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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2003 Open Positions at Department of Homeland Security Norwegian Teen Faces Second Copyright Trial China Gets Look at Microsoft Source Code AND Cornell Sends E-Mail in Error Congress Urges Punishment for Illegal File Sharing Control of Los Alamos Lab Debated OPEN POSITIONS AT DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Legislation that created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) calls for the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) to move to DHS. The NIPC, as well as several other government agencies, will form a new Directorate for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection (IAIP). Many of the staff of the NIPC, which investigates computer crimes, are staying at the FBI, however, leaving the IAIP with a lot of empty seats, including Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, the head of the new agency. President Bush's first choice to lead the agency, James Clapper, turned down the position, possibly in response to Bush's announcement that a new terrorist threat center in the CIA would be created. The DHS is also trying to fill the positions Assistant Secretary for Information Analysis and Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection. Internet News, 28 February 2003 http://dc.internet.com/news/article.php/1832371 NORWEGIAN TEEN FACES SECOND COPYRIGHT TRIAL Jon Johansen of Norway was acquitted last month on charges of writing a computer program that allowed copying of DVDs. The court ruled that Johansen violated no laws because he used the program to make copies of movies that were legally purchased. An appeals court has decided to grant a new trial on behalf of the Motion Picture Association of America, which had filed the original complaint against Johansen. Johansen's attorney, Halvor Manshaus, said the appeal was not unexpected and that he and his client are "confident with regard to the final outcome," given that they won the case the first time it went to trial. Rune Floisbonn, acting chief of the Economic Crime Unit's data department, said, "This case is about important principles, and we are very pleased that it will be tried again." The Motion Picture Association of America estimates that the film industry loses $3 billion each year to piracy. Washington Post, 28 February 2003 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16015-2003Feb28.html CHINA GETS LOOK AT MICROSOFT SOURCE CODE China's Information Technology Security Certification Center will participate in the Government Security Program (GSP), Microsoft's initiative to share its Windows source code with international governments to allay fears about the operating system's security. During a two-day visit, Bill Gates met with President Jiang Zemin and other Chinese dignitaries. Microsoft's promise to reveal any or all of the Windows source code successfully wooed the Chinese government and military, who were leaning towards open-source Linux as a more secure option. Microsoft is promoting GSP to dozens of nations and organizations and has announced agreements with Russia, NATO, and the United Kingdom. CNET, 28 February 2003 http://news.com.com/2100-1007-990526.html AND ***************************************************** CORNELL SENDS E-MAIL IN ERROR This week Cornell University inadvertently sent acceptance e-mails to 550 high school seniors whose applications to the university had been rejected. Within a few hours of the mistake, Cornell sent apology messages to those who should not have received the e-mail, expressing its regret at "and confusion and distress" caused by the mistake and admitting the school had failed to treat all applicants "with sensitivity and respect." The number of students affected by the e-mail mishap was significantly higher than the usual handful of notification mistakes made through regular mail. Angela Griffin-Jones, dean of undergraduate admissions at Cornell, said in her office's rush to send e-mail acceptances--which were running late--to the genuinely accepted, a staff member downloaded the wrong set of names. As a result, the acceptance e-mail went to approximately 1,700 students, fewer than 1,200 of whom were actually accepted. New York Times, 28 February 2003 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/28/education/28CORN.html CONGRESS URGES PUNISHMENT FOR ILLEGAL FILE SHARING Members of the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, part of the House Judiciary Committee, this week questioned several university officials on what the higher education community is doing to prevent illegal sharing of files. Graham B. Spanier, president of Penn State at University Park; Robyn R. Render, CIO of the North Carolina system; and John Hale, director of the Center for Information Security at Tulsa faced tough questions from lawmakers concerning the continued incidence of piracy on college campuses. Rep. Hilary B. Rosen, CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, which sends roughly 2,500 copyright-violation notices per month to colleges and universities, said prosecuting individual students is a possibility. Chronicle of Higher Education, 27 February 2003 http://chronicle.com/free/2003/02/2003022701t.htm CONTROL OF LOS ALAMOS LAB DEBATED Amid allegations of theft and cover-ups, Bruce Darling, senior vice president of the University of California, this week presented the case for his institution's retaining control of the Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. Darling spoke to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is looking into the charges. While admitting that the university's oversight of the labs is marked by some mistakes, Darling outlined a series of steps the institution is taking to correct the problems, including firing or reassigning several senior managers and re-hiring at least one investigator who had been fired last fall for pursuing charges of fraud. The university has had a 60-year relationship with the laboratories. A decision about the future management of the two labs is expected by April 30 from Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. San Jose Mercury News, 26 February 2003 http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/5266460.htm ***************************************************** 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 "EQ" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. 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