Washington post story found on MSNBC and cnet

Bush signed a directive last July ordering the government to develop, for the first time, rules for deciding when and how the United States would penetrate and disrupt foreign computer systems...

posted by js at 16:20

I have a new article online at Security Focus on IDS techniques.

At the heart of intrusion detection systems lies the analysis engine. It reviews each packet, determines if it is malicious, and logs an alert if necessary – the core tasks of an IDS. Two different IDS techniques, each favored by separate and loyal camps, have emerged as the preferred engine behind the software. Despite the copious marketing material and fiery online debates, each method has distinct strengths and weaknesses. In this article, we'll examine and compare the two different techniques: signature analysis and protocol analysis.

posted by mt at 12:19

It's pretty funny though...

If someone expressed interest in AONN, Taylor would send them a 122-page PDF file containing buzzwords such as "computer intrusion teams, "beyond state-of-the-art super computing... next level broad-range security systems, cyber warfighting, highly advanced satellite technologies and nano-technologies." It described AONN as a "joint-counterstrike force (that) possesses such a culmination of some of the world's brightest and most brilliant intellect, intelligentsia, academicians and minds, it can quite easily be said that the AONN DSI concept by itself is worth multibillions."

posted by mt at 11:40

$7 million netted in bogus tax refunds.

In some cases, the conspirators provided the preparer with names and identifying information for people to be listed as taxpayers or their dependents, many of whom were dead or who otherwise did not file tax returns, the complaint said.

posted by mt at 09:14

Link.

The "SQL Slammer" computer worm that brought much of the internet to a halt last week spread worldwide in 10 minutes, making it the fastest such infection seen, security experts said yesterday.

In its early stages the number of machines infected by the worm was doubling in size every 8.5 seconds, according to a team led by David Moore of the University of California at San Diego.

"At its peak, achieved approximately three minutes after it was released, the worm scanned 55 million internet hosts per second. It infected at least 75,000 victims, and probably considerably more," said a member of the team.

posted by mt at 09:55

An interesting look at how Google has reshaped our privacy and history.

But somewhere along the path toward changing our daily lives, Google changed our concept of time as well. It has helped make our past - or oddly refracted shards of it - present and permanent. That's a radical notion for a medium usually defined by its ability to constantly update itself.

posted by mt at 09:07

Business Week on the lessons learned.

If that rose-tinted perspective proves false, then history may well regard Slammer Saturday as a grim glimpse of the perilous future that awaits network security, an era when infections spread like wildfire, systems crash, and global commerce is hamstrung. Should that future come to pass, the road to a remedy will undoubtedly be a long, hard, uphill slog.

posted by mt at 12:34

An external, firewire drive with hardware based encryption.


posted by mt at 12:17