September 2002 - cypherpunks-legacy

CAPPS
by Matthew X 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

By late fall, federal airport security officers hope to begin installing computer systems that can instantly check the personal backgrounds of airline passengers and alert security officials to any who are deemed dangerous before they can board planes and take off. The tool, a substantially advanced version of the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS) now in use, is being designed to comb multiple government and commercial databases for information that could indicate that a passenger poses a threat. Although installation of the system at airports is scheduled to begin in late fall, a government official, speaking on background, said it could be delayed if, as expected, the Transportation Security Administration is pulled out of the Transportation Department and moved into the Homeland Security Department. "We're waiting to see what happens with the new department," the official said. The House of Representatives has approved a Bush administration plan to create the Homeland Security Department and move TSA and about two dozen other federal entities into it. But the Senate has only begun to examine the proposal. Last spring, TSA hired four companies to design rival versions of essential software for the passenger screening system, and agency officials expect a final design of the system to be finished this fall. The system should be able to conduct "real-time preflight background threat evaluation" of airline passengers by using names and personal information taken from passenger manifests, according to TSA and industry sources. The system, called CAPPS II, would compare information from manifests with information culled and analyzed instantaneously from "numerous databases from government, industry and the private sector" to determine whether any passengers pose a security threat. A computer using a security scoring algorithm and criteria and weights set by TSA would decide whether a passenger posed a threat. The system would also consider "threat data gathered from state, federal and private-sector sources," TSA officials wrote in a report on CAPPS II. An existing version of CAPPS provides threat information to airline employees, who are then supposed to pass it on to airport security personnel. The new version is being designed to provide threat alerts directly to "front-line security forces," including via secure wireless communication, the report states. TSA's plan to use information from commercial databases worries privacy advocates. The Electronic Privacy Information Center warns that "each airline passenger will be subjected to an extensive profiling" if CAPPS II goes forward. Lawyers for EPIC sued TSA, saying the agency failed to disclose enough information about how the system will work. EPIC wants to know what factors would trigger a threat alarm, how accurate data in the databases would be, what recourse travelers would have if they are falsely identified as being a threat, and whether the system violates constitutional prohibitions, including those against unreasonable searches. TSA officials are guarded about discussing the system. In a notice about CAPPS II sent to software developers this spring, TSA warned that "there shall be no public release of information concerning the requirements" of the system or proposals by companies interested in developing it. But industry officials insist it will work. "It could be very effective" in identifying potentially dangerous passengers, said Allen Shay, president of Teradata, a data warehousing division of NCR Corp. The system is likely to focus on passengers who pay cash, buy one-way tickets or have questionable or conflicting identification documents, criminal records or other information in databases that arouses suspicion, he said. Similar automated background checks are common in the financial industry and commerce, Shay said. Banks, for example, check employment, credit and financial records when marketing loans. But the passenger-screening system is almost certain to raise concerns about privacy and profiling, Shay said. "When it is done in the commercial world, it is known as customer resource management. When it is done by the government, it's an invasion of privacy," he said. "To move forward in a positive way, that's something we're going to collectively have to get over." http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2002/0902/news-capps-09-02-02.asp Hope it picks up anthrax carrying sheep murdering Mi5 agents.

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Portland State of Siege.
by Matthew X 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

This story had photos, see the link and the Portland indymedia site for a more complete story..... http://www.portland.indymedia.org The police riot at last week's A22 Bush Protest outraged many people in Portland and around the U.S. Mayor Vera Katz delivered her response on Friday by subjecting Critical Mass riders to pepperspray and police violence. With this choice, she has made it clear that she stands with tyranny and against freedom. Katz's track record of affronts against civil liberties includes the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Sit-Lie-Stand Ordinance, and the humiliation of Dignity Village. Her committed opposition to basic human decency has never been more obvious. She is a disgrace to the caring, progressive, justice-seeking people of this city and if she had a shred of honor, she would step down. In my book, Katz is more dangerous than Dubya; her brand of petty fascism is endorsed by the clueless liberals of the Democratic Party, whose only difference with the Republicans is that they kiss you before they fuck you over. It's time for you to resign, Vera, and take that thug Police Chief Kroeker with you. 800+ riders showed up for this Friday's Critical Mass, the biggest of the year so far. Just before arriving, we heard over the police scanner that the cops were bringing vans and pepperspray. We figured that the city was somehow planning "revenge" for the victory that the people of Portland enjoyed on A22, which sent positive ripples out across the nation. And while the city certainly tried to use the cops against us -- and certain cops were brutally dedicated to the cause -- the Critical Mass was not deterred Link: http://portland.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=19316&group=webcast

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Reach them....
by WebtraxterMail 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

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Pocketmail
by Matthew X 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/enterprise/story/0,2000025001,20267857,00.… Hey my moms got one of those! The only problem? The price halved just after she bought it. http://www.pocketmail.com/?loc=us "...More disciplinary cases have been brought against employees for violating company e-mail and Internet policies than for acts of dishonesty, violence or health and safety breaches..." http://www.zdnet.com.au/newstech/hr/story/0,2000024989,20267882,00.htm

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WinXP SP1 out next Monday - but can you avoid it?
by Gary Jeffers 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

My fellow Cypherpunks, I found this link about WinXP SP1 . SP stands for "service pack". The article tells of some nasty goodies that MicroSoft has included in it. The 2nd link has more info.. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26911.html http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26698.html You know, sometime we are going to have to abandon MS. I've already got a dual booting system: MS and Red Hat Linux. I am slowly migrating functions to Linux. The (GNU) Linux's and the free BSD's are good alternatives to MS. If you can't live without MS, then make your computer system dual booting. Also, dual booting will allow you to make a fairly easy migration to a DECENT operating system . MS is getting more and more oppressive. Yours Truly, Gary Jeffers BEAT STATE!!!!

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FROM JEAN-PIERRE
by JEAN-PIERRE ONDEKANE 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

FROM: JEAN-PIERRE ONDEKANE , DEAR FRIEND, MY GREETINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND I HOPE THIS LETTER MEETS YOU IN GOOD HEALTH. I AM JEAN-PIERRE ONDEKANE , AIDE TO THE LATE PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE-SEKO OF ZAIRE NOW KNOWN AS DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC). I AM WRITING TO YOU IN GOOD FAITH BASED ON YOUR PROFILE I RECEIVED FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN SOUTH AFRICA. I AM MOVED TO WRITE YOU THIS LETTER IN CONFIDENCE CONSIDERING MY PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE AND SITUATION AS A WAR REFUGEE HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA. FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE LATE PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE-SEKO WAS FORCED OUT OF POWER, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY HIM TO MAKE AVAILABLE THE SUM OF US$22MILLION WHICH WAS TO BE TRANSFERRED ABROAD AND LODGED IN MY NAME WITH A SECURITY COMPANY FOR SAFEKEEPING DISCLOSED AS FAMILY VALUABLES, PENDING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. TWO WEEKS LATER ON MAY 16 1997, PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE-SEKO GAVE UP POWER TO THE REBELS LED BY LAURENT KABILA, WHO WERE ADVANCING FROM KISINGANI AND FLED TO TOGO FROM WHERE HE LATER MOVED TO MOROCCO WHERE HE DIED ON SEPTEMBER 7, 1997 LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS AFTER HE WAS FORCED OUT OF POWER. HE WAS AGED 66 YEARS. I MANAGED TO ESCAPE TO SOUTH AFRICA WITH MY SON PATRICE, AGED 17 WHERE I AM PRESENTLY RESIDING AS A WAR REFUGEE SHORTLY AFTER THE CAPITAL CITY KINSHASHA WAS OVER RUN OVER BY REBELS. I LOST MY WIFE, TWO CHILDREN, AND MY POSSESSIONS DURING THE REBEL ONSLAUGHT ON THE CAPITAL CITY. THE LATE MOBUTU SESE-SEKO DURING HIS 30 YEAR RULE AMASSED A PERSONAL FORTUNE OF US$8BILLION WITH HOUSES IN SWITZERLAND AND FRANCE. HOWEVER, THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE SWISS GOVERNMENT AND OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TO FREEZE ALL HIS ASSETS AND CONFISCATE HIS PROPERTIES. I THUS DECIDED TO LIE LOW IN AFRICA TO STUDY THE SITUATION, UNTIL WHEN THINGS GET BETTER LIKE NOW THAT PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA IS DEAD AND HIS SON JOSEPH KABILA HAS TAKEN OVER. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY ABROAD WHERE THE MONEY IS STILL LODGED AS FAMILY VALUABLES. THE FUNDS ARE SECURITY CODED TO PREVENT THEM FROM KNOWING THE CONTENT. WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS TO INDICATE YOUR INTEREST THAT YOU WILL ASSIST ME BY RECEIVING THE MONEY ON MY BEHALF. ACKNOWLEDGE THIS MESSAGE SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU THE MODALITIES FOR THE CLAIM OF THE FUNDS. MAY I AT THIS POINT EMPHASIZE THE HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENTIALITY WHICH THIS BUSINESS DEMANDS, AND HOPE YOU WILL NOT BETRAY THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE WHCH I HAVE REPOSED IN YOU. IF YOU WANT TO ASSIST, I SHALL PUT YOU IN THE PICTURE OF THE BUSINESS, TELL YOU WHERE THE FUNDS ARE CURRENTLY BEIGN MAINTAINED AND ALSO DISCUSS OTHER MODALITIES INCLUDING REMUNERATION FOR YOUR SERVICES. I AM WILLING TO GIVE YOU A REASONABLE PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY AS SOON AS THE TRANSACTION IS CONCLUDED. FOR THIS REASON, KINDLY FURNISH ME YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION, WHICH IS YOUR PERSONAL TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR CONFIDENTIAL PURPOSE AND ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS MAIL USING THE ABOVE EMAIL ADDRESS. YOURS SINCERELY, JEAN-PIERRE ONDEKANE

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Captain Cyborg to chip 11 year old in wake of UK child killings
by auto463742＠hushmail.com 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 quoted entirely from: http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/26908.html thanks! Captain Cyborg, aka Professor Kevin Warwick of Reading University, is generally a harmless if somewhat tedious self-publicist whose risible 'experiments' pay his rent and provide the less critical elements of the press with a never-ending stream of stupid stories. But an exclusive in today's Daily Mirror <http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=12164609&method=full…> serves to illustrate that such maniacs are not always harmless. Following the recent abduction of ten year olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the Mirror reports that Wendy and Paul Duval have decided to implant their daughter, Danielle, with "a microchip to track her every move. "If she was kidnapped her exact location would be discovered via a computer." And guess who developed the chip? That's right, "cybernetics expert Professor Kevin Warwick, 48." The Mirror does not directly attribute its explanation of the device to Captain Cyborg, but it is quite clear that some of the people involved - possibly the reporter, possibly the reporter and the Duval family - have somehow managed to get themselves seriously misled about the capabilities of the technology. The chip "emits radio waves through a mobile phone network and beams its exact location to a computer. If Danielle went missing, her location would be marked by an X on a computer map.... It will be inserted in her arm by a GP using local anaesthetic. It costs about #20 and will be invisible." Well then, how does that work? Warwick's experiments in chipping himself haven't gone as far as GPS, at least publicly, and any communications aspect to them has been decidedly short range. An "invisible" device that handles both GPS and mobile phone communications, and doesn't need its batteries changing every five seconds would however clearly make him a large fortune, if it existed. Which manifestly it doesn't. As regards GPS, you can get an idea of the current state of the art as far as footprint goes by looking at this PDF<http://www.esconline.com/sf/press/pr46.pdf>, which describes the Trimble Lassen SQ GPS module, announced in March. Two penlight batteries can power it for more than 40 hours, it is postage stamp-sized, and is "compatible with active 3.3 VDC antennas." So the small ones aren't invisible, they need two penlight batteries that you have to change every 40 hours, and they need an antenna. So the "invisible" chip is not a GPS device, and must perforce communicate with a real GPS device secreted somewhere about your person. In that sense it would therefore seem to be well within the technical capabilities already demonstrated by Captain Cyborg, who habitually shoves things under his skin so he can open doors automatically and such, when lesser mortals would merely use a smartcard ID tag. If indeed this is the way the tag will operate, then Warwick is wandering into the dubious territory of VeriChip/Digital Angel, which has been punting cattle tags at the hard of thinking. That one's the size of the ball of a ballpoint, but it needs a scanner run over it to identify you, and can't tell where you are. OK, but presuming the child protector chip can communicate with an external GPS device, where does that get you if you've been kidnapped? You can tell where you are, but how does the X get onto the computer screen? Mobile phone, obviously, but that needn't be another box, as it could be one with GPS built in, so there's still only one thing to keep hidden. We covered a system of this sort for hunting dogs a while back, and if you look here<http://benefon.com/solutions_partners/customer_solutions/dog_radar/index.htm>, you'll see the pawprint of that rig. The dogs of course don't have pockets to put it in, and no immediate need for concealment, but even so... However even if you've got a concealed mobile phone with GPS, then what use is the tag? The phone rig does all this already, so for as long as you can hang onto the phone, you're trackable, and if you can't, you're not. After that the chip could help them identify you if they find you, and if for some reason you're not in a position to tell them yourself. Again, we're in VeriChip territory here, albeit a somewhat grimmer variant thereof. So it's complete hokum, and under the circumstances pernicious. The Holly and Jessica case has generated much concern, and some hysteria in the UK, and stories such as the Mirror's serve only to fuel that hysteria by deluding parents into thinking that technology can somehow protect their children. And by pushing positive aspects of tagging, even years before it's actually feasible, they're softening public opinion up for the days when it can be widespread, and when its application can be more sinister. And Warwick's role? As we said earlier, the technological 'explanation' is not attributed to him, but he's clearly encouraging it. He said: "The implant won't prevent abductions, nothing will. But if the worst happens, parents will at least be in with a chance of finding their children alive." No more chance, it seems to us, than if the implant had not been fitted. Warwick, as is his habit, slides seamlessly into some future where it is feasible: "Children may resent that their every movement is traceable. It's also possible some parents might abuse the system. But I'm confident this has to be the correct course of action in the light of recent, tragic events." So in the light of recent tragic events the correct course of action for parents has to be the fitting of a manifestly useless tagging device to their child. "The technology exists," says Warwick, "it's affordable and accessible." No it doesn't, no it's not. This is a publicity stunt well up to the usual mark, with the added extra of being in the worst possible taste. It marks the point where Captain Cyborg ceased to be comical, and started to look like something far worse. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: Hush 2.1 Note: This signature can be verified at https://www.hushtools.com wl8EARECAB8FAj1z/f8YHGF1dG80NjM3NDJAaHVzaG1haWwuY29tAAoJEB6lQC9z1bic WnQAn0IgKGXkMlu27CuhSCSVxGTLENSUAKCKOk2EHe15fpiegsUPsqM9yYMxPQ== =V6aS -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Get your free encrypted email at https://www.hushmail.com

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http://WHATREALLYHAPPENED.com
by Gary Jeffers 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

My fellow Cypherpunks, Check out the site: http://WHATREALLYHAPPENED.com It is a heavy site that informs about the world's ongoing political system. This site makes sense of politics. Yours Truly, Gary Jeffers BEAT STATE!!!!

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logoffice.Com
by PZ 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

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project facilitation
by Francis Agedonuma 03 Sep '02

03 Sep '02

Pardon the abruptness and the liberty of this letter; It is due to its exigency. I am a government functionary in my country. I write to ask for your help. My colleagues and I are in need of a foreign partner to assist in the transfer of a considerable amount of money. My colleagues and I have deliberated much on the issue at hand. What we require is someone who is reliable and trustworthy, who has a vision and who will be able to manage whatever business in which we shall inject venture capital. We need someone who can share our dreams and ideals. I have the legal title to the sum and we shall go through the legal procedures entailed in both our laws and international laws in transferring the funds to you in trust. Please do not at this point misunderstand my intention, because understandably, we are not acqainted. I do not even know if you will be reliable and trustworthy, but I believe that everything starts with a first step. I know that I need to explain everything clearly to you before you can come to a decision as to whether you can assist me or not, and I will do this as soon as I get a response from you. I am sure that with the insider information I can provide, we will with your help, conclude the transaction within 21 working days. In consideration for your assistance, we have agreed to give you the normal transaction commission obtainable of 10% of the total sum, and another 5% if you can successfully put together an investment portfolio for us, as we will like to invest some of this money in your country, rather than leave it idle in a bank account. If you can be of assistance, please reach me at franuma(a)mail.com or send a fax to 234 1 7594298 for more information, otherwise, I thank you for your patience. Thank you for your courtesies. Best regards, Francis Agedonuma

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