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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 04, 2003 That E-Mail from the Network Administrator Could Be a Virus DHS Repeats Software Warning AND Requirement Stymies Web Radio DSpace Offers New Model THAT E-MAIL FROM THE NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR COULD BE A VIRUS A new e-mail virus is circulating the Internet posing as a message from a network administrator. The e-mail, which has a subject line of "your account," spoofs a return address to make recipients believe it is a legitimate e-mail from an administrator; if opened, the attachment attempts to mass e-mail itself. What makes this virus notable, said Sharon Ruckman of Symantec Security Response, is the "social engineering aspect." The message in the e-mail indicates that the "administrator" needs to relay important information about the account. "This e-mail address will be expiring," says the note. "Please read attachment for details." Ruckman noted that such language is likely to fool many users into opening the attachment. ZDNet, 4 August 2003 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-5059087.html DHS REPEATS SOFTWARE WARNING The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reiterated a warning about a security flaw in most Windows operating systems, the first time the agency has issued two warnings concerning the same problem. The first warning came in mid-July, when Microsoft released information about the weakness, which could allow Internet hackers to take over computers and use them for a range of malicious purposes. DHS has urged computer users to install patches for the operating systems affected, but the widespread nature of the threat prompted the agency to issue the second warning. According to a DHS spokesman, as many as 75 percent of the nation's computers connected to the Internet are vulnerable. If exploited, the flaw could lead to damages similar to those from the Code Red virus, estimated at $2 billion. A spokesman from Microsoft said the company believes that most of the largest affected users, including commercial and government systems, have downloaded the patches. NewsFactor Network, 1 August 2003 http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/22017.html AND ***************************************************** REQUIREMENT STYMIES WEB RADIO Even after a settlement was reached earlier this year over royalty rates for small Webcasters, many college radio stations remain uncertain about their ability to stream music over the Internet because of unresolved issues about reporting requirements. During negotiations, the recording industry requested that Webcasters keep detailed records of what songs are played and how many listeners hear them. In addition, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act prevents Webcasters from playing more than two consecutive songs from a single CD, for example, or more than three songs from a CD within a three-hour period. Small Webcasters objected to these requirements, saying that keeping detailed records of songs and listeners would be prohibitive for very small stations. Further, many small stations highlight particular artists, often obscure ones, and play songs for an hour or more from just that artist. Negotiations resulted in an exemption to these rules until the end of 2004, with final resolution to be settled later. In the meantime, many stations remain uncertain about whether they will be able to continue Webcasts after 2004. Chronicle of Higher Education, 8 August 2003 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/weekly/v49/i48/48a02501.htm DSPACE OFFERS NEW MODEL DSpace, the digital repository program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), represents a break from traditional library archives in a number of significant ways. Rather than relying on book or journal publishers to provide content, DSpace makes unpublished texts, lecture notes, and other research available in various formats. Some academics argue that the peer-review process handicaps their ability to get timely information into circulation, and DSpace offers an alternative to traditional avenues of access. DSpace also sets as one of its goals the indefinite preservation of data. One researcher from MIT noted that vast amounts of information have already been lost in the digital age, and the DSpace project aims to eliminate such loss. Officials from MIT estimated that the software for Dspace, which is available free online, has been downloaded 3,400 times and that there are around 100 institutions evaluating DSpace as a tool to archive their faculties' research. New York Times, 3 August 2003 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/edlife/03EDTECH.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 "EQ" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. 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