Forwarded From: William Knowles <erehwonat_private> Hackers worry Minneapolis Officials http://www.apbonline.com/911/1999/05/21/hackers0521_01.html MINNEAPOLIS (APBNews.com) [5.21.99] - The arrival of several hundred computer hackers this weekend has prompted the city to shut down several vulnerable points in its computer network. While the city's computer guru called the weekend shutdown "an opportunity to remind ourselves of network-based security," the conference organizer called the measures "an overly paranoid precaution." The hackers descended today on the Minneapolis Convention Center for RootFest 99, a three-day discussion of computer security open to "the computer underground, hackers, IT professionals, government agents, feds," according to the conference's Web site. The conference features sessions entitled "Circumventing Internet Censorship," and "Internet Security in Europe: State of Affairs." Speakers include both hackers and computer security consultants City downplays concerns But the city responded to the event by closing off some older dial-up modem lines that a few telecommuting employees and remote city agencies still use to connect into the city's network. Don Saelens, the city's information technology manager, downplayed concerns about possible hacking attempts. The conference, Saelens said, presented "an opportunity to remind ourselves of network-based security." But Saelens did admit that the timing of the system shutdown was not wholly coincidental. "We've been doing a number of upgrades on our own networks, and these were all slated to go out anyway this year," Saelens said. "I have to admit, [this conference] was a reminder of network security that heightened the awareness." Police reportedly shut down In addition, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the city Police Department shut down its computer network over the weekend. Saelens and a police official refused to confirm the report, citing safety concerns. "The only thing the police is saying is we are not releasing anything we are doing for security reasons," said Penny Parrish, a police department spokeswoman. 'Hacker threat'? Chris Lothos, an organizer of RootFest, attacked the city's measures in a dispatch on the RootFest Web site. "It's an overly paranoid precaution taken for the 'hacker threat' that RootFest supposedly poses to the world at large," Lothos wrote. The conference also printed on its Web site a copy of the e-mail memo Saelens sent to city employees alerting them to the security measures. Saelens said he's not sure how the group got a copy of his e-mail. [WK Note: http://www.rootfest.org/park.txt ] -o- Subscribe: mail majordomoat_private with "subscribe isn". Today's ISN Sponsor: Hacker News Network [www.hackernews.com]
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