What a wonderful thing to hear from Mike Gurstein again. Welcome home. REH
----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Gurstein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'William B Ward'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 1:00 PM Subject: RE: [Futurework] Responding to a Very Real Security Threat > Hi Bill, > > No, I think we collectively are in the process of putting a lot more > than that at risk (and much much more quickly)... (See below). The virus > also closed down Air Canada (the reservation system and thus most of the > flight network as well as banks, government departments, the local in > (BC Canada) telephone company and others too numerous (and embarrassed) > to mention... > > Evidently, the technology infrastructure of the world is coming to rely > on the kindness (and competence and diligence) of a very large multitude > of all too human, strangers... > > MG > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of William B > Ward > Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 5:53 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [Futurework] Responding to a Very Real Security Threat > > > Michael, > > Not at all. > > I use only Microsoft platforms and always disable Microsoft Outlook and > the Microsoft address book although I realize that this does not solve > all problems. > > The problem is very similar to that of wiping out our biodiversity. > > We are losing our ability to mutate. > > Bill > > ------------------------------------------------- > > >Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 17:30:16 -0400 > >From: Richard Jay Solomon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Subject: Fwd: (Microsoft) Computer virus shuts down CSXT rail system & > part of > >Amtrak > >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >X-Spam-Status: No, > > hits=2.7 required=7.5 tests=DOUBLE_CAPSWORD,MSG_ID_ADDED_BY_MTA_2 > > version=2.31 > >X-Spam-Level: ** > >X-Spam-Filtered-At: eList eXpress <http://www.elistx.com/> > > > > > >>Computer Virus Blamed in Temporary Shutdown of CSX Rail System > >>Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch > >>Publication date: 2003-08-21 > >>Arrival time: 2003-08-20 > >> > >>Aug. 21--A computer virus was blamed for an early-morning shutdown of > >>CSX Corp.'s 23,000-mile-long rail system yesterday. > >> > >>The emergency measure, which caused long delays for rail travelers, > >>drew the attention of federal rail and security authorities. > >> > >>The virus damaged telecommunications systems that transmit data to > >>CSX's signals, forcing the nation's third-largest railroad to grind to > > >>a halt about 1:15 a.m. > >> > >>Amtrak immediately halted 10 trains, including some heading to > >>Richmond. Virginia Railway Express trains also were canceled in the > >>morning. > >> > >>Passenger service was restored after about five hours, but was still > >>running behind schedule late yesterday. > >> > >>CSX spokesman David Hall said the railroad was consulting with a > >>number of federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland > >>Security, "seeking their counsel and advice." > >> > >>No train mishaps were reported on the CSX system, which stretches from > > >>Florida to Canada. > >> > >>Homeland Security spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said, "We are working > >>with CSX to address any vulnerabilities they may have to the recent > >>Internet worm." > >> > >>CSX's computer specialists managed to erect a firewall to protect > >>train dispatching and signal systems. Normal operations were expected > >>today. > >> > >>"The virus has been contained, and we're in the process of doing a > >>thorough inspection of every device that could possibly harbor the > >>virus," Hall said. But some "intermittent slowdowns" in CSX's > >>information technology system remained. > >> > >>CSX officials blamed "a strain of the Blaster" worm for the woes. > >> > >>Asked whether the latest difficulties reveal a vulnerability to > >>computer hackers, CSX spokesman Bob Sullivan said, "We're confronting > >>the same thing that a number of major companies are confronting." > >> > >>CSX is the only major freight carrier to report virus-related > >>operating problems, according to Warren Flatau, spokesman for the > >>Federal Railroad Administration. > >> > >>Flatau, whose agency oversees rail safety, said it was satisfied with > >>the rail company's response to its computer problems "based on the > >>information we have received to date." The agency intends to follow up > > >>with CSX to "determine if additional safeguards are necessary." > >> > >>The shutdown left many morning commuters stuck at Virginia Railway > >>Express stations in Fredericksburg and Manassas. > >> > >>Amtrak spokesman Dan Stessel said 10 trains were halted as far south > >>as Florence, S.C., and north to Pittsburgh. > >> > >>An inbound train from Washington arrived in Richmond more than eight > >>hours late, according to Amtrak district manager Michael Jerew. > >> > >>"It's terrible, terrible," he said in his office at Staples Mill > >>Station. "Most people were so tired they wanted to get off the train > >>and go home." > >> > >>Those passengers probably are entitled to travel vouchers for the > >>value of their tickets, Jerew said. > >> > >>After arriving fours hours late, Ronald Cromedy, of Charleston, S.C., > >>said he was supposed to catch a connecting train to Newport News. > >>Instead, the warehouse manager called for a company car. > >> > >>"If I get on a train, I might never get through," he said. > >> > >>CSX did not notify the VRE about its problems until shortly before > >>passengers arrived for 5 a.m. trains, according to commuter rail > >>spokesman Mark Roeber. > >> > >>He wondered why the railroad took so long to notify the regional rail > >>service. CSX's Sullivan replied that the railroad had hoped it would > >>be up and running before the morning commutes. > >> > >>"As soon as it became clear that it wouldn't, we notified them," he > >>said. > >> > >>----- > >> > >>To see more of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, or to subscribe to the > >>newspaper, go to http://www.timesdispatch.com > >> > >>(c) 2003, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va. Distributed by Knight > >>Ridder/Tribune Business News. > >> > >>CSX, > >> > >>Publication date: 2003-08-21 > > ------------------------------------- > You are subscribed as [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To manage your subscription, go to > http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip > > Archives at: > http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
