcomputers. Five rooms of about 30 computers each are all tied
|
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together on a Novell network. Four of the five rooms solely use
|
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boot proms* for initializing the workstations. However, the fifth
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houses IBM PS/2 model 80s with hard drives. The power users tend
|
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to congregate in this area, including the "administrators" with
|
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Supervisor equivalence. These machines do not use boot proms.
|
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So it was on one of these computers where the "thief" was first
|
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discovered because it takes advantage of weaknesses in the security
|
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at the boot phase. Into the regular flow of action in the
|
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AUTOEXEC.BAT file, the creator inserted a line that executes the
|
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(hidden) program copied onto the boot disk. The TSR remains in the
|
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background and the process continues. Visual signs of thebreak-in
|
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are imperceptible.
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Then, as soon as a program named LOGIN is executed, the thief
|
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springs to life and records all the keystroke action into a hidden
|
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file on the boot disk. The human thief may then later return to
|
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the computer and see what the trap caught. Before a more
|
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detailed description of the "metabolism" of the thief, consider now
|
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the weaknesses that led to the breach:
|
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|
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o a localized boot process, or at least one that is corruptible.
|
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|
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o physical access to a sensitive computer.
|
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|
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Both are controllable, of course. The boot prom is a solution
|
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for the former, and lock and key (on the computer or a room that
|
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surrounds it) is for the latter. Now return to the "metabolism".
|
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Surprisingly, THIEF uses the same "hook" that the Novell shell
|
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does! That is, it captures the centralized portal to DOS interrupt
|
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21h.** Then, it intercepts all function calls. Specifically, it
|
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checks for the EXECute file function call and the "terminate"
|
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interrupt.
|
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Whenever an EXEC call is made with a filename LOGIN, THIEF
|
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|
springs to life and records keystrokes until the program
|
|||
|
terminates. This is somewhat sophisticated; however, an even more
|
|||
|
effective method could be realized: it could simply wait for the
|
|||
|
specialized Novell function call to log in, and record the calling
|
|||
|
parameters. Note that the above technique requires the program to
|
|||
|
be loaded subsequent to the Netware shell.
|
|||
|
By no means are these types of programs new; they have been
|
|||
|
around as long as password-based program security. Here, however,
|
|||
|
is an example that is tangible and immediate. Study of it is
|
|||
|
beneficial because knowledge of Netware security is one thing;
|
|||
|
knowledge of how to defeat it is quite another! The latter demands
|
|||
|
cutting-edge sophistication and comprehension. The future will
|
|||
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certainly see improved identification techniques, and timeless,
|
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devious ingenuity will be there to greet them.
|
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Note: THIEF was formerly named GETIT by its creator, who was
|
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careless and cocky enough to leave the source code.
|
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* "Boot proms", for those not familiar, are accessory chips that
|
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reside on network interface cards; they redirect local drive
|
|||
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activity to the server during the boot process, thus allowing a
|
|||
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workstation to initialize without a (boot) disk.
|
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** Interrupt 21h is that used by any program when requesting a DOS
|
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function. The Netware shell, of course, intercepts this regular
|
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flow. It may pass the information directly along to DOS or process
|
|||
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the call itself.
|
|||
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|
|||
|
|
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|
------------------------ End of Article --------------------------------
|
|||
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|
|||
|
|
|||
|
CLYDE'S SECURITY HALL OF FAME
|
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|
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|
|||
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Office of Public Debt Accounting (OPDA) inducted to Hall of Fame:
|
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|
|||
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Through their dedication and commitment to information security,
|
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|
they have helped Public Debt's security program grow. OPDA
|
|||
|
management has dedicated the time and resources to ensure that
|
|||
|
security issues are addressed to the utmost degree of accuracy and
|
|||
|
completeness. OPDA management recently mandated that all of their
|
|||
|
users receive a two hour end user security training class. This
|
|||
|
was above and beyond the security training requirements currently
|
|||
|
being fulfilled with the ISSM newsletter. OPDA ISSMs, Sa
|
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|
ndra Woods, Mike Goodwin, and Alex Kendjoria-Ganoe have assisted
|
|||
|
the AIS Security Branch in developing procedures and guidelines
|
|||
|
that will assist other ISSMs when its "their turn" to complete the
|
|||
|
same tasks. Their dedication and assistance has been extremely
|
|||
|
beneficial to the development of Public Debt's security program.
|
|||
|
OPDA'a ISSMs have gone out of their way to tutor themselves in
|
|||
|
computer security topics. They have utilized the automated lesson
|
|||
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plans made available on our LAN and made extensive use of our
|
|||
|
security library books, magazines, videos and audio tapes. OPDA
|
|||
|
has shown that the ISSM program works when the proper time and
|
|||
|
resources are dedicated to the management of information systems
|
|||
|
security.
|
|||
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|
|||
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Submitted by Kim Clancy, Manager of the AIS Security Branch
|
|||
|
|
|||
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|
|||
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------------------------ End of Article --------------------------------
|
|||
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|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"DEAR CLYDE..."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
(Responses to questions for those who are searching for the truth.)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Dear Clyde;
|
|||
|
I have a personal computer (PC) on my desk in the office. What
|
|||
|
types of security controls do I need to protect my computer?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
PC (perplexed and confused)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Dear PC;
|
|||
|
The greatest measure of security you can provide to your PC is to
|
|||
|
physically secure it so that no one can gain access to it. If that
|
|||
|
is not possible, look for methods that will prevent someone from
|
|||
|
powering up the computer or using the keyboard. If I can gain
|
|||
|
access to your computer, I have the capability to load programs
|
|||
|
(called trojan horses, these are not the same trojan horses from
|
|||
|
my day but follow the same logic) that can capture you logonids and
|
|||
|
passwords as you sign on to systems. That means I can act as you
|
|||
|
on the computer and everything I do will be traced to you, not me.
|
|||
|
If you leave your PC on at night with a modem set up so that you
|
|||
|
can call in from home, you've made it possible for me to load the
|
|||
|
same programs without having to gain physical access to your
|
|||
|
computer. That type of configuration should be reviewed by your
|
|||
|
ISSM before setting it up.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-------------------------- End of Article ------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
COMPUTER SPEAK COMPUTER TERMS AND THEIR MEANINGS
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
CYBER - As in CYBERSPACE
|
|||
|
Term used to describe the electronic "playground" in which
|
|||
|
computerists use, publish and share information with distant
|
|||
|
computer users and electronic bulletin boards.
|
|||
|
SUPERVISOR -
|
|||
|
1) Network Supervisor - Person responsible for the smooth
|
|||
|
operation of the entire network. The supervisor may also
|
|||
|
install the network, maintain the network, reconfiguring and
|
|||
|
updating it as the need arises.
|
|||
|
2) SUPERVISOR (as user) - Special username that is
|
|||
|
automatically created when a file server is initialized.
|
|||
|
This user is permanent and cannot be deleted or renamed.
|
|||
|
The user SUPERVISOR has all rights in all file server volumes
|
|||
|
and directories, and these rights cannot be revoked.
|
|||
|
CERT - Computer Emergency Response Team
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
--------------------------- End of Article -----------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
VOICE MAIL TOLL FRAUD
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
For computer hackers, PBX toll fraud has become an annual $500
|
|||
|
million boon. For corporations, it's become a $500 million
|
|||
|
nightmare. Since only a fraction of PBX toll fraud is actually
|
|||
|
reported and compiled, this $500 million per year estimate is a
|
|||
|
rather modest one. Historically, hackers broke into a PBX through
|
|||
|
its Direct Inward System Access (DISA) feature. DISA allows
|
|||
|
travelling employees to call into a switch and avail themselves
|
|||
|
of a company's long distance services. All too often, it is now
|
|||
|
offering hackers the same privilege.
|
|||
|
Once a hacker has cracked a four- or six-digit DISA code, he can
|
|||
|
commandeer the long distance lines for his own unauthorized use.
|
|||
|
DISA-based toll fraud remains the simplest and most prevalent form
|
|||
|
of PBX toll fraud. Until recently, it was considered the ony
|
|||
|
form.
|
|||
|
Jim Ross is president of Ross Engineering (Sterling, VA), a
|
|||
|
surveillance counter-measures firm. During the past month, he
|
|||
|
received two highly unusual complaints of PBX toll fraud. Instead
|
|||
|
of using DISA, the culprits broke into the PBX through the
|
|||
|
voice-mail system. They were able to whisk right through voice
|
|||
|
mail, obtain dialtone and make thousands of dollars worth of
|
|||
|
international calls.
|
|||
|
"In the first instance," Jim recall, "the toll fraud artists
|
|||
|
dialed into an Octel voice-mail system with Aspen software and
|
|||
|
attached to an AT&T System 75 PBX. After hours, incoming 800
|
|||
|
callers could grab dialtone after punching in any three digit
|
|||
|
sequence with '75' in it and dial into the outside world." The
|
|||
|
company was taken for a $170,000 long distance ride.
|
|||
|
Jim stresses that all voice-mail systems "have some kind of
|
|||
|
vulnerability and, sooner or later, the hackers are going to
|
|||
|
pinpoint it." In fact, he is quite surprised that it has taken
|
|||
|
them so long to discover this new point of entry. "The easiest
|
|||
|
way to prevent these assaults is to program your PBX to shut down
|
|||
|
immediately whenever the caller reaches a second dialtone," he
|
|||
|
advises. "Without the second dialtone, their hands are tied."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Evasive Tactics
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Toll fraud felons are experts in evasion. Typically, they'll
|
|||
|
bounce the call from one to another, switching
|
|||
|
interexchange carriers several times before they invade the
|
|||
|
targeted PBX. They'll make the calls from transient numbers, as
|
|||
|
opposed to their home phones. These evasive tactics make them
|
|||
|
quite difficult, and sometimes impossible to trace.
|
|||
|
Jim Ross provides an intriquing example. "A few years back, a
|
|||
|
Harrisburg, PA, company called us for assistance. They were
|
|||
|
getting burned badly. Every night, the hackers dialed up their
|
|||
|
DISA number and made thousands of dollars of calls to a single
|
|||
|
number in Columbia."
|
|||
|
Although the company had recognized the problem, and had changed
|
|||
|
the DISA access code from four to six digits, they could not stop
|
|||
|
the deluge of unauthorized outbound calls. They eventually had to
|
|||
|
shut their PBX down while the local phone company investigated the
|
|||
|
matter.
|
|||
|
The investigation led from the local telco to AT&T, the
|
|||
|
interexchange carrier, and on to the originating telco, New York
|
|||
|
Tel. By the time New York Tel managed to locate the originating
|
|||
|
numbers, they had been terminated. But they were able to outline
|
|||
|
the makings of a clever, evasive and quite successful method of PBX
|
|||
|
toll fraud.
|
|||
|
According to New York Tel records, a mysterious company had put
|
|||
|
in a request for 12 new telephone lines. The company claimed to
|
|||
|
be a construction firm. Although they were planning to put up a
|
|||
|
major office tower, they had no references, and no credit history
|
|||
|
to speak of.
|
|||
|
New York Tel demands a healthy deposit to service such a shaky
|
|||
|
entity. The company paid the deposit in cash. New York Tel duly
|
|||
|
installed the 12 lines at a trailer on the edge of the alleged
|
|||
|
construction site.
|
|||
|
After a month, the company abandoned the deposit and the site.
|
|||
|
But not before running up thousands of dollars in long-distance
|
|||
|
charges on the Harrisburg PBX. And probably several other switches
|
|||
|
as well.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Some External Measures
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In addition to implementing toll restriction, daily diagnostics
|
|||
|
and other PBX procedures, there are several external ways to
|
|||
|
control toll fraud. A few companies are now issuing DISA smart
|
|||
|
cards, with ID numbers which change every minute. These cards are
|
|||
|
virtually impervious to outside meddling.
|
|||
|
Smart cards are not cheap. They are an administrative pain. And
|
|||
|
it is often quite difficult to get the card back after an employee
|
|||
|
resigns or quits. However, it remains one of the most effective
|
|||
|
alternatives currently available.
|
|||
|
Our own solution was to get rid of DISA altogether. In its
|
|||
|
place, we'd distribute corporate credit calling cards. Each card
|
|||
|
would be attached to the company account, not to its CO trunks.
|
|||
|
Each would have a unique credit card number.
|
|||
|
Thus, when an employee is terminated, so is his credit card
|
|||
|
number. If the card is stolen, the employee will report it
|
|||
|
immediately and the other travelling execs could make calls as
|
|||
|
usual. If $500 worth of calls were made to Pakistan in the course
|
|||
|
of an hour, the carrier could call the user's beeper or the company
|
|||
|
headquarters. If neither responded, they could void the card
|
|||
|
automatically.
|
|||
|
"As far as the telecom industry is concerned, that's an
|
|||
|
excellent idea," responds Jim Ross. "But it won't be acceptable
|
|||
|
to the travelling executives.
|
|||
|
"You've got to understand. These guys get to be such big wigs
|
|||
|
and muckety-mucks that they don't want to fool around with a nine
|
|||
|
digit credit card number, plus the seven-digit long distance
|
|||
|
number. The idea of dialing a few extra digits is an intolerable
|
|||
|
burden to them.
|
|||
|
"As a corollary, you may remember that former secretary of
|
|||
|
state Alexander Haig made a number of calls to the While House from
|
|||
|
Air Force One. This exchange was recorded by short wave radio
|
|||
|
enthusiasts, who handed it over to the media." Faced with the
|
|||
|
flak, the goverment contended that the encryption equipment in the
|
|||
|
plane was just not compatible with that in the White House.
|
|||
|
"Nonsense," says Jim. "Like many executives and high officials,
|
|||
|
Haig just didn't want to go through the hassle of using the
|
|||
|
encrytion equipment or the hardship of listening to a warped,
|
|||
|
encrypted voice. Look at (Virginia) Governor Wilder. He talks
|
|||
|
about his nemesis, Senator Robb, in the clear."
|
|||
|
Jim asserts that there is only one foolproof method to eliminate
|
|||
|
toll fraud. "If the FCC would demand that all interexchange
|
|||
|
carriers and local telcos implement comprehensive, compulsory
|
|||
|
caller identification, then you've done away with the problem.
|
|||
|
You've also done away with bomb threats, harassment and obscene
|
|||
|
phone calls, as well."
|
|||
|
Even the most evasive hackers would be instantly identified at
|
|||
|
each point along their tortuous journey -- from town to town, and
|
|||
|
from carrier to carrier. And they would open themselves to
|
|||
|
exposure and apprehension, in real time.
|
|||
|
Furthermore, hackers can not mask Automatic Number
|
|||
|
Identification (ANI) by obscuring digits. Because caller
|
|||
|
identification data is entered from your exchange, and not from
|
|||
|
your phone, it is impervious to meddling. Hackers could only avoid
|
|||
|
ANI detection by dialing for live operator assistance. Which
|
|||
|
carries its own threat of exposure.
|
|||
|
"Unfortunately, universal, compulsory caller identification is
|
|||
|
'pie-in-the-sky' at this juncture," laments Mr. Ross. The
|
|||
|
Pennsylvania Supreme Court has already prohibited caller ID, citing
|
|||
|
right to privacy violations. Even where the service is currently
|
|||
|
offered, subscribers have the right to withhold their phone numbers
|
|||
|
from public inspection.
|
|||
|
The CIA would be a fine source for toll fraud prevention.
|
|||
|
"Without doubt, our neighbors in Langley have purchased practically
|
|||
|
every modern PBX and voice mail system to see what their weaknesses
|
|||
|
are," assents Jim. "I wish that this information would be made
|
|||
|
public. I think it should be made public, since it is paid for
|
|||
|
with our tax dollars."
|
|||
|
That's only one of several things the CIA does that the American
|
|||
|
people get no value from, the interviewer quipped.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Reprinted with permission of Teleconnect Magazine 800-799-0345
|
|||
|
Subscription $15 per year
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
------------------------ End of Article --------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
COMPUTER SECURITY DAY
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
December 1, 1992 will mark the fifth annual nation-wide
|
|||
|
observance of Computer Security Day. Computer Security Day is our
|
|||
|
opportunity to focus attention on our agenda - Computer Security.
|
|||
|
Computer Security Day is the first workday in December, although
|
|||
|
official observances vary to avoid conflicts in some countries or
|
|||
|
in some organizations. Computer Security Day keeps everyone alert
|
|||
|
to proper computer security procedures as the holiday season
|
|||
|
approaches and security might otherwise become lax.
|
|||
|
The Bureau of Public Debt will participate this year in Computer
|
|||
|
Security Day by holding a contest to select the best security
|
|||
|
slogan as submitted by the ISSM Newsletter readership.
|
|||
|
The slogan can relate to any computer security-related topic,
|
|||
|
such as access security ("Logoff! - An open terminal is a hacker's
|
|||
|
terminal!"), or password security ("Share a Password, Share your
|
|||
|
Protection!").
|
|||
|
First through third prizes will be awarded and will consist of
|
|||
|
basketball hoop security reminders, as displayed throughout BPD,
|
|||
|
Parkersburg. Winning and runner-up slogans, plus the name of the
|
|||
|
submitter, will be printed in future issues of the ISSM
|
|||
|
Newsletter, & be posted on physical security bulletin boards
|
|||
|
throughout the building.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
----------------------------- End of Article ---------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The AIS Security Branch Runs an Electronic BBS. Give us a call at
|
|||
|
(304) 420-6083. An electronic version of the ISSM is posted on the
|
|||
|
board and can be downloaded. Articles in the electronic version may
|
|||
|
include more detail in that we are not limited by space constraints
|
|||
|
as we are in the paper copy.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The ISSM is a quarterly publication of the Department of Treasury,
|
|||
|
Bureau of the Public Debt, AIS Security Branch, 200 3rd Street,
|
|||
|
Parkersburg, WV 26101 (304) 420-6368.
|
|||
|
Editors: Jim Heikkinen, Ed Alesius, Kim Clancy, Joe Kordella, Mary Clark
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253
|