-----Original Message----- From: NIPC Watch [mailto:nipc.watch@private] Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 7:03 AM To: daily Subject: NIPC Watch Daily Report 04 October 2001 NOTE: Please understand that this is for informational purposes only and does not constitute any verification of the information contained in the report nor does this constitute endorsement by the NIPC of the FBI. Significant Changes and Assessment - No Significant Changes. Private Sector - Microsoft has launched a major security initiative intended to address concerns that its software is prone to security problems and virus attacks. The world's largest software maker is looking to lessen fears over ongoing security problems and recent worm attacks from Nimda and Code Red, which have led experts to warn that the company's Internet Information Server Web server software is not secure enough for customers. On 2 October, Microsoft contacted about 1,000 of its largest customers to outline its program, called the Strategic Technology Protection Program (STPP), and address their concerns about recent worm attacks. STPP is supposed to deliver corporations short?term and long?term tools for combating recent devastating virus attacks and preventing future outbreaks. (Source: CNET News, 3 October) A bug in America Online's AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) program for Windows allows a malicious user to crash other AIM users. The attack, which may have been in use underground for some time, involves sending an AIM user a specially crafted instant message. Upon receipt of the notification of the message, the victim's AIM program will crash and require re?starting. The denial of service bug affects the current edition of AIM for Windows, version 4.7.2480, as well as earlier releases. According to AOL, more than 100 million people have registered to use AIM. Source code to a program called "AIMrape," which exploits the flaw, was posted on the Internet on 2 October. (Source: Newsbytes, 3 October) Intelligence analysis software being developed in the US could be used to predict future terrorist attacks, claims the research company making it. When complete, they say it will be capable of sifting through and analyzing existing databases of information, both public and private, and spotting suspicious patterns of activity. If such a system had been available it might have been capable of predicting the Oklahoma City bombing, and possibly even the World Trade Center disaster, says Anthony Bagdonis of Applied Systems Intelligence. "We're trying to predict these events before they even happen," he says. The software is called Knowledge Aided Retrieval in Activity Context (KARNAC) and uses "profiles" of different categories of terrorist attacks to seek out key components of possible events. (Source: WiredNews 2 October) Government - On 3 October, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved 36?0, to Provide Appropriate Tools Required To Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (PATRIOT) Act of 2001. In a related development, the chairman and ranking Republican of the Senate Judiciary Committee said that they reached an agreement with the administration on their own version of an anti?terrorism package. Acting despite objections from the civil liberties community, House Judiciary Committee members declined to scale back language in the bill that would allow federal law enforcers to apply for wiretap orders under foreign intelligence rules. The committee also left unchanged language that would allow law enforcers to obtain certain Internet records under so?called "trap?and?trace" orders. (Source: Newsbytes, 4 October) While speaking to a group of college presidents from the State University of New York on 1 October, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R?NY), chairman of the House Science Committee, stated that the federal government needs to dedicate more of its research and development (R&D) resources to address problems such as cybersecurity, where research has been "inadequate." Boehlert said that computer security is the most important R&D area pertaining to the 11 September terrorist attacks that the government does not appear to be addressing. He further states that the research should be used to increase the level of security on all computer systems, not just to combat cyber?based terrorist attacks designed to shut down systems or the Internet. White House and congressional leaders tentatively have agreed to increase the fiscal 2002 budget, and according to the Office of Management and Budget Director, resources will be devoted to R&D. The Science Committee has tentatively scheduled a hearing for 10 October to look at the issue of cybersecurity R&D. Another hearing is planned for later in the month to examine research needs to protect physical infrastructure. The committee is already working with the new Office of Homeland Security in this area. (Source: Federal Computer Week, 3 October) International - The birth of a new type of criminal, the cyber criminal, has forced many governments, including Indonesia, to issue new laws and regulations dealing with Internet?related crime. The drafting of the bill on cyber law in Indonesia, however, is still shrouded in controversy as experts argue about the nature of the new law. They argue whether to create an "umbrella" law which would generally cover every aspect of the Internet existence, or "modular" laws that would individually deal with specific crimes. (Source: Infosec News, 3 October) Great Britain's Science minister Lord Sainsbury has said that UK laws on tapping the Web may be tightened in light of the terrorist attacks on the US. But he told a meeting at the Labour Party conference that the concerns of the IT industry would be taken seriously. Sainsbury told the Parliamentary IT Committee that technology policy would be reviewed, including the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, the law requiring users of encryption to surrender keys to police with a warrant, or face a jail sentence. He described the original version of the Act, which included "key escrow" clauses requiring encryption users to provide copies of keys to the authorities, as "rather draconian." Away from security questions, Sainsbury warned IT firms that cutting research spending was a false economy. (Source: Vnunet, 3 October) Military- NTR U.S. SECTOR INFORMATION: Emergency Services - Local, state and federal government officials are calling for increased efforts in the wake of the 11 September terrorist attacks. "Make it become the nationwide subject matter it deserves to be," Oklahoma City Councilwoman Ann Simank told attendees of the National Interoperability Forum in Washington, D.C. Simank recounted the communication problems faced by public safety agencies after the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City bombing where the public safety agencies used two radio channels to communicate with each other regarding the incident, and one channel was left open for other incidents. But "no one could talk to each other," she said. Local telecommunications providers at the time supplied more than 1,000 wireless phones with priority lines to fire, police, EMS, FBI and other emergency personnel. However, she said, many agencies got busy signals and instead used people to shuttle messages back and forth. Harlin McEwen, member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, said the level of interoperability has steadily declined over the years. However, he noted that recent efforts are working to change that trend, including such technological advances as digital communications systems that can carry voice, video and data. He said funding is cited by most as a hindrance to interoperability. Other key challenges include fostering coordination and partnerships, developing technology standards, ensuring communications security, and improving spectrum efficiency and flexibility. (Source: Federal Computer Week, 3 October) Telecommunications - Toll?free phone service in five Midwestern states was interrupted for nearly four hours on 3 October because of an overloaded Ameritech server, a spokeswoman for the phone company said, but service was restored about four hours later. Service was interrupted about 9:15 a.m. EDT in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Illinois, she said. Callers dialing 800 numbers in the region were unable to get through, hearing fast busy signals. Partial service was restored about an hour later, and the company said full service was restored by 1:10 p.m EDT. Although mainly affecting calls passing through the Midwest region, AT&T spokesman Mike Pruyn in Chicago also reported sporadic trouble with toll?free calls placed to and from other areas of the country. (Source: Associated Press, 3 October) Water Supply - Congress is considering having the Interior Department contract with local law enforcement officials to tighten security around its 58 hydroelectric dams and 348 reservoirs that together represent the nation's largest wholesale supplier of water. As part of the government's scramble to protect potential terror targets, the House Resources Committee approved legislation on 3 October to address the limited law enforcement authority at facilities in 17 Western states. Only the Hoover Dam, overseen by the department's Bureau of Reclamation, is now protected by its own force of armed guards. A separate measure also approved by the committee would give the Western Area, Southwestern and Southeastern power administrations authority to pay rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to arrests of people causing damage to federal property under their jurisdiction. "All the dams are on the highest security alert, and they are secure," Interior spokeswoman Joan Moody said 3 October. "What this legislation does is give the bureau authority to officially hire these people, instead of using a patchwork of authorities." Committee staff advised House members in a memo, 3 October, on the bill that the "lack of law enforcement authority ... seriously impedes this agency's ability to provide for the public safety and security of its facilities." (Source: Associated Press, 3 October) Government Services - NTR Banking and Finance - NTR Transportation - NTR Gas and Oil Storage Distribution - NTR Electrical Power - NTR
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