http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060616/NEWS/606160329/1006 By JENNIFER BROOKS News Journal Washington Bureau 06/16/2006 WASHINGTON -- For a governor with a secret hot line to the Department of Homeland Security, the only thing worse than hearing that phone ring, is answering the call and hearing: "Hello! Are you satisfied with your long-distance service provider?" "Every time that phone rings, it's telemarketers," grumbled Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, whose secret homeland defense hot line sits in her office, ringing occasionally with offers of time share condominiums and great deals on long distance. "I wonder about the security of that line," said Minner, noting that other governors have reported similarly unwelcome intrusions on the hot line phones that are supposed to ring only in the event of a national catastrophe. Minner, who sits on a homeland security advisory panel of the National Governors' Association, mentioned the annoying phone calls Thursday on a visit to Washington. The problem, Minner said, seems to be the random-number generators that telemarketers use. So what's a governor to do? According to Minner's office, the Department of Homeland Security placed all the hot line numbers on the federal government's Do Not Call Registry, which is supposed to ward off telemarketers. The Department of Homeland Security did not return calls for comment. Copyright © 2006, The News Journal. _________________________________ Attend the Black Hat Briefings and Training, Las Vegas July 29 - August 3 2,500+ international security experts from 40 nations, 10 tracks, no vendor pitches. www.blackhat.com
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