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TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2002 Bush Signs Law to Increase Cybersecurity Spending New Method Slows Spread of Computer Viruses Sun Solaris Suffers from Buffer Overflow Flaw Amazon to Run CDNow for Bertelsmann AND National University Converts Program to For-Profit Venture Web Site Lets Students Point Out Bias Panelists Discuss Software as Censor BUSH SIGNS LAW TO INCREASE CYBERSECURITY SPENDING President Bush signed the Cyber Security Research and Development Act, allocating more than $900 million to cybersecurity research over the next five years. The funding will support National Science Foundation programs at colleges and universities and National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) grants promoting collaborative research among universities and the private sector. Under the law, NIST will also develop a security checklist for all federally purchased technology. Reuters, 27 November 2002 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47264-2002Nov27.html NEW METHOD SLOWS SPREAD OF COMPUTER VIRUSES A researcher at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in Bristol, U.K., claims to have found a way to slow the spread of computer viruses. Dr. Matthew Williamson said his method works by limiting the number of connections at any one time from an infected computer, thus slowing the spread of the virus and giving technicians time to spot and eradicate it. Williamson's approach is novel in preventing viruses from infecting other computers. He tested the theory on computers infected with the Nimda virus, with the result that the rate of infection slowed dramatically. Moreover, he observed that his method had a minimal impact on normal computer use. Attackers could get around Williamson's method by writing slower viruses, but doing so would give technicians more time to find and eliminate the intruding code. BBC, 26 November 2002 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2511961.stm SUN SOLARIS SUFFERS FROM BUFFER OVERFLOW FLAW According to advisories issued by Internet Security Systems and the Computer Emergency Response Team/Coordination Center, a buffer overflow flaw affects the Sun Microsystems implementation of the X Windows Font Service (XFS) in its Solaris operating system. This weakness exposes the service to attack. Mitigating the risk is the service's use of a high TCP port because such ports are usually blocked by firewalls, lessening the chance of an attack from the public Internet. Sun is working on a software update to address the problem, but experts advise users meanwhile to disable the service if possible and to check their firewall settings. IDG, 26 November 2002 http://www.idg.net/ic_967019_1793_1-1681.html AMAZON TO RUN CDNOW FOR BERTELSMANN Bertelsmann has agreed to have Amazon.com run the Web operations of its CDNow retail site. CDNow has already discontinued its affiliate program and directed members to sign up for Amazon's program instead, so the deal simply underscores Bertelsmann's retreat from online retailing. The company's BeMusic division handles all of Bertelsmann's remaining direct retail operations, specifically its BMG record club and CDNow. A company representative said that BeMusic has no intention of selling CDNow to Amazon. CNET, 26 November 2002 http://news.com.com/2100-1023-975332.html AND ***************************************************** NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CONVERTS PROGRAM TO FOR-PROFIT VENTURE National University converted its distance-learning program, begun in 1996, into the for-profit venture, Spectrum Pacific Learning Company. The move follows the nonprofit private university's purchase of the for-profit College of Oceaneering roughly a year ago. The venture has already established a partnership with Blackboard Inc. to train Blackboard customers in using its Web-based software for online instruction. The university's online enrollment exceeds 3,500 students, who can select from about 200 online courses a month and 16 online degree programs accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. National University has 26 regional centers in 11 California cities and primarily serves working professionals. Chronicle of Higher Education, 26 November 2002 http://chronicle.com/free/2002/11/2002112602t.htm WEB SITE LETS STUDENTS POINT OUT BIAS The Web site NoIndoctrination.org lets students anonymously accuse professors, by name, of political bias. Luann Wright, a designer of science curriculums, started the course two years after her son took a writing course at the University of California at San Diego that she found objectionable. Students using the new site can rate the perceived level of bias in a professor's lectures, reading list, and class discussions, and post anonymous accusations, reportedly to avoid retaliation from professors named. Professors can write rebuttals, although few have taken advantage of the opportunity. Chronicle of Higher Education, 26 November 2002 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/daily/2002/11/2002112605n.htm PANELISTS DISCUSS SOFTWARE AS CENSOR A conference at Columbia University on free expression and the arts focused on new limits on artistic freedom in a technology-heavy culture. Artists in this environment face copyright issues, whether in trying to obtain materials or in having their own rights (including free speech) infringed, and the possibility of censorship of their work by software filters. The National Arts Journalism Program sponsored the conference. Participants debated the pros and cons of such things as the extension of copyright law another 20 years and attempts by the entertainment industry to restrict file sharing. New York Times, 26 November 2002 http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/26/arts/26CENS.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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