September 2001 - cypherpunks-legacy

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by specialoffers＠freesamples.com 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

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Schneier on Stego, Dead Drops, bin Laden
by Subcommander Bob 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

[Reformatted for legibility. Please take the few moments required to clean up submitted text, wrapping and aligning text as necessary. KMSelf] Monday September 24 01:15 PM EDT Terrorists and steganography By Bruce Schneier, Special to ZDNet Security expert Bruce Schneier writes that terrorist groups may be using steganography to communicate, allowing communication without any group knowing the identity of the other. COMMENTARY--Guess what? Osama Bin Ladin uses steganography. According to nameless "U.S. officials and experts" and "U.S. and foreign officials," terrorist groups are "hiding maps and photographs of terrorist targets and posting instructions for terrorist activities on sports chat rooms, pornographic bulletin boards and other Web sites." Simply put, steganography is the science of hiding messages in messages. Typically, a message (either plaintext or, more cleverly, ciphertext) is hidden in the low-order bits of a digital photograph. To the uninitiated observer, it's just a picture. But to the sender and receiver, there's a message hiding in there. It doesn't surprise me that terrorists are using this trick. The very aspects of steganography that make it unsuitable for normal corporate use make it ideally suited for terrorist use. Most importantly, it can be used in an electronic dead drop. If you read the FBI (news - web sites) affidavit against (accused spy) Robert Hanssen (news - web sites), you learn how Hanssen communicated with his Russian handlers. They never met, but would leave messages, money and documents for one another in plastic bags under a bridge. Hanssen's handler would leave a signal in a public place--a chalk mark on a mailbox--to indicate a waiting package. Hanssen would later collect the package. That's called a 'dead drop'. It has many advantages over a face-to-face meeting. One, the two parties are never seen together. Two, the two parties don't have to coordinate a rendezvous. Three, and most importantly, one party doesn't even have to know who the other one is (a definite advantage if one of them is arrested). Dead drops can be used to facilitate completely anonymous, asynchronous communications. Using steganography to embed a message in a pornographic image and posting it to a Usenet newsgroup is the cyberspace equivalent of a dead drop. To everyone else, it's just a picture. But to the receiver, there's a message in there waiting to be extracted. To make it work in practice, the terrorists would need to set up some sort of code. Just as Hanssen knew to collect his package when he saw the chalk mark, a virtual terrorist will need to know to look for his message. (He can't be expected to search every picture.) There are lots of ways to communicate a signal: timestamp on the message, an uncommon word in the subject line, etc. Use your imagination here--the possibilities are limitless. The effect is that the sender can transmit a message without ever communicating directly with the receiver. There is no e-mail between them, no remote logins, no instant messages. All that exists is a picture posted to a public forum, and then downloaded by anyone sufficiently enticed by the subject line (both third parties and the intended receiver of the secret message). So, what's a counter-espionage agency to do? There are the standard ways of finding steganographic messages, some of which I have outlined in a previous essay. If Bin Laden is using pornographic images to embed his secret messages, it is unlikely these pictures are being taken in Afghanistan (news - web sites). They're probably downloaded from the Web. If the NSA can keep a database of images (wouldn't that be something?), then they can find ones with subtle changes in the low-order bits. If Bin Laden uses the same image to transmit multiple messages, the NSA could notice that. Otherwise, there's probably nothing the NSA can do. Dead drops, both real and virtual, can't be prevented. Why can't businesses use this? The primary reason is that legitimate businesses don't need dead drops. I remember one company talk about a corporation embedding a steganographic message to its salespeople in a photo on the corporate Web page. Why not just send an encrypted e-mail? Because someone might notice the e-mail and know that the salespeople all got an encrypted message. So send a message every day: a real message when you need to, and a dummy message otherwise. This is a traffic analysis problem, and there are other techniques to solve it. Steganography just doesn't apply here. Steganography is good way for terrorist cells to communicate, allowing communication without any group knowing the identity of the other. There are other ways to build a dead drop in cyberspace. For example, a spy can sign up for a free, anonymous e-mail account. And Bin Laden probably uses those, too. Bruce Schneier is CTO of Counterpane Internet Security, Inc. He publishes a free monthly security newsletter. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/zd/20010924/tc/terrorists_and_steganography_1.…

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Mind control: U.S. Measures May Incite Domestic Terror
by citizenQ 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

It's domestic terrorist extremist right wing supremecist group etc. who will be experience "fear and anger" over the new laws. Not "normal" people. Does this mean anyone fearing and angered by the proposed new laws will be a terrorist? Auto - I hope you get a message back to your ranks that we're not going to stand for it and we're not all extremist right wing supremecist terrorists. >These new measures may be necessary components to protect the United >States from further attacks by foreign terrorists. But they will also likely fuel the >fears and anger of domestic groups such as the Michigan Militia or the North >American Volunteer Militia. In time, as the U.S. security apparatus looks for >threats coming from outside the country, the United States may again face >attacks from within.

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VIRUS ALERT - Re: long may you live
by cypherpunks＠privacyexposed.mailshell.com 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

!!VIRUS ALERT!! W32.Sircam.Worm@mm virus was in this message DO NOT OPEN Attachment. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alex Houghton" Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 1:32 PM Subject: CDR: long may you live Hi! How are you? I send you this file in order to have your advice See you later. Thanks

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Getting Bush\'s Ear: Panel Releases Guidelines For Battling Cyberterrorism
by auto301094＠hushmail.com 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- National Journal's Technology Daily September 24, 2001 CYBER TERRORISM: Panel Releases Guidelines For Battling Cyber Terrorism A congressionally-mandated panel that has the ear of the Bush administration and key lawmakers detailed its anti-terrorism recommendations on Monday, offering its thoughts on cyber security, the use of the military in response to terrorist threats, border security, and the national health and medical networks. The Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction expedited the release of its third and final report -- originally scheduled for December -- after the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks in the United States. It expects to forward its recommendations to the White House and Capitol Hill within a "couple of weeks." In an effort to combat cyber terrorism, the panel -- known as the Gilmore Commission after its chairman, Virginia Gov. James Gilmore -- recommended that any entity advising the president have "broad representation" from state and local governments and private industries that depend on information security. The panel noted that the advisory group proposed by the Bush administration to examine critical infrastructure includes only senior national security officials. The Gilmore Commission also recommended the establishment of a government-funded group representing all stakeholders -- including law enforcement and private business -- to provide cyber-security alerts and functions. The panel found "major shortcomings" in the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center, RAND project director Michael Wermuth said at the panel's meeting. The commission also suggested that Congress and the executive branch hold a summit to address what changes in current law will be necessary to address cyber-security issues. A "cyber court" also should be created for U.S. attorneys, according to the final report. "This is the best way to be effective while at the same time protect civil rights," Wermuth said, stressing that the panel repeatedly emphasized that national security should not come at the expense of civil rights. The group recommended the creation of a federally funded consortium for cyber security. Its task would be to develop a plan for testing and evaluating cyber-security research. The panel also said the federal government should reestablish the operational capabilities of its effort to combat the Year 2000 computer bug as a way to combat cyber terrorism. Gilmore said President Bush is "aware" of the report because Vice President Richard Cheney met with the group in May. Gilmore also said Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge -- who will head the newly created Office of Homeland Security -- told Gilmore on Friday that he "wants very much" to get input from the Gilmore Commission. The commission also is getting more attention on Capitol Hill. Gilmore told National Journal's Technology Daily that he spoke with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Bob Graham, D-Fla., over the weekend, and Graham was "very interested in the entire range and array" of the recommendations. He said Graham is considering legislation on the issue. So far, Graham is working on legislation that would expand the length of some court orders to a year, and he supports efforts to give law enforcement broader powers to track e-mail and Web-surfing activities. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: Hush 2.0 wl8EARECAB8FAjuwxFQYHGF1dG8zMDEwOTRAaHVzaG1haWwuY29tAAoJEKadvsVlUK4P l68AnjeKe7NtdAkgyvApwfBB6dxuFe4FAJ4m+wsSAxQ09Ev8wQhxSSs3VrmfwQ== =e66v -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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another National ID card fuckwit
by citizenQ 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

Sept. 22, 2001, 6:54PM Idea of national identification card worth another look By DAGOBERT L. BRITO There have been several suggestions by responsible parties in the past few days that the United States adopt a national identification card program. The idea of a national identification card is one that most Americans find distasteful. An internal passport carries with it connotations of Adolf Hitler's Germany and Big Brother. However, the time has come to reevaluate the costs and benefits of such a card. Recent developments require more security precautions, and a national identification card is one of the less intrusive ways of providing such protection. First, for most Americans a national identification card would not involve any real loss of freedom or privacy. We already hold driver's licenses and use credit cards through which our travel and economic activities can easily be traced. As has been demonstrated many times in recent political investigations, authorities can obtain access to records of most of our transactions and even our phone calls. Therefore, for most middle-class Americans, a national identification card involves no significant restrictions on our freedoms. For those Americans who do not have access to credit cards and driver's licenses, a national identification card that can be used for identification may be a real asset. A smart photo identification card can be issued to every American citizen and resident over 18 years of age. The card would be universal, and no particular group would be singled out to bear a special burden. Every foreign national issued a visa to enter the United States could also be issued an identification card. This card could be coded with the expiration date of the visa and other such information. U.S. citizens and residents would be required to show this card to obtain employment and licences, to rent a car, check into hotels, use credit cards or ATM machines and cash checks. These are all activities that Congress can regulate under the Interstate Commerce Clause of the Constitution. The activities of foreign nationals in the United State on a visa can probably be monitored more closely without violating their rights. For example, it should be possible to monitor individuals undergoing flight training or studying nuclear engineering. This would serve several purposes. First, there are a large number of individuals who are in this country illegally because they have overstayed their visas or else have entered illegally. The issuing of national identification cards would be a way of finding such individuals. A few days ago, before Sept. 11, one could seriously make the argument that "undocumented" workers made a large contribution to the U.S. economy and it was not necessary to be strict in enforcing the laws. It is still true that these individuals make a large contribution to our economy and it is likely in our best interest to allow them to participate, but we must control the border. It is foolish to believe that we can keep out terrorists if we can't keep out simple farm workers. Mexican President Vicente Fox's request that the status of these worker be regularized now seems prophetic. The database generated by such cards would be a valuable tool for law enforcement and intelligence agencies. For most American this data already exists, but it is decentralized and takes time to process. A national identification card could be used to organize this data in a manner in which it could be used rapidly. People opposed to a national identification card are correct in believing that such a database could potentially pose a threat to our privacy and other rights protected by the Constitution. Thus, it is important that access to the database be limited by appropriate safeguards to protect these rights. The events of Sept. 11 mean that the amount of surveillance of airports and other such public places will increase. Employers and law enforcement officers will also be more careful. Unfortunately, there will be a disparate impact on some Americans because many people will make judgements on characteristics such as race or ethnic origin rather than the character of a particular individual. Thus, for many Americans who are likely to be stigmatized because of their ethnic origins, the possession of a valid identification card will be a valuable protection. Since the card can be linked to a database, it would eliminate the need to profile. A security score can be generated on more precise data without the use of such broad categories as race or ethic origin. Some people find the idea of having to produce an identification card oppressive. From personal experience, I find it much less oppressive to show an identification card than to be at the mercy of the discretion of a young, inexperienced or prejudiced border guard or police officer. Brito is a professor of political economy in the Department of Economics at Rice University.

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Interested in making money from home?
by Best marketing plan ever! 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

Most people fail in home based business ventures because they are only able to refer 2 to 3 others to a business opportunity. Unfortunately, this is usually not enough to provide a positive cash flow in the first month. We have solved this problem by implementing a compensation plan that allows the average person to succeed. We pay you upfront Quick Cash so you can make a profit right away! Our business model features: 1. Guaranteed monthly income for 1 year 2. Checks paid weekly, no waiting 3. Unlimited Income Potential 4. No sales skills necessary 5. Absolutely no discrimination 6. Very small initial investment 7. Training provided by multi-millionaire Our company is paying a guaranteed $230 per month start up commission when you meet the company requirements. Please answer the following questions. We are searching for the top 50 responses. Please reply to this email, and then answer the questions within your reply. 1. Do you have a burning desire for something in your life that more money would help you to achieve? If so, what is it? 2. If we were able to show you how to make a guaranteed $1000 per month from home on a very part time basis, would you be interested in learning more? 3. Do you believe you could run a business from your home that could replace what you are currently earning? How much money per month would you need to make in addition to what you currently earn in order for you to consider starting a home based business? 4. Which of the following characteristics describe you best? A. Honest B. Trustworthy C. A natural born leader D. Can follow directions E. High morals F. Outgoing 5. As with any business, start up cost is necessary. How much initial capital could you raise to start your business knowing that you can make a guaranteed profit each month? A. $50 B. $100 C. $200 D. $400 E. $500 F. $1000 Thanks for your time. This survey is going to everyone in our database of people who have expressed an interest in making money from home. Please reply with your phone number and best time you can be reached or you may not be contacted. One of our representatives will contact you and share with you how we are succeeding and making money. The average check earned by our affiliates is $500 per month. It is possible to make thousands per month in a very short time with our company. Many affiliates have replaced their "day job" income in just a couple of months. We look forward to corresponding with you. Your information will remain confidential and will not be shared or sold to anyone or any company. Thank you, The Success Team, USA. email Healthwealth2001(a)excite.com Remember to include your phone number and times you can be reached. If you do not have a desire to make more money from home, please reply with "remove please." If you are not in the USA or Canada, please reply with "International" so we can recommend a business that will suit you. ----------------------------------------------------------- -------------- To Opt-Out of future mailings, follow this link: http://www.mynetmarketer.com/optout.htm?CID=323ad038868708edf946a7e2abd89c&… Learn to market like this, follow this link: http://www.mynetmarketer.com/members/430

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Cryptic Gibberish Page
by Blanc 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

Does anyone on this list know what this page is about: http://nag.ljudmila.org/wabe/45.html My email name is on it; does their system pick up words randomly from the net to be used for their communications? .. Blanc

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RE: Cryptic Gibberish Page
by Blanc 26 Sep '01

26 Sep '01

:Grasshopper: : :At the root of the tree (http://nag.ljudmila.org/) enlightenment :will be found. : :Peter Trei : <g> Thanks, Master. In cyberspace you never know where your name will show up. The creators must have my name in their files. .. Blanc

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RAND Panelists Say Combating Terrorist Threats Must Not Erode Freedoms
by auto301094＠hushmail.com 25 Sep '01

25 Sep '01

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Panelists Say Combating Terrorist Threats Must Not Erode Freedoms By Derrill Holly, Associated Press Writer Published: Sep 24, 2001 ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - A national strategy to combat terrorism should not compromise the Bill of Rights, members of a presidentially appointed counterterrorism panel said Monday. "Americans must never be asked to give up a single solitary right that they have under the Constitution," said Gov. Jim Gilmore, R-Va. Gilmore has chaired the advisory panel, charged with assessing the nation's ability to respond to terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction, since its creation in April 1999. He said the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 have accelerated efforts to produce the panel's third and final report. Although the document is not due until December, it will be released to members of Congress early next month as members consider a raft of counterterrorism proposals. "We're not trying to set up some super intelligence agency," said Gilmore. He and other panel members see the role of the new Office of Homeland Security as a planning and coordination agency. Its primary duties would include budgetary oversight, with little emphasis on investigation, interdiction and apprehension of suspected terrorists. Gilmore said state and local officials should work with federal law enforcement agencies to respond to any threats. "If that's overwhelmed you, bring in the guard or the military as a last resort," he said. The meeting was held at the RAND Corporation Headquarters just blocks away from the soot-stained western wall of the Pentagon, where terrorists flew an American Airlines jet into the building. The 17-member panel was also directly touched by the attacks on the World Trade Center. Member Raymond Downey, the New York City Fire Department's commander of special operations, died when he was struck by falling debris as the Twin Towers collapsed. Those on the panel contend the events have not altered the recommendations they will make to the White House. "Some of the things we've been saying now for two years are still very relevant," said Michael A. Wermuth, a senior policy analyst at RAND. The creation of a National Office for Combating Terrorism was included in the panel's second report, released last December. "There's going to be reaction in this country, and we want to ensure that it's well timed and appropriately focused," said panel member George Foresman, Deputy State Coordinator for the Virginia State Department of Emergency Management. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: Hush 2.0 wl8EARECAB8FAjuwxbEYHGF1dG8zMDEwOTRAaHVzaG1haWwuY29tAAoJEKadvsVlUK4P IQ8AoJfdkSqXseXGQqK8z9eifo+LhWDZAKCS7awluh8naCM2OiszwCgWSEpU2Q== =ijUb -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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