[wrong key pressed earlier]
__/ [ Da'Punk-A ] on Friday 30 June 2006 15:28 \__
> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>> | The hacker got into a back-up computer server Wednesday morning for
>> | about 40 minutes and launched a virus, which state Treasurer Ron Ross
>> | said was immediately removed.
>> `----
>>
>> http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/06/29/treasurer.hacker.ap/index.html
>
> I read the linked article, and it didn't say what OS the infected
> server used. Maybe you know from somewhere else what software the
> Nebraska child-support agency uses, but it doesn't say there.
Hi DPA,
See the following:
http://www.securitypronews.com/insiderreports/insider/spn-49-20060630NebraskaChildSupportServerCracked.html
http://www.scmagazine.com/uk/news/article/567253/nebraska+child+support+network+hacked/
,----[ Quote ]
| A hacker on Wednesday hijacked a server on the Nebraska's child
| support payment computer system, gaining access to the personal
| information of more than 300,000 individuals and employers who pay
| and receive child support, state Treasurer Ron Ross said today.
|
| The attacker gained administrative control of a "non-critical backup
| server" on the computer system, known as KidCare, for about 40 minutes
| and inserted a virus, which immediately was removed, Ross said in a
| statement. At this point, it does not appear the hacker?s motive was
| to steal sensitive data.
`----
> Anyway: it really does annoy me that I could fall victim to
> identity-theft because of an official government department's failings.
> I don't use Windows, yet I could still suffer due to Microsoft's poor
> security model. The linked article concerns Nebraska, USA. But the UK
> government uses Microsoft too, I believe.
Do you receive SPAM? 80% of it comes from hijacked Windows machines. It also
accounts for the majority of the global traffic of E-mail, which means that,
as a customer, you pay your ISP and host twice as much for hardware,
filtering facilities, and support.
My sites came under DDOS attacks several times in the past. These attacks
sometimes lasted for weeks, which cost in bandwidth, QoS, and many long
hours of frustration. All user-agents in the logs could confirm that these
were Windows zombies. So despite the fact that I never set my hands on
Microsoft products, I am a direct sufferer. Most people are.
> In my opinion, security should be a major factor when government
> departments are deciding which computer systems to use. Security is
> much more important than cost, or ease of use, or whatever the issue is
> that makes these agencies choose Microsoft. How can security /not/ be
> a government's major priority? Scares the hell out of me.
This needs to be addressed through education. Disinformation is the root of
all evils in this context.
Best wishes,
Roy
--
Roy S. Schestowitz | Bring home the world cup, England!
http://Schestowitz.com | Open Prospects ¦ PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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