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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2002 Tool Can Help Hackers or Network Operators Putting Limits on Carnivore FCC Approves Services over Satellite Cisco Announces Faster Wireless AND Bush Administration Limits Study for Foreign Students New Rules Disappoint Satellite Researchers Web Services Standards Group Adds Members TOOL CAN HELP HACKERS OR NETWORK OPERATORS A new tool called Fragroute shows vulnerabilities in a network's intrusion-detection systems and firewalls, helping network administrators identify weaknesses but also showing those same security holes to hackers. The tool uses a variety of techniques to disguise malicious code and send attacks that will not be detected. Marti Roesch, president of the company that makes the popular intrusion-detection system Snort, said almost all of the problems Fragroute exposed in his company's software have been fixed, and the rest will be fixed next week. Officials from Internet Security Systems, maker of RealSecure, said its product was not fooled by Fragroute. Still, any security holes detected by Fragroute in a network's defenses can be exploited by hackers. CNET, 19 April 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1001-887065.html PUTTING LIMITS ON CARNIVORE Alex Iliev, a graduate student at Dartmouth College, this week presented a proposal to the Privacy Enhancing Technologies workshop in which he outlines a method to keep electronic monitoring within defined limits. Electronic surveillance, including the FBI's Carnivore application, typically collects all data flowing through a network, though legal warrants usually only allow it to look at some of what is collected. Iliev's approach would involve collecting and encrypting the traffic on a network and placing it in a "vault." When law enforcement or other officials request data, the vault would only release the appropriate information, eliminating the possibility of a "fishing expedition." The program Iliev developed uses an IBM 4758 cryptographic coprocessor, considered extremely secure and meeting the highest standard for security of the U.S. government. Wired News, 18 April 2002 http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,51917,00.html FCC APPROVES SERVICES OVER SATELLITE The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted seven companies licenses to offer services, including broadband Internet access, over satellites. The companies are permitted to offer consumer services using Ku-band frequencies (10.7GHz through 14.5GHz). A sharing arrangement was also approved that will prevent "in-line interference events" from disrupting transmissions when multiple satellites attempt to transmit over the same frequency in a direct line. FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy said the new service will be a boon for the broadband market, for innovation in products, and for lower consumer prices. InfoWorld, 19 April 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_849897_1794_9-10000.html CISCO ANNOUNCES FASTER WIRELESS Cisco Systems, Inc. announced a new line of wireless hardware that can transmit data at up to 54 megabits per second, compared to 11 megabits per second for its older products. The Aironet 1200 access points and wireless cards use 802.11 technology, and Cisco said they will be functional with older models. The products can be upgraded with new features and future increases in security. Wall Street Journal, 17 April 2002 (sub. req'd) http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1019028170922282080,00.html AND ***************************************************** BUSH ADMINISTRATION LIMITS STUDY FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS University officials have expressed deep concern over the Bush Administration's policies for foreign students. Access to student visas was recently tightened in an effort to combat terrorism, and a presidential directive issued in October suggested placing limits on the fields of study that international students are allowed to pursue. Representatives from colleges and universities argued that security screening should take place before students arrive in the United States. They said the basic character of higher education would be compromised if certain information were held off limits for some students. A spokesman for the Office of Homeland Security confirmed that the government would indeed monitor the courses of study of foreign students, looking for suspicious activity, and that the group overseeing the regulations was already reviewing draft recommendations. New York Times, 18 April 2002 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/education/18STUD.html NEW RULES DISAPPOINT SATELLITE RESEARCHERS Despite easing of some regulations for sharing data about satellite projects, university researchers were largely disappointed with the continued restrictions in revised rules for satellite-based research. The new rules, issued by the State Department, still require researchers to obtain State Department approval before sharing certain data with academic and commercial organizations in many countries. U.S. researchers said the rules effectively exclude people in those countries from participating in satellite projects. The State Department defended the rules, saying they are a security precaution but do not impede legitimate research and sharing of data. Chronicle of Higher Education, 18 April 2002 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/daily/2002/04/2002041801n.htm WEB SERVICES STANDARDS GROUP ADDS MEMBERS The Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I) announced that its membership has roughly doubled, to more than 100 companies. New members include AT&T, Cicsco, and Proctor & Gamble. Sun Microsystems, which is not yet a member, had requested "founding member" status but was turned down by the WS-I Board. Sun has said it will join as a less influential "community member" when it receives formal notification of the Board's decision. The WS-I, created this year by Microsoft and IBM, aims to promote Web services and ensure that technologies from different vendors work together. At its initial meeting this week, the WS-I identified four specifications (XML, SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI) that the organization hopes to standardize to foster interoperability. CNET, 18 April 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1001-885967.html ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For past issues of Edupage or information about translations of Edupage into other languages, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS EDUCAUSE publishes periodicals, including "EDUCAUSE Quarterly" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. 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