[ISN] Deconstructing the Defacer Challenge Hoax/FUD

From: InfoSec News (isnat_private)
Date: Wed Jul 16 2003 - 00:45:48 PDT

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    Forwarded from: security curmudgeon <jerichoat_private>
    
    http://www.attrition.org/security/rants/z/defacement-challenge.html
    
    Deconstructing the Defacer Challenge Hoax/FUD
    Richard Forno, Brian Martin
    Sat Jul 12 17:18:32 EDT 2003
    
    On June 21, 2003, a small web site was created to harnass the competitive
    nature of the defacing community by holding a contest of computer
    vandalism. Several computer security companies took this event as an
    opportunity to whore themselves out to any media outlet that might listen;
    once again blowing an event of questionable origins and dubious
    consequences way out of proportion. Their claims ranged from the event
    being capable of disrupting internet traffic to it causing tens of
    thousands of defacements and posing a serious threat to internet security.
    Yet, rather than teach the public, industry, and policymakers anything
    about security, it taught us another lesson in the power of FUD (Fear,
    Uncertainty, and Doubt) and the scare tactics that security companies will
    use to make a quick buck.
    
    [snip...]
    
    
    
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