Web industry forms anti-hacker group Wednesday, 23 February 2000 1:34 (ET) Web industry forms anti-hacker group RESTON, Va., Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The recent spate of hacker attacks on Internet sites led several industry leaders to form a group that would help identify problems and offer solutions. The Alliance for Internet Security drew several Internet service providers and industry professionals to study the so-called Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks that severely limited access to some of the most popular sites on the World Wide Web. Alliance chairman Peter Tippett, in a statement released Tuesday, said: "The members of the Alliance are coming forward to be part of the solutions and demonstrate their commitment to do the right thing on behalf of all the Internet; DDoS attacks are a 'public-health' problem. The first steps are for each of us to clean up our own back yards -- ensuring that our systems cannot be used as attack agents." Among the steps the group wants other Internet service providers to take is diligence in Internet security issues and to assure that fireworks and routers contain filtering, where appropriate. The Alliance also wants Internet-based organizations and companies to pledge to internally battle the hacker attacks. Companies that make such a promise and join the Alliance for Internet Security will be allowed to display a special gold-ribbon logo on their Web sites. The companies that comprise the Alliance for Internet Security are: Cable One; Cable & Wireless; Digex; GlobalCenter; Global Crossing; GTE Internetworking; ICSA.net; Level(3); Road Runner and Sprint. Further information on the program can be found on the Internet at www.icsa.net .