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Computer underground Digest Sun Mar 23, 1997 Volume 9 : Issue 23
ISSN 1004-042X
Editor: Jim Thomas (cudigest@sun.soci.niu.edu)
News Editor: Gordon Meyer (gmeyer@sun.soci.niu.edu)
Archivist: Brendan Kehoe
Shadow Master: Stanton McCandlish
Shadow-Archivists: Dan Carosone / Paul Southworth
Ralph Sims / Jyrki Kuoppala
Ian Dickinson
Field Agent Extraordinaire: David Smith
Cu Digest Homepage: http://www.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest
CONTENTS, #9.23 (Sun, Mar 23, 1997)
Subject: Jacking in from the "Man Behind the Curtain" port (fwd)
Subject: "Software Blocking" Bill introduced in Texas
Subject: Vietnam to Censor Net
Subject: Bell Atlantic Calls for Coopertion against Fraud
Subject: Wired News/Reuters: Bill tries to ban Internet gambling
Subject: Internet Gambling Prohibition Act of 1997
Subject: Cu Digest Header Info (unchanged since 13 Dec, 1996)
CuD ADMINISTRATIVE, EDITORIAL, AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION APPEARS IN
THE CONCLUDING FILE AT THE END OF EACH ISSUE.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 08:44:05 EST
From: Martin Kaminer <iguana@MIT.EDU>
Subject: Jacking in from the "Man Behind the Curtain" port (fwd)
Thought you might be interested in this.
Martin Kaminer
---------
Sent from: Brock N. Meeks <brock@well.com>
CyberWire Dispatch // Copyright 1997 // March 1997
Jacking in from the "Man Behind the Curtain" port:
Here... March This
by Lewis Koch
CWD Special Correspondent
Chicago --You better not hack, better not phreak -- The President's
Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection [http://www.pccip.gov]
is coming to town.
This behind closed doors Commission holds the key to America's most
precious civil liberty chastity belt: Privacy. And now it's going on
tour. That right, the Commission is coming to a town near you, a
dog-and-pony road trip whose tour jackets are read: MADE in the NSA.
The Commission's goal during the tour is to hear from the people, to
collect ideas about how to protect the critical infrastructure from...
>from... why the newest threat (ominous music) to our national well being
now that the Sovs are gone, Saddam's waiting for a bullet and the Chicoms
are turning capitalists -- (scary music swells) -- "cyber-terrorists"
attacking our so-called "critical infrastructures" through devious
computer hacking raids. Honest.
And yet, even as members of the Commission smile politely and nod their
graying heads, they are busy trying to figure out (read: Justify) just
how to rewrite U.S. laws which would lift, or at least modify, the decades
old ban that keeps our nation's top spooks from the National Security
Agency from gathering intelligence on you and me.
Which is not to say these kats don't have an ironic sense of humor. One
of their first public debuts will be in San Francisco during next week's
Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference. Of course, if you can make it
to CFP, you might try the Los Angeles, California, Public Works Hearing
Room, City Hall, room 350, third floor, starting at 10 a.m. and if you
can't grok with the freaks in L.A. or the cypherpunks in San Francisco,
perhaps you can make it to Commission's other scheduled stops in Atlanta,
Houston, St. Louis or Boston. (Call now, operators are standing by,
202-828-8869, ask for Liz.)
Between all his strenuous fund raising efforts, President Clinton last
July found the time to form a this Commission to inquire into the question
of whether this nation has protected its precious physical and cyber
innards, namely electric power, gas and oil, telecommunications, banking
and finance, transportation, water supply, emergency services, and of
course, continuity of government services, and...the Internet.
By this time the Government has caught on to the fact that the Internet
is no longer a fun toy for academics and young people but rather but
serious business for people who bustle around or sleep over at the White
House. There is money to be made on the Net, power to be wielded.
There are also some big bucks to be spent, billions maybe, on what will
almost certainly be efforts to "make things safe" from cyberterrorism.
The most important job this Commission, however, will be to direct
attention away from the real issues: who was/is responsible for developing
weak, vulnerable infrastructures in this country in the first place. (Pay
no attention to the men behind the curtain, the men who built the
crumbling infrastructures of Internet Central in the first place.)
Second, while it would be foolish to deny that problems exists with
thieves who use computers and cyberspace, where some child pornography
and a whole hell of a lot of money laundering takes place, cyberspace is
merely a reflection of society, the good and the bad and a lot in between.
What then, do "cyber threats "actually look like? Who might carry them
out. How? Where? And who will lead the effort to gather, collate, fold
and staple all this valuable information? A recognized Internet expert?
Someone with extensive experience in networks and cross-platform
computing? Nope... not for Bill Clinton. Just wouldn't do.
No, sir, what we need to combat terrorism is, well, a goddamn, real life
combat veteran, by gwad! Enter Robert T. March, chairman of this
Infrastructure Protection Task Force. You can call him "Bob" or simply
"The General" will do because, well, that's what he did most of his life
and besides, it has a real nice ring to it.
The executive order creating this Commission states that the chairman be
"from outside the Federal government," which Marsh is, technically, since
he retired from the military in 1989. He still collects his "inside" the
Federal government military retirement pay though. Question is, do you
want someone who might played a part creating the mess, now deciding how
to fix it?
The background information on General Marsh is kinda skimpy, at least for
someone who spent the vast majority of his adult life, rising to the rank
of General. He's 73, a West Point graduate, a resident Alexandria, a
tony Virginia suburb a stone's throw from Washington, D.C.
"His last assignment was serving as the commander of the Air Force
Systems Command, where he directed the research, development, test and
acquisition of aerospace systems for the Air Force," reads his brief bio
on the Web page. So we can at least legitimately guess that he was heavy
into some kinds of high tech R&D and Procurement stuff, pushing paper and
awarding big time contracts.
It seems that following his retirement, Marsh marched right back into
research, development, test and acquisition, only, well, on the other
side.
"He served as the first chairman of Thiokol Corp [http://www.thiokol.com/],"
his bio reads, "as it transitioned from Morton-Thiokol in 1989 to separate
company status."
(Remember the Challenger Disaster in 1986?
[http://www.fas.org/spp/51L.html] Can you spell O-rings? If you click on
the company's Web page history section,
[http://www.thiokol.com/History/History.htm#HistoryOfCompany] this seems
to be a non-event. Could there have been two Morton-Thiokol companies?)
Marsh is a very active senior, serving on the board and as a stockholder
active in a surprising number of other high tech ventures, some or all of
which could conceivably wind up providing all kinds of high priced of
technical goodies to combat bad guys bent on physical and cyber
destruction of our dear, up-until-now unprotected infrastructures.
And according to public information office of the Commission, Marsh
intends on keeping his corporate goodies "but at a reduced compensation"
because he was merely "designated" by the President -- which in White
House jargon means...whatever the hell one wants it to mean -- as long as
you don't have to give up the stock and the options and the director's
fees (Being "designated" means never having to say I'm sorry.).
Marsh also has strong ties to CAE Electronics,
[http://www.cae.ca/cae_electronics_inc/cae_electronics_inc.html] a new
U.S. company which markets high tech stuff. CAE has a Canadian papa,
which, among the high tech goodies it markets are "Air Traffic Management
Systems" and "Engineering and Software Support for Weapons Systems." So,
having someone on the Director's payroll in the States, someone with 35
years of experience in the United States Air Force, makes good, er,
business sense.
Marsh also owns 40,000 shares and makes $8,000.00 a year plus expenses
for his directorship in Teknowledge,
[http://www.teknowledge.com/company/company.html] a Palo Alto high tech
firm parked behind a fence and leafy trees. Teknowledge is very
interested in communications and the Department of Defense. Here is how
the company describes some of what it does:
"Since the DoD and many commercial businesses plan to conduct large-scale
operations over international computer networks similar to the Internet,
much of the Teknowledge's current and future project focus is in providing
network associate systems to make access to knowledge easier, and network
accelerators to make knowledge access over networks faster and more cost
effective."
So, we're taking marketing here, not rocket science; it's easy to see
how Teknowledge might be a "good fit" for any computer infrastructure
"hardening" contracts. Cyberwarriors already have a name for it: "Minimum
Essential Information Infrastructure (MEII) also known as "emergency lanes
on the information highway."
Marsh is also a director of Comverse Government Systems
Corp.[http://www.cis.comverse.com/]. Among the things that Comverse makes
are digital monitoring systems for law enforcement and intelligence
agencies. Oh? Yes. Digital wiretapping, monitoring, as
in...why...yes...of course. The perfect party gift for the FBI in search
of the hackers who put on those nasty things on the Justice Department
Web site.
Marsh also is a trustee of MITRE Corp, which, we see
[http://www.fast.org/irp/contract/m.htm], is into air defense and other
command, control, communications, and intelligence systems used by
Department of Defense clients. The company's ties to the defense
intelligence community go back to the late 1950, with project code names
such as HAVE STARE and STEEL TRAP.
And when the General takes his World Tour back home D.C. will we ever see
it's findings? The Commission isn't bound by the Freedom of Information
Act, so we don't have those thumb screws to turn. However, the Commission
is governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which, in part, is
there to "to open to public scrutiny the manner in which government
agencies obtain advise from private individuals." Of course, this
situation being one of vital national security interest, cyber-terrorists
and all tha t, don't expect a flood of documents and sunshine from the
General.
Apart from the General, there's an interesting internal conflict on the
Commission. You see, though it's headed by a "civilian," it's run by the
FBI, which doesn't get along with the CIA and neither get along with all
that well with the NSA. It's a schizophrenic role for the FBI, to be
sure. Actually, there are people in the FBI who at least know the right
questions to ask, that's a start. The problem is whether their questions
can be heard over the din of furious, clueless answers shouted out by Dir.
Louis Freeh, James Kallestrom and others in their own agency.
So, come on out and give the General a few choice thoughts... and don't
forget to call to reserve your spot in line... government operators are
standing by, ahem, from the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST only, of course.
But hurry, this country is not sold in stores.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 19:46:28 EST
From: Martin Kaminer <iguana@MIT.EDU>
Subject: "Software Blocking" Bill introduced in Texas
Sent from: Joe Corcoran <joe@hosaka.SmallWorks.COM>
The following is a bill being introducted to the Texas State Legislature.
It may be of interest to you.
- -----------------------------------------
Introduce version- Bill Text H.B. No.1300
By Corte
75R4899 SRC-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT
Relating to the provision of certain software to persons who access the
Internet; providing penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 35, Business & Commerce Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter I to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER I. PROVISION OF SOFTWARE TO BLOCK OR SCREEN INTERNET
MATERIAL
Sec. 35.101 DEFINTIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Freeware" means software that is distributed to a person free of
charge regardless of whether use of the software is subject to certain
restrictions.
(2) "Internet" means the largest nonproprietary nonprofit cooperative
public computer network, popularly known as the Internet. (3) "Interactive
computer service" means any information service or system that provides or
enables computer access by multiple users to the Internet.
(4) "Shareware" means copyrighted software in which the copyright owner
sets certain conditions for its use and distribution, including requiring
payment to the copyright owner after a person who has secured a copy of the
software decides to use the software, regardless of whether the payment is
for additional support or functionality for the software.
Sec. 35.102 SOFTWARE THAT RESTRICTS ACCESS TO CERTAIN MATERIAL ON
INTERNET.
(a) A person who provides an interactive computer service to another person
for a fee shall provide free of charge to each subscriber of the service in
this state a fully functional shareware, freeware, or demonstration version
of software that enables the subscriber to automatically block or screen
material on the Internet and that provides cost-free usage for at least 30
days.
(b) A provider is considered to be in compliance with this section if the
provider places, on the provider's first page of text information accessible
to a subscriber, a link to the software descried by Subsection (a).
(c) This section does not apply to an institution of higher education, as
that term is defined by Section 61.003, Education Code that provides
interactive computer Service.
Sec. 35.103 CIVIL PENALTY.
(a) A person who violates Section35.102 is liable to the state for a civil
penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each violation.
(b) The attorney general may institute a suit to recover the civil penalty.
Sec. 35.104 CRIMINAL PENALTY
(a) A person commits an offense if the person violates Section 35.102.
(b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1,1997, except that
a civil or criminal penalty for a violation of Section 35.102, Business &
Commerce Code, as added by this Act, may be imposed only for a violation
that occurs on or after January 1, 1998.
SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the crowded
condition of the calendars in both house create an emergency and an
imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to
be read on three several days in each house be suspended, and this rule is
hereby suspended.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
The Internet Tax Freedom Act
Introduced in the Senate March 13, 1997
By Senator Wyden (for himself and Senator Kerry):
S. 442. A bill to establish a national policy against State
and local government interference with interstate commerce on
the Internet or interactive computer services, and to
exercise Congressional jurisdiction over interstate commerce
by establishing a moratorium on the imposition of exactions
that would interfere with the free flow of commerce via the
Internet, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
See bill, Wyden's statements and section-by-section analysis at:
http://jya.com/s442.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 08:13:38 -0800 (PST)
From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
Subject: Vietnam to Censor Net
Source - fight-censorship@vorlon.mit.edu
[The China model. --Declan]
---------- Forwarded message ----------
03/11/97 - 01:47 PM ET - Click reload often for latest version
Via USA Today Web Site
Vietnam to censor the Net
HANOI, Vietnam - All information coming into Vietnam through the Internet
will be censored and the government announced Tuesday it will control who
has access to online services.
It also will limit the gates through which Internet servers in Vietnam
are linked to the world's largest information network.
The new regulations, to take effect next week, were widely publicized in
state-controlled media.
The controls were issued in a decree by Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, who
said information servers must be based in Vietnam. This will ensure that
information entering and leaving Vietnam goes through a
government-filtered gateway, the Communist Party newspaper, The People,
reported.
The government has been looking for efficient ways to allow Internet
service, while restricting its contents.
By The Associated Press
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 00:47:05 -0500 (EST)
From: "noah@enabled.com" <noah@enabled.com>
Subject: Bell Atlantic Calls for Coopertion against Fraud
-Noah
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date--Mon, 3 Mar 1997 16:43:23 -0500
From--Bell Atlantic <pressrelease@ba.com>
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