CRIME NIPC Daily Report 9 May 02

From: George Heuston (GeorgeH@private)
Date: Thu May 09 2002 - 09:28:43 PDT

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    Some MSN Messenger versions vulnerable to hackers. Users of the latest 
    versions of Microsoft's popular MSN Messenger program are vulnerable to 
    computer hackers, warned Microsoft. The vulnerability was discovered as 
    Microsoft undergoes an intensive company-wide campaign to stamp out 
    security problems. Affected software includes Microsoft MSN Chat 
    Control, Microsoft MSN Messenger versions 4.5 and 4.6, and Microsoft 
    Exchange Instant Messenger 4.5 and 4.6. The company was aware of no user 
    who had been hacked via the flaw, Microsoft Security Program Managers 
    have cautioned users not to be complacent about downloading the 
    upgrades. MSN Messenger has some 46 million users, but the chat control 
    is automatically included only in the two latest versions, 4.5 and 4.6, 
    of the software. This newest vulnerability was caused by what is known 
    as a "buffer overflow problem." Hackers could use the problem to run 
    their own malicious commands in a user's computer. (Associated Press, 8 
    May 02)
    
    Cute trojan could take over your PC. A Trojan horse that might let an 
    outsider take over someone's computer is circulating by e-mail, two 
    anti-virus companies warned. According to Symantec and McAfee, the 
    e-mail in question has the subject line: "Thoughts..." with a message 
    that reads, "I just found this program, and, I don't know why...but it 
    reminded me of you. Check it out." If the user is tricked into 
    double-clicking the attachment, which carries the file name "cute.exe," 
    the Trojan is installed on their PC. Craig Schmugar, a virus researcher 
    for McAfee's said the primary aim of this "back door" Trojan is to give 
    the attacker a way to take control of the user's system. (Newsbytes, 7 May)
    
    Antitrust actions threaten security. Computers would be more vulnerable 
    to attack under antitrust sanctions sought by nine states, said 
    Microsoft, claiming to the court that the states' proposals would open 
    sensitive technical information to computer hackers trying to break into 
    corporate and government networks or unleash destructive viruses on the 
    Internet. MS seeks a security carve out that would allow them to 
    withhold some information from competitors. But the states say the 
    security exemption is a loophole for MS and it needs to tell more of the 
    inner workings of its Windows operating system. (Reuters, 7 May)
    
    Air marshals train for terror threats. At a time when Congress is 
    questioning both the funding and the accomplishments of the new 
    Transportation Security Administration (TSA), officials opened up their 
    air marshal training center and their airline security research facility 
    to reporters on 7 May. Both are located at the William J. Hughes 
    Technical Center at Atlantic City International Airport. Some lawmakers 
    have said the security agency has not given a full accounting of how it 
    plans to use the $4 billion in the supplemental spending bill. The 
    proposed House bill limits the TSA to 45,000 employees, rather than the 
    67,000 the agency has said it wants. "We're getting near a point when we 
    need to show some tangible advancements in terms of airline security," 
    said Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., a member of the House Appropriations 
    transportation subcommittee. "We need to start seeing some results that 
    are equal to the huge investment that we're making." (Associated Press, 
    8 May)
    
    House to consider nuclear waste plan. President Bush's decision to send 
    the country's nuclear waste to Nevada is getting its first test before 
    Congress, where the state is facing heavy odds in its battle against the 
    radioactive dump. Supporters of the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear 
    waste facility predicted broad support for the president in a House vote 
    scheduled for 8 May. Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, said he 
    expects both Republicans and Democrats to vote to reject a Nevada 
    protest of Bush's decision to build a nuclear disposal facility at Yucca 
    Mountain, a ridge of volcanic rock 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. "The 
    administration is on record as being willing to reopen the reprocessing 
    issue," Card told members of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, 
    an advisory panel created by Congress, at a meeting on 7 May. Addressing 
    another contentious issue, Card said he is confident that a 
    transportation plan for the waste will be developed that will be 
    satisfactory to the states through which the shipments will pass. Energy 
    Department officials said the department is leaning heavily toward rail 
    transport, although completion of a final transportation plan is not 
    expected until next year. (Associated Press, 8 May)
    
    WWU Comment: This issue has been a seriously controversial topic for all 
    States and their constituents that stand firm on the 
    "Not-in-my-back-yard" posture. If this bill finally passes, the rifts 
    created will be felt by both public and private sector alike. Domestic 
    Environmentalist/Terrorist Groups will pursue ongoing campaigns of civil 
    disobedience and disorder in effort to disrupt the transportation of 
    such material to its final destination. Demonstrations and 'direct 
    actions' will sharply increase and require an high level of law 
    enforcement vigilance.
    



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