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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2002 Government Looks for Hidden Links among Data VeriSign Makes Changes to Protect Root Servers FCC Widens Spectrum for 3G AND Letter Urges Universities Not to Monitor File Sharing Internet2 Demonstrates Streaming without Interruptions Government Contract Supports Secure Software Development GOVERNMENT LOOKS FOR HIDDEN LINKS AMONG DATA The U.S. Office of Homeland Security is looking for technology tools that could identify "nonobvious relationships" among data held in various government agencies and even in the private sector, without sacrificing privacy or violating laws. The goal is to uncover leads for potential investigations into threats to national security. Researchers from government, industry, and academia are involved in the project. The technology would not examine data but would look at descriptions of the kind of data held in each location. After possible connections are identified, the data would be subject to further analysis. Steve Cooper of the Office of Homeland Security said such a process would avoid having to reveal large amounts of classified data and would address concerns over control of information. Federal Computer Week, 6 November 2002 http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2002/1104/web-home-11-06-02.asp VERISIGN MAKES CHANGES TO PROTECT ROOT SERVERS VeriSign, which operates 2 of the Internet's 13 root servers, has taken steps to protect its servers from potential attacks. According to a spokesperson, VeriSign moved one of its two servers to a separate, undisclosed location and put it on a different part of its network. The move is intended to ensure that even if one of the servers is successfully attacked, the other will continue to function. VeriSign had originally requested permission for the change from the Commerce Department this summer; approval was granted on Monday. The potential problem of having both servers on the same part of the network was highlighted in January 2001 when Microsoft, which had a similar architecture, was attacked and for two days was unable to keep its main Web sites up. Washington Post, 6 November 2002 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18796-2002Nov6.html FCC WIDENS SPECTRUM FOR 3G This week the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added 90 megahertz of spectrum for so-called 3G, or third-generation, wireless applications. The spectrum is currently occupied by the Department of Defense and is expected to be auctioned in 2004. FCC Chairman Michael Powell touted the move as "a major step in creating an environment hospitable to the introduction of new and innovative products and services" but said increased spectrum by itself would not provide a "cure for today's financially ailing wireless industry." Internet News, 7 November 2002 http://www.internetnews.com/wireless/article.php/1496881 AND ***************************************************** LETTER URGES UNIVERSITIES NOT TO MONITOR FILE SHARING In response to a recent letter from members of the entertainment industry to colleges and universities, encouraging them to use technological means to monitor and limit file sharing on their networks, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has sent a letter urging institutions not to engage in such monitoring. The EPIC letter argues that monitoring could violate student privacy, expose the institution to liabilities under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and constrain the "marketplace of ideas" that the schools embody. A representative from EPIC said the group thought the entertainment industry was "reasonable" in asking schools to try to limit piracy of copyrighted material but had gone too far in supporting monitoring. A response issued by the Recording Industry Association of America said universities do not need to be lectured about "academic freedom ... or [the] privacy rights of their students." Chronicle of Higher Education, 8 November 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/11/2002110802t.htm INTERNET2 DEMONSTRATES STREAMING WITHOUT INTERRUPTIONS Streaming audio and video are typically full of stops and starts, a result of missing data packets. A recent demonstration of a new Internet2 streaming technology at the University of Southern California showed how "selective retransmission" can solve the problem of jerky streaming media. Rather than waiting for missing packets or requesting them again, computers using selective retransmission only ask for the packets that are missing, greatly smoothing out the process of displaying streaming content. Because the Internet2 network supports speeds of 70 Mbps, the video at the demo was shown on a 30-by-17-foot screen rather than the usually very small screen typically used for streamed video. The demo streamed a symphony performance, shown on the large screen and heard through a 12-speaker sound system, without any breakup. Wired News, 8 November 2002 http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,56110,00.html GOVERNMENT CONTRACT SUPPORTS SECURE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT As part of the Software Protection Initiative (SPI), the Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded a $1.8 million contract to Network Associates to conduct several studies into ways of developing highly secure software. Among the projects included in the contract is one that will focus on developing software that is protected from reverse-engineering. Although the goal of the SPI is to develop technologies for government use, analysts said the results could make their way into commercial software and the private sector. Charles Kolodgy of IDC said restricting reverse-engineering is a double-edged sword because many software vulnerabilities are discovered by consumer groups that reverse-engineer applications. ComputerWorld, 7 November 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_962569_1794_9-10000.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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