FW: Security In The News - March 8, 2004

[Howell, Paul]

Title: Message

 

-----Original Message-----
From: dailyreport@ists.dartmouth.edu [mailto:dailyreport@ists.dartmouth.edu]
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 4:59 PM
To: subscriber (2554)
Subject: Security In The News - March 8, 2004

Security In The News
LAST UPDATED: 3/8/04
This report is also available on the Internet at http://news.ists.dartmouth.edu/todaysnews.html ,

Homeland Security & Infrastructure Protection

Battening Cargo Against Terrorism

Wired News, 3/8/04

DHS Gets Relegated to the Corporate Security Margin

Computerworld, 3/8/04

Report gives DHS mixed grades after one year

Government Executive, 3/5/04

Cybercrime-Hacking

Net closes on betting 'hackmail' gang

Silicon.com, 3/8/04

Politics-Legislation

Security cannot rely on market forces

Australian IT, 3/9/04

U.S. Urged To Take Lead In issuing Biometric Passports

Information Week, 3/5/04

Politicians finally set to vote on 'Europe's DMCA'

Silicon.com, 3/8/04

Also - Reuters, 3/8/04

Malware

New worm masquerades as Microsoft update

vnunet.com, 3/8/04

Also - ZDNet, 3/8/04

Lurking "spyware" may be a security weak spot

New Scientist, 3/4/04

SCO recovers from MyDoom

ZDNet, 3/8/04

Viruses 'Winning the War'

EWeek.com, 3/8/04

Technology

WLAN future lies in 802.11n kit

vnunet.com, 3/8/04

AirMagnet attracts rogue signals

Government Computer News, 3/8/04

Civil & Consumer Issues

Patent Central to Microsoft Case Invalidated

Reuters, 3/5/04

Feds: E-mail subpoena ruling hurts law enforcement

Security Focus, 3/5/04

Homeland Security & Infrastructure Protection

Title: Battening Cargo Against Terrorism

Source: Wired News

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

Operation Safe Commerce is a $58 million federal pilot initiative to ensure the integrity of cargo containers to guard against the threat of explosives and chemical and biological agents being smuggled into the United States. Michael Nacht, dean of the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Policy, estimates that an attack against a West Coast port could shut down other ports along the coast, costing a billion dollars a day. Under Operation Safe Commerce, cargo containers will have active and passive sensors to monitor light levels, humidity, temperature, and alert cargo managers of any changes. Active sensors immediately notify personnel if anyone opens a container. The system cannot cover all cargo entering the country, so Operation Safe Commerce will focus on smaller shippers from certain countries, rather than large retail shippers, such as Target and Home Depot, who regularly cooperate with authorities and keep their shipments low risk.

http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,62560,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_2

Title: DHS Gets Relegated to the Corporate Security Margin

Source: Computerworld

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

Corporate executives report that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the White House's National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace have had little impact on business security practices. Many corporations see little reason to participate in the strategy, which only threatens unwanted regulation if companies do not participate. However, many companies already have to comply with such regulations as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Other companies find themselves shoring up security out of business need. The Bush administration's 2005 budget calls for $31 million for information technology spending as public/private partnerships pick up steam, but many view such cooperation as the result of private sector initiatives rather than the National Strategy. Amit Yoran, director of the DHS National Cyber Security Division, points to a number of active programs, but cautions that their effects may not be visible for years or decades.

http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,90863,00.html?SKC=news90863

Title: Report gives DHS mixed grades after one year

Source: Government Executive

Date Written: March 5, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

Public policy research organization the Century Foundation has released a report on the first anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) giving the department a C+ grade on its overall performance. The report notes progress in several areas as well as lack of progress in others. The Century Foundation gives DHS a B- for aviation security and intelligence, a C+ for management and immigration controls, and a C for coordination with state and local governments. Donald Kettl, report coauthor and professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin, argues that the progress DHS has made comes in area where the government was already active, while DHS failed in the areas it was designed to address, particularly aviation and cargo security, providing local governments with funding for first responders, and working with Congress to create clear policy goals.

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0304/030504c1.htm

Cybercrime-Hacking

Title: Net closes on betting 'hackmail' gang

Source: Silicon.com

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

Britain's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) reports that it is closing in on an Eastern European gang of hackers who have threatened to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against online betting sites unless they pay a so-called "protection" fee. The 'hackmailers' began their extortion shortly before one of the busiest periods in sports, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the FA Cup semi-finals, the US Masters golf, and the Grand National. The NHTCU believes the gang to be a well organized group rather than amateurs.

http://www.silicon.com/software/security/0,39024655,39118977,00.htm

Politics-Legislation

Title: Security cannot rely on market forces

Source: Australian IT

Date Written: March 9, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

Computer industry officials, speaking at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, say that market forces have failed to provide adequate information technology security, describing 2003 as the worst year ever for cybersecurity, and argue that the problems must be addressed immediately by government. General John Gordon, presidential advisor on Homeland Security, says that industry must do more the protect cyberspace, naming higher quality software in particular. Microsoft's chief Trustworthy Computing strategist Scott Charney and former White House cybersecurity advisor Richard Clarke both described the current state of cybersecurity as "market failure." Mr. Charney further argues that market forces are unsuited to public safety and national security. Many see the question of regulation not as whether it should be done, but how can it be done effectively.

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,8885352^24170^^nbv^24169,00.html

Title: U.S. Urged To Take Lead In issuing Biometric Passports

Source: Information Week

Date Written: March 5, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

The US State Department will begin issuing passports late in 2004 with biometric chips in accordance with an international agreement, meeting a deadline other countries may miss. Maura Harty, assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, testified before a congressional committee that the United States should take the lead in biometric passports to encourage other countries to adopt the technology. Ms. Harty argues that biometrics will lead to more accurate authentication of passports, making it easier to prevent terrorists from entering the country. The US will issue its first biometric passports using facial recognition by October 2004, and all new passports should contain biometric chips by the end of 2005.

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=18300032

Title: Politicians finally set to vote on 'Europe's DMCA'

Source: Silicon.com

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

The European Parliament will soon vote on a long delayed directive regarding intellectual property rights and organized criminal piracy. However, civil liberties groups are concerned the directive is overly broad, and could be used against small, unintentional, non-commercial piracy. The Foundation for Information Policy Research (FIPR) argues that companies could raid the homes of music sharers or freeze the bank accounts of competitors in patent disputes. Ian Brown, director of FIPR, argues that record companies watered down the bill by demanding it cover file-sharers, forcing the removal of criminal sanctions. Comparing the law to the United States' Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Mr. Brown warned that record labels will be able to crack down on casual file-sharers while criminal piracy groups escape criminal penalties.

http://www.silicon.com/management/government/0,39024677,39118962,00.htm

Also - http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=4520113§ion=news

Malware

Title: New worm masquerades as Microsoft update

Source: vnunet.com

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

Antivirus firm F-Secure is warning users about a new variant of the Sober worm, Sober.D, which spreads over e-mail, pretending to be a virus patch from Microsoft. The e-mail arrives in English or German, telling users that the MyDoom worm has been detected on their computers, and they should download the included file attachment. The attachment, when run, looks like a patch loading screen, but harvests e-mail addresses and sends itself with its own SMTP engine. Sober originally appeared in October 2003 in English and German versions, variously disguised as a warning from Microsoft and the Recording Industry Association of America.

http://www.vnunet.com/News/1153314

Also - http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-5171243.html

Title: Lurking "spyware" may be a security weak spot

Source: New Scientist

Date Written: March 4, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle analyzed computer traffic on campus and found that 5.1% of all connected machines, numbering 31,303 in total, have one of four spyware programs running: Gator, Cydoor, SaveNow, and eZula. The researchers note that the numbers may be higher for the general public, who are less tech-savvy than university students; the study also focused on only four spywares, while many more are in circulation. Spywares are used to track user computer habits, often to deliver pop-up advertisements, but sometimes to gather sensitive data, such as credit card numbers and passwords. Some spywares also create security holes; the problem is further compounded by the fact that many download spywares unknowingly, and thus do not realize that a hole needs to be fixed. The researchers expect legislation such as the proposed SPYBLOCK Act to do little to curb the spread of spyware, and recommend that users and enterprises scan their systems for known spywares.

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994745

Title: SCO recovers from MyDoom

Source: ZDNet

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

The website of the SCO Group, sco.com, has returned to the Internet after a month-long distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack launched by the MyDoom worm. The DDoS attack was originally scheduled for February 1 to February 12, 2004, but incorrectly set computer clocks caused it to last until March. The original attack forced SCO to shut down its website and put up a second site. SCO briefly relaunched sco.com on February 27, but it crashed after thirty minutes. The site has remained stable since it went back up on March 5. The SCO Group has earned the ire of many in the software community for its lawsuits claiming ownership of the open source Linux operating system.

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-5171499.html

Title: Viruses 'Winning the War'

Source: EWeek.com

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

After one of the worst virus weeks in history--sixteen new variants of the Bagle, MyDoom, and Netsky worms were released--many security professionals say user education has failed, and vendors should focus on making less vulnerable software. Netsky, Bagle, and MyDoom came as e-mail attachments, and depended on users opening the attachments in order to infect the machine. Bagle.H came as an encrypted .zip file, which virus scanners routinely pass; users then used a password included in the e-mail to unlock the file. Paul Schmehl, a security officer at the University of Texas, says virus writers have always been one step ahead since antivirus products are a reactive technology. Vinny Gullotto, of Network Associates, suggests that e-mail is not designed to be used as it is today, and certain functions should be replaced by other technologies.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1543406,00.asp

Technology

Title: WLAN future lies in 802.11n kit

Source: vnunet.com

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

Some wireless local area network (WLAN) vendors believe the 802.11a standard has outlived its usefulness, and are looking to the future 802.11n to reenergize the WLAN market. 802.11n, an IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) specification expected to be released by 2006, offers 108 megabits per second in the 5 gigahertz spectrum; 802.11a offers only 54 megabits per second. While 802.11a works in the 5 GHz band, avoiding the congestion of 802.11b's and 802.11g's 2.4 GHz band, 802.11g is backwards compatible with b, making it more popular over 802.11a for 54 Mb/s communications. While spectrum congestion in the 2.4 GHz band will drive many toward the 5 GHz band, it will be two years before any 802.11n products are ready, leading some in the industry to believe 802.11a may see increased sales in the near-term.

http://www.vnunet.com/News/1153321

Title: AirMagnet attracts rogue signals

Source: Government Computer News

Date Written: March 8, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

AirMagnet 4.0 is a wireless packet sniffer used to monitor traffic between access points, clients, and stations on an enterprise network. In demonstrations for customers, AirMagnet often finds that a wireless network has between 40% and 100% more clients than expected. An administrator can warwalk their network with AirMagnet and a laptop computer, but marketing vice president Rich Mironov recommends using an AirMagnet sensor. A sensor comes with two antennae, one to monitor up to six access points and another for administration. AirMagnet can monitor 802.11 a, b, and g, produce reports on the state of the network, and interoperate with such network management systems as Computer Associates Unicenter, Hewlett-Packard OpenView, and IBM Tivoli. A system with five or six sensors costs around $8,000; additional sensors cost $750.

http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/25202-1.html



Civil & Consumer Issues

Title: Patent Central to Microsoft Case Invalidated

Source: Reuters

Date Written: March 5, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has invalidated a patent held by the University of California and Eolas Technologies in a case involving Microsoft and its Internet Explorer web browser. The ruling possibly overturns a verdict requiring Microsoft to pay $521 million for infringing on the patent and to modify Internet Explorer in such a way that it would not be able to work with programs such as Flash and Quicktime over the Internet. Eolas has sixty days to appeal the ruling; Eolas lawyer Martin Lueck says invalidating patents is a routine step in patent disputes. Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler notes that the Patent Office has invalidated only 151 of 4 million patents awarded since 1988.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=4509756

Title: Feds: E-mail subpoena ruling hurts law enforcement

Source: Security Focus

Date Written: March 5, 2004

Date Collected: March 8, 2004

A federal appeals court has upheld a 2003 ruling that overly broad subpoenas for e-mail can qualify as a computer intrusion subject to federal anti-hacking laws. The defendant in the case, Alwyn Farey-Jones, issued a subpoena for e-mails of two officials of Integrated Capital Associates (ICA), but instead of requesting only e-mails related to the case, or sent within a certain time period, demanded all the e-mails the two officials ever sent. ICA sued Mr. Farey-Jones under three civil computer protection laws, but lost. On appeal, the Ninth Circuit Court found that the subpoena violated two laws, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the Stored Communications Act (SCA). The Justice Department has objected to the decision, saying it would hinder law enforcement nationwide.

http://www.securityfocus.com/news/8199

To change your delivery preferences please go to:
http://news.ists.dartmouth.edu/cgi-bin/change.cgi
If you wish to stop receiving the 'Security in the News' service please go to:
http://news.ists.dartmouth.edu/substop.html

The Institute for Security Technology Studies (ISTS) accepts no responsibility for any error or omissions in this e-mail. The information presented is a compilation of material from various sources and has not been verified by staff of the ISTS. Therefore, the ISTS cannot be made responsible for the factual accuracy of the material presented. The ISTS is not liable for any loss or damage arising from or in connection with the information contained in this report. It is the responsibility of the user to evaluate the content and usefulness of this information. References in this e-mail to any specific commercial products, processes, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the ISTS. ISTS is a research, not operational, organization, and makes its Security in the News e-mail available as a public service on a best-effort basis. Security in the News will be sent out on most business days, but not all.

Institute for Security Technology Studies
Dartmouth College
45 Lyme Road, Suite 200
Hanover, NH 03755
Tel: (603) 646 0700
E-mail: dailyreport@ists.dartmouth.edu