From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi all, I sit here in my apartment, and I read, then I write, and I try to make what living I can writing about the things that I care about, so I cover a lot of ground. This following essay is at www.disinfo.com, in the "Orgasmatron" section of the table of contents, followed by 40 or 50 links to different articles, as up to the minute as I can keep the dossier there. Peace, Preston Who Is Attacking The World Wide Web? Is the recent spate of Internet attacks part of a nefarious plot to justify tightening of security, and increasing intrusive government snooping rights? Or is it simply a bored college student, playing the part of the angry anarchist? Is it cyber-terrorists, or black-hat hackers? Who is attacking the World Wide Web? "There has never been a time like this, in which we have the power to create knowledge, and the power to create havoc, and both of those powers rest in the same hands," President Clinton said (January 7th, 2000), speaking of his new US$2 billion federal agency computer security proposal, aimed at tightening control, and strengthening defense against cyber-terrorist attack. In his 'State of the Union Address' (January 27th, 2000) Clinton said he intends to make electronic 'law enforcement' a top priority. Clinton�s plan, the 'National Plan for Information Systems Protection' (Version 1.0), calls for the money being spent on Research and Development for computer security (in 1999 US$461 million), to grow to US$621 million in 2001. Richard Clarke, National Security Counsel�s cyber-terrorism Czar, was quoted by 'MSNBC' (January 9th, 2000) saying the plan was for the entire 'spectrum' of threats, from "the teenager who sort of joyrides in cyberspace, up through industrial espionage, up through fraud and theft, and at the far end of the spectrum, to another country using information warfare against our infrastructure." Mark Rotenberg, from the 'Electronic Privacy Information Center', described as a civil liberties group by 'Wired News' (February 1st, 2000), testified before the Senate Judiciary 'Subcommittee on Technology and Terrorism' (February 1st), that at least part of this plan, FIDNET, will lead to more surveillance and privacy violations by the government. What the government�s own 199-page proposal neglects to mention is any type of 'independent review' or any "mechanisms for public accountability and government oversight," only that there be review by 'appropriate authorities,' and an ambiguous, annual 'public-private colloquium'. Of course, the 'Center for Strategic and International Studies', a US think-tank with close ties to the military, thinks that the plan should go even further. CNN reports the FBI has focused its investigation on computers in California and Oregon as possible sites of origin of attacks on CNN network�s website. Undisclosed businesses are now under investigation, and the University of California (Santa Barbara), Stanford University, and University of Oregon have been named as possible sources (or conduits) for the major attacks, including Yahoo (attacked February 7th, 2000); CNN.com, eBAY, Amazon.com, Buy.com (all attacked February 8th, 2000); E*Trade and Ziff-Davis (attacked February 9th, 2000). Many other smaller sites have been targeted too. No arrests have been made, and only vague suspicions have been voiced as to who might be capable of such an attack. The attacks use a technique called 'distributed denial-of-service', where a site is overloaded with a huge barrage of incoming messages it must cope with, either shutting down, or slowing service at the targeted site. The programs needed to launch such an attack have been available on the Internet for years. On February 10th, 2000, a group calling itself the 'Sovereign Anarchist Internet Militia' took credit for the attacks, stating in an 'APB News' report (February 10th, 2000) that if any governments or corporate entities continue to threaten increased control of the Internet, then "more attacks will occur (not only ones similar to this week, but more severe attacks), by the many underground organizations that share our cause and beliefs." Is it a single lonely kid in a room somewhere, bored college student/anarchists, or some giant corporate/government/law-enforcement scheme to instill panic in the public, to help smooth the implementation of Big Brother�s all-pervasive surveillance plans? Research by Preston Peet ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PERFORM CPR ON YOUR APR! Get a NextCard Visa, in 30 seconds! Get rates as low as 0.0% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR and no hidden fees. Apply NOW! http://click.egroups.com/1/2121/2/_/475667/_/952157477/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------
