December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

RRE: Lexis-Nexis personal information database
by E. Allen Smith 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

One wonders exactly how much of this information is compiled from government-generated sources? The SSN is automatically originally government-derived, of course... -Allen From: IN%"rre(a)weber.ucsd.edu" 7-SEP-1996 02:02:07.36 [Excerpt from Privacy Forum 5.17.] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This message was forwarded through the Red Rock Eater News Service (RRE). Send any replies to the original author, listed in the From: field below. You are welcome to send the message along to others but please do not use the "redirect" command. For information on RRE, including instructions for (un)subscribing, send an empty message to rre-help(a)weber.ucsd.edu =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Date: Tue, 3 Sep 96 12:01 PDT From: privacy(a)vortex.com (PRIVACY Forum) Subject: PRIVACY Forum Digest V05 #17 PRIVACY Forum Digest Tuesday, 3 September 1996 Volume 05 : Issue 17 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 11:22:15 -0400 (EDT) From: Larry Hunter <hunter(a)intr.net> Subject: Lexis-Nexis personal information database Lexis-Nexis sells a commercial database called "Ptrax" which holds detailed personal information on nearly all Americans (L-N claims it contains 300 million names). This database includes name, current address, up to two previous addresses, phone number, birth-date, social security number, mother's maiden name and possible other personal information. This database is kept quite current. Through the Nexis Express service, this information could be available to any individual with a credit card. As most readers will are aware, such information could easily be used for theft of identity and other frauds. It is possible to have one's name removed from this database by making a telephone request. Call (800)543-6862, select option 4 ("all other questions") and tell the representative answering that you wish to remove your name from the Ptrax database. You may also send a fax to (513)865-7360, or physical mail to LEXIS-NEXIS / P.O. Box 933 / Dayton, Ohio 45401-0933. Sending physical mail to confirm your name has been removed is always a good idea. As word of the existence of this database has spread on the net, Lexis-Nexis has been inundated with calls, and has set up a special set of operators to handle the volume. In addition, Andrew Bleh (rhymes with "Play") is a manager responsible for this product, and is the person to whom complaints about the service could be directed. He can be reached at the above 800 number, selection option 4 and then ask for extension 3385. The information in this note has been been confirmed by me, and was originally provided in forwarded messages from Russell Whitaker, Jason Werner, Vern Winters, Katherine Florman and Reuben Snipper. Larry Hunter hunter(a)intr.net ------------------------------ End of PRIVACY Forum Digest 05.17 ************************

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RRE: Computers, Freedom, and Privacy
by E. Allen Smith 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: IN%"rre(a)weber.ucsd.edu" 7-SEP-1996 07:46:46.51 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This message was forwarded through the Red Rock Eater News Service (RRE). Send any replies to the original author, listed in the From: field below. You are welcome to send the message along to others but please do not use the "redirect" command. For information on RRE, including instructions for (un)subscribing, send an empty message to rre-help(a)weber.ucsd.edu =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 12:37:14 -0700 (PDT) From: Bruce R Koball <bkoball> THE SEVENTH CONFERENCE ON COMPUTERS, FREEDOM, AND PRIVACY Call for Participation San Francisco Airport Hyatt Regency Hotel Burlingame, California March 11-14, 1997 CFP97: Commerce & Community will be sponsored by the Association for Computing Machinery SIGCOM and SIGSAC. The host institutions will be Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley. Co-sponsors and cooperating organizations include the ACM SIGCAS, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and the WELL. CFP97: Commerce & Community is the latest in a series of annual conferences assembling a diverse group of experts and advocates from the domains of technology, business, government, and academia to explore the evolution of information and communication technologies and public policy, and its effects on freedom and privacy in the United States and throughout the world. Past CFP sessions have discussed, debated -- and often anticipated -- issues of great social import. In this tradition, CFP97: Commerce & Community will examine the social and policy questions posed by: * the growth of electronic communities; * electronic commerce and the commercialization of cyberspace; * the problems of legal and regulatory control of the Net; * the interests of privacy and property in the electronic domain; * high-tech law enforcement and security concerns. The CFP97 Program Committee invites your suggestions for presentations on these or other important issues at the nexus of technology, business, public policy, freedom, and privacy. Proposals may be for individual talks, panel discussions, debates, moot courts, moderated, interactive sessions or other formats. Each proposal should be accompanied by a one-page statement describing the topic and format. Descriptions of multi-person presentations should include a list of proposed participants and session chair. Proposals should be sent by email to cfp97(a)cfp.org. If necessary, typewritten proposals may be sent to: CFP'97, 2210 Sixth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710. Please submit your proposal as soon as possible. The deadline for submissions is October 1, 1996. (Please note that we have extended our deadline for submissions) For more information on the Computers, Freedom and Privacy Conferences, as well as up-to-date announcements on CFP'97, please visit our Web page at: http://www.cfp.org cfp97_call v1.2

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Edited Edupage, 8 Sept 1996
by E. Allen Smith 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: IN%"educom(a)educom.unc.edu" 9-SEP-1996 11:29:04.71 >************************************************************ >Edupage, 8 September 1996. Edupage, a summary of news about information >technology, is provided three times a week as a service by Educom, >a Washington, D.C.-based consortium of leading colleges and universities >seeking to transform education through the use of information technology. >************************************************************ [...] >SCIENTOLOGISTS FIGHT FOR COPYRIGHT PROTECTION ON NET >Police investigators in Helsinki say the Internet "anonymous remailer" site >anon.penet.fi was shut down partially because of a copyright dispute with >the Church of Scientology (and not because the site was a primary conduit >for child pornography, as was previously reported). The Church of >Scientology, which has been successful in convincing the courts that its >teachings are validly copyrighted material, was pursuing an individual who >used the anonymous remailer site to post Scientology texts without the >Church's permission. The operator of the site decided to close it down >rather than reveal the individual's name to Helsinki police. The Church >says it was not opposing the existence of the server: "We have no >opposition to there being anonymity for private, consensual communications. >What we oppose is using anonymous servers for the purpose of permitting >criminal or other unlawful acts." (New York Times 6 Sep 96 C2) Why don't I believe the first portion of that statement? [...] >COPYRIGHT LAW ARCHIVED ON THE NET >The Stanford University library is working with the Council on Library >Resources to compile an electronic archive of information on copyright law >in an effort to keep educators and others aware of the ongoing debate over >the "fair use" doctrine. The Stanford site < http://fairuse.stanford.edu > >contains the full text of court decisions, legislation and international >copyright agreements, as well as related articles on the topic. (Chronicle >of Higher Education 6 Sep 96 A42) >NEW ANGLE ON WEB SURFING >BroadVision's new Web site, called The Angle, features the company's >One-To-One intelligent agent and WebPoint content management technologies. >"What intranets are looking for are ways to help users of their site get >information they need, and are entitled to, quickly and efficiently without >too much surfing," says the company's CEO, who touts his service as an >efficiency-booster for corporate technology managers. Unlike its rival, >Firefly, which is used to direct music seekers to selections they might like >based on similar buyers' tastes, the One-To-One agent software is built on >rule-based reasoning. BroadVision is considering licensing Firefly's >technology, which uses a personalization algorithm to identify trends among >users and personal tastes, to expand its offerings. (Interactive Age >Digital 4 Sep 96) [...] >CONGRESS, NOT THE COURTS, TO RESOLVE COPYRIGHT ISSUES >The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is shifting gears in its drive to >resolve electronic copyright issues, and is now working with members of >Congress to develop a legislative solution to the issue of online service >provider liability, which has been a sticking point in efforts to pass new >copyright legislation. "We are looking for a way to define the nature of >the provision of mere telecommunications services, for which >telecommunications providers should bear no liability for copyright >infringement. We are trying to define where the dividing line is between >someone who actively engages in the provision of information versus someone >who is a mere conduit," says a senior legal counselor for the PTO. The PTO >originally believed these issues could be resolved through the court system, >but now says it will work with Congress and industry to develop legislative >solutions. (BNA Daily Report for Executives 4 Sep 96 A4) Eeep... I trust the courts more than people selected by a popularity contest. Remember that various of the worse CDA-replacement bills had in them provisions for CDA-like filtering being protected from liability? To me, that's a pretty clear government sponsorship of such filtering, which makes it censorship. [...] >WHERE WIZARDS STAY UP LATE >The NY Times Sunday Book Review says the Hafner/Lyon book on the origins of >the Internet ("Where Wizards Stay Up Late") compiles a great deal of >much-needed information and "shows just how striking an innovation and >collaboration the Arpanet really was. One central focus of the book >(excerpted in the Sep/Oct Educom Review) is the contribution of the >brilliant psychologist and computer scientist J.C.R. Licklider, who >predicted an era when "human brains and computing machines will be coupled >.... tightly, and ... the resulting partnership will think as no human brain >has ever thought and process data in a way not approached by the >information-handling machines we know today." (New York Times Book Review 8 >Sep 96 p19) >Edupage is written by John Gehl <gehl(a)educom.edu> & Suzanne Douglas ><douglas(a)educom.edu>. Voice: 404-371-1853, Fax: 404-371-8057. >Technical support is provided by Information Technology Services at the >University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. >************************************************************ >Edupage ... is what you've just finished reading. To subscribe to Edupage: >send mail to: listproc(a)educom.unc.edu with the message: subscribe edupage >Niccolo Machiavelli (if your name is Niccolo Machiavelli ; otherwise, >substitute your own name). ... To cancel, send a message to: >listproc(a)educom.unc.edu with the message: unsubscribe edupage. (If you >have subscription problems, send mail to manager(a)educom.unc.edu.)

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Re: Satellite Bowel Movement?
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 3:12 AM 9/9/96, Blak Dayz wrote: > I was out buying groceries and after they scanned the shit through they >told me that all the ATMs in the City were out due to connection problems. So i >go home and start trying to scan for the shits and i cant find them. If anyone >knows what the hell happened i would appreciate the details. I believe it may >have been a solar flare that caused the companies to redirect their satellites. >It would do me alot of help considering i had to pay CASH (i hate paper) >for the >stuff and i would like to complain to the fucking JPL and satt. operators about >them warning the public. I agree. In times like this, they should be warning the public! The overload was caused by Zeta Reticulans draining more power from the grid than had been planned by the Ruling Council. Clinton dispatched _three_ of his Black Helicopters to Area 51, and they kicked some alien butt. I think the Morks will be more malleable. We on the Doom13/D&D/Cypherpunks list are wise to their wayz, and their warez, and will issue aluminum foil helmets to all those in danger. Latr, d00d! --Zarkon

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Satellite Movement?
by Blak Dayz 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I was out buying groceries and after they scanned the shit through they told me that all the ATMs in the City were out due to connection problems. So i go home and start trying to scan for the shits and i cant find them. If anyone knows what the hell happened i would appreciate the details. I believe it may have been a solar flare that caused the companies to redirect their satellites. It would do me alot of help considering i had to pay CASH (i hate paper) for the stuff and i would like to complain to the fucking JPL and satt. operators about them warning the public.

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Anonymity thread from sci.research.careers
by dlv＠bwalk.dm.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Recently I noticed an interesting thread on the Usenet newsgroup s.c.r regarding a Web site with a conferencing system, supposedly anonymous. I repost several articles which some folks on cp might find interesting. Path: !howland.erols.net!news2.digex.net!access1.digex.net!arthures From: "Arthur E. Sowers" <arthures(a)access.digex.net> Newsgroups: sci.research.careers Subject: Review and Warning about the "Biotech Rumor Mill" Date: Mon, 2 Sep 1996 22:16:39 -0400 Organization: Express Access Online Communications, USA Lines: 114 Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.94.960902214715.17927F-100000(a)access1.digex.net> References: <lindasj-2908961456130001(a)client9.sedona.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: access1.digex.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Sender: arthures(a)access1.digex.net In-Reply-To: <lindasj-2908961456130001(a)client9.sedona.net> Folks, I decided to visit this web site and tell all of you a few things you ought to keep in mind. First, the review: Yes, the "Rumor Mill" is a sort-of web-site "newsgroup". The majority of posts and responses that I saw (not counting the archives) were by "anonymous" posters. A good many were not particularly "hot" (such as "why is company 'X' stock dropping?" and some inane comments). Some were cryptic (meaning to the average person, they might be essentially meaningless). Most were very short (1-2 sentences). A few posts did have some information that I downloaded for use later. One or two mentioned lawsuits (patent infringement). Second, the warning: The Rumor Mill lets you post anonymously (as far as I could see, but I did not try it) but THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT SOMEONE WILL NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE. I don't know how the Rumor Mill is operated, but I do know that websites CAN be configured to capture information about browser users who access that site! They can get a large amount of information about you including your name, email address, all sorts of information about your domain & ISP, etc. Your anonymous post may appear to everyone else as anonymous, but the sysop (webmaster) at that site should be presumed to be capable of determining who you are. I myself have seen website "hit statistics" and believe me, it all shows up. You should look in your Web Browser directory for the <cookies.txt> file and note that some web sites that you visit will put short lines of data into your file. You might try to change the attributes on that file to "read only" and see what happens. Sometimes it will thwart the web site, sometimes it will give you an error message. As a matter of fact, I did click on one button and my netscape security window opened up to warn me that the channel to that site was not secure. What else is related to this? There are a number of anonymous remailers out in cyberspace, but it has been stated by a knowledgeable source that a number of them are being operated by law enforcement agencies (presumably to troll for criminal activity). A website which allows rumors to be posted anonymously, especially involving commercial business details (i.e. proprietary) but carries at least no disclaimer that the sysop or sponsors do not use hit statistics data to correlate it with anonymous posters and thereby determine or attempt to determine thier identity is a website that I would avoid using. In the worlds of politics, leaks, trial-baloons, rumor, inuendo, insinuations, etc. are common and make for entertaining reading for those who enjoy it. But in the world of commerce, the wrong blip in the wrong place can lead to lawsuits, prosecution (by, for example, the Securities and Exhange Commission), and other personal information, identity, etc., to fall into hands that I would hope smart people might think about before they make posts. I have the feeling that a simple post to a newsgroup through a remailer would be safer that an anonymous post to the Rumor Mill. At least, I would get into the configuration dialog boxes on your web browser and leave "your name" and "your email address" blank, or put in a dummy name. But then, you can figure out that this is a way to also send forged mail (there was a "fake mail" website about a year or two ago, but the sysops eventually shut it down). There is in fact a website out there that says it can be used for anonymous web browsing (and I expect at some time in the future that they will start charging for its use [think for a minute why these would exist and it will be obvious]), but where I have that little snit of paper is burried on my desk with mountains of uncolated paperwork (sorry). What dothey say about "buyer beware?" Caveat emptor? Eh? Art Sowers ======= On 29 Aug 1996, Linda St. James wrote: > Do you want to have a little fun and perhaps learn something about the > current state of the biotechnology industry? > > Have you a particular company you've been interested in that you'd like > more information on -- but the "inside scoop" seems better than an > official company profile? > > IF SO --- > > > Please take a look at Dr. Martin Leach's BIOTECH RUMOR MILL, one of the > most fascinating sites on the WWW for the biotechnologist. > > In this site, Martin goes to great lengths to have an "all in one > location" center for biotechnology news. Whether it is the daily reports > from PR Newswire, or his reader surveys, you are bound to find something > of interest. But, to prove that the internet imitates real life, some of > the most interesting tidbits are pure rumor. > > In this site, you and your colleagues have an opportunity to post > information in a completely anonymous fashion. Some of the biggest news in > the biotechnology business comes out of the "Rumor Mill" before it hits > the trade journals, or even the Wall Street Journal! Of course, you have > to remember that in any forum where anyone can post anonymously, there is > a certain amount of frivolity as well. But what fun! > > Search Masters International, an industry-leading search firm specializing > in Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Device industries, is now a > sponsor of this site along with Research Diagnostics. > > Take a look at your earliest convenience: > > The Biotech Rumor Mill is at: http://www.tradesmart.com/rumor > > The Search Masters International home page is at: http://smi.bio.com/ > > Best regards, > > Linda St. James, Office Manager > Search Masters International > Five Hundred Foothills South, Suite #2 > Sedona, AZ 86336 > (520) 282-3553 Phone or (520) 282-5881 Fax > email to lindasj(a)sedona.net > > Path: !howland.erols.net!news2.digex.net!access5.digex.net!arthures From: "Arthur E. Sowers" <arthures(a)access.digex.net> Newsgroups: sci.research.careers Subject: Re: Review and Warning about the "Biotech Rumor Mill" Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 13:59:21 -0400 Organization: Express Access Online Communications, USA Lines: 89 Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.94.960903133225.2947A-100000(a)access5.digex.net> References: <lindasj-2908961456130001(a)client9.sedona.net> <Pine.SUN.3.94.960902214715.17927F-100000(a)access1.digex.net> <davej-0309960723220001(a)client12.sedona.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: access5.digex.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Sender: arthures(a)access5.digex.net In-Reply-To: <davej-0309960723220001(a)client12.sedona.net> On 3 Sep 1996, Dave Jensen wrote: > In article <Pine.SUN.3.94.960902214715.17927F-100000(a)access1.digex.net>, > "Arthur E. Sowers" <arthures(a)access.digex.net> wrote: "Nice" of you to delete ALL of my post instead of dealing with the specific issues, or CONSIDERING that I might have some valid points. > > Art you have gone off the deep end. > > Yes, let's now add web site reviews and critiques to your mix of strange > posts. Personally, I think you miss the whole point of Martin's rumor mill > site, and it is obvious that you didn't read the webmaster's introduction > of how he handles anonymity. I returned to that website a few minutes ago to look over "how he handles anonymity" and nothing in what he said negates the possibility that he (and, by extension, can share "inteligence" information about the source of the rumor and maybe even the identity of the poster). You can have him look at his web hit statistics and he will find my "visit" listed (or at least he should be able to find it, as I did not go to the site "cloaked"). As a matter of fact, the wording of the disclaimers (at .../rumor/post.html) is that "All correspondees identities will be kept confidential." which says to me that he (and you?) may "keep" them confidential (i.e. you may know them, even though you may not broadcast them all over the net, and that may give you some valuable insight into who says what and when). He says at another point "..., an email is sent directly to me and a message is appended to the Rumor Mill." As far as I am concerned, if you go over to the anonymous newsgroups and read about privacy (and get the help file from Julf Helsigius' anon remailer) ANY sysop can read any mail that comes through a sysop's site. And, if I were in a private business, I would see the temptation to "use" that information being just as strong as governments all over the world justify having their own CIAs, NSAs, KGBs, etc., and just as strong as many corporations have their own "intelligence" activities, reverse engineering departments, and private security and investigation units. If you go to any good sized public library and look up under industrial espionage and spying, you will get many books on this. You can try to pull the wool over most of the eyes around here, but it ain't gonna work with me. You would also be advised to work with Martin to rephrase some of his language. He says at another point in a page that "This site is for entertainment purposes only." Hell, thats crap. If I go looking for such gossip and rumors, its because it deals with something that impacts on my life, my job, my career and it better be good poop! Besides, on the esthetics, virtually every (EVERY) post that I clicked on had this overly obvious "Proudly Sponsored by -- SMI" box plastered right on the top. Then right under it is the RDI box. Man, can't you guys show a little "class" and just have this showing just once on the home page and cut out all the repetition? It turns me off. And, you should have thanked me for NOT mentioning all the posts that are now archived that reported problems hitting your SMI site (I didn't read more than one or two of them). > Stick to what you know, Art, which appears to me to be academic career > tracks. No one has ever disputed your commentary in that area. But, like > the restaurant reviewer who thinks he now knows enough about entertainment > to review opera, you have gone over the edge and into territory better > left for those who, like Dr. Martin Leach, really know how to provide > value on the WWW. Your opinion, as usual. But for the rest of you out there, think twice about posting an "anonymous" message to a web site. I've been on the other end of them, and I know that people sit around trying to figure out as much as possible about who its from if they don't get an email identity. Or... how, Dave, would you like it if I tried to go in and put a warning to visitors to that site? Would you and or Martin "censor" my post? After all, at another place on the website is the statement that "I am not responsible for the accuracy of this information although I try to confirm where possible." I know that many "service providers" openly state that they reserve the right to decline or terminate service to any subscriber for any reason at any time. Martin could be in a little "free speech" trouble and you and he might get together (since you are sponsoring, too, and therefore "calling the tune") and talk about this. I should send you a bill for consulting time on this, actually. > > Dave > > Art Sowers Path: !howland.erols.net!news2.digex.net!access2.digex.net!arthures From: "Arthur E. Sowers" <arthures(a)access.digex.net> Newsgroups: sci.research.careers Subject: Re: Review and Warning about the "Biotech Rumor Mill" Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 22:03:34 -0400 Organization: Express Access Online Communications, USA Lines: 118 Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.94.960904214345.20399A-100000(a)access2.digex.net> References: <lindasj-2908961456130001(a)client9.sedona.net> <Pine.SUN.3.94.960902214715.17927F-100000(a)access1.digex.net> <50i2rr$t6i(a)news.bu.edu> <Pine.PMDF.3.91.960904173108.88691A-100000(a)BIOMED.MED.YALE.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: access2.digex.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Sender: arthures(a)access2.digex.net In-Reply-To: <Pine.PMDF.3.91.960904173108.88691A-100000(a)BIOMED.MED.YALE.EDU> On Wed, 4 Sep 1996 mmartin(a)BIOMED.MED.YALE.EDU wrote: > About the Biotech Rumor Mill - I think it is a very cool idea. Really, I > do. I have some doubts about the duplicity of the statement *for > entertainment purposes only* but I can live with it. (It just sounds a bit > too much like those ads on late-night TV for psychics; most of the ad is > full of testamonials about how the service accurately predicted things and > how it helps people by predicting events but if you look closely there is > a small disclaimer that says *for entertainment purposes only*. Yeah, > right. But Martin Leach isn't charging for access, so I can live with it.) > > On 3 Sep 1996, Martin Leach wrote: > > > Hi Arthur, > > > > I read your initial comments to Dr. Jensen and feel that are being a little > > paranoid. > > To each his own. <insert tongue in cheek> Just because you are paranoid > doesn't mean they aren't out to get you (or so the saying goes). ha, ha. > > > Information can be readily collected by any adept webmaster that wishes > > to.....so your comments are applicable to EVERY web site. > > Can't argue with that. But, of course, that isn't the point. The point is > that your site (unlike the vast majority of sites) claims to protect > anonymity. If you claim to protect anonymity, then your site should be > held to different standards. > > > Just because > > somebody clicks 'submit' on a form e.g. posting form on my site it does not > > send any extra information that cannot be gathered any other nefarious way. > > I don't think Art was suggesting anything of the sort (Art, feel free to > correct me if I'm wrong). I think he was just pointing out that it is > possible to gather a lot of information about a poster - information that > the poster may not be aware that he/she is giving. People (even > scientists!) are generally unaware about how insecure electronic > transmissions are and I think Art was just trying to raise the level of > awareness. Yep, that is what I had in mind. The anonymous posts may be anonymous to everyone else, but the "masters" at that site have it in their power to know where the post came from and who authored it and that could give them some interesting information to be privy to. Julf Helsingius who used to run the anon.penet remailer was a lot more honest about security and was very upfront about this in his "help" responder. But his site is off the air now. I could make lots of speculations but I won't. But everyone should beware of anything which is offered for "free" by business entities. Sometimes its a PR thing. Sometimes its genuine altruism. And sometimes its a pure scame. I won't openly estimate here how I would partition the fractions between those three possibilities. However, if I were running the "Rumor Mill" I would have a lot more extensive of a disclaimer and explanation (not only for PR but for legal purposes...I would not want to be a party in a lawsuit to "leaked" proprietary information... there is a fair bit of case law on this now). > The reason your site has become a lightning rod for security/privacy > issues is that you claim to protect anonymity. This discussion could be > about any website, but it only seems relevant when a website claims to > protect anonymity. I don't think it was meant to suggest that you (or > anyone who has priveleged access to the site) would actually abuse the > contract of anonymity, but of course you can't warn people about > potential abuse without it looking like you think it is likely that > people will abuse priveleges. (hope that convoluted sentence makes sense) I know what you mean, and if those guys are smart, they will think about this a little. > Anyway, if I had something that could get me fired, sued, or blackballed, > I sure wouldn't want to trust someone's claim of anonymity - especially > since that claim is probably not legally enforcable (i.e., I couldn't sue > the webmaster for damages if s/he made my identity known). Well, the anon.penet service got the local Finnish authorities (i.e. the heat) on their rear ends and that caused the whole service to terminate. The FBI, here, has been known to just go in and confiscate the hardware and software if they want to shut someone down for good cause. Suppose you were a company that didn't like something. Money and lawyers can lead to actions to stop something. I recall a year or two ago that one of the tobbacco companies didn't like the results of a researcher which got published and came out as anti-tobbacco. What did the company do? They used legal manuvering to force the researcher to turn over all of his notes, data, notebooks, manuscript drafts to the tobbacco company. How do you like them apples? By the way, this was reported in an issue of _Science_ back maybe 2 (?) years ago. > This is even > more important if that someone is intimately tied to the industry about > which I have information! I'd be much more likely to send it through an > anonymous remailer (even though those are no longer secure). I'd go for plain paper, handled with gloves that had not been touched on the outside by any of my pinkies, in an envelope, addressed and stamped (without licking), to the Wash Post, NY Times, and FBI, if I had something to blow the whistle about. You know, like in the spy novels written by ex-spooks. > Call me paranoid, if you will. But I sure as heck won't go walking in > downtown at night with $20 bills taped all over me - I'd just be asking > to get robbed, wouldn't I? I don't see that this is any different (except > in degree, perhaps). Right-on! > > Margaret A. Martin > > Yale University > mmartin(a)biomed.med.yale.edu > > > Art Sowers Path: !magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!lerc.nasa.gov!purdue!news.bu.edu!darwin!leach From: leach@darwin (Martin Leach) Newsgroups: sci.research.careers Subject: Re: Review and Warning about the "Biotech Rumor Mill" Date: 3 Sep 1996 20:02:03 GMT Organization: Boston University Lines: 163 Message-ID: <50i2rr$t6i(a)news.bu.edu> References: <lindasj-2908961456130001(a)client9.sedona.net> <Pine.SUN.3.94.960902214715.17927F-100000(a)access1.digex.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: darwin.bu.edu X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Hi Arthur, I read your initial comments to Dr. Jensen and feel that are being a little paranoid. Information can be readily collected by any adept webmaster that wishes to.....so your comments are applicable to EVERY web site. Just because somebody clicks 'submit' on a form e.g. posting form on my site it does not send any extra information that cannot be gathered any other nefarious way. The only additional information they send is whatever they fill in the dialog boxes. an example of info-gathering that can be acheived by any webmaster can be found at: http://www.uiuc.edu/cgi-bin/info together with the web browser + privacy issue. The only information that I have the need to collect is the I.P. (internet protocol) address of the postee. The purpose of this being that I can prevent them posting to my site if they repeatedly post off-topic or abusive posts. In the past I have used this to prevent stock touting on my website and have banned whole sub-domains. (since the i.p. address may be general to the sw region of ATT or AOL). This is all mentioned on the top of the post page (http://www.tradesmart.com/rumor/post.html) that people have to scroll through to get to the posting section. Other information that is automatically collected (by the web server) is the domain name/I.P. address of the people visiting the web site. This allows me to see who (in a very general sense) access my web site. This information is freely available to anyone visiting my website...and I frequently advertise this fact. You can obtain your own copy of the traffic report at this web site by going to: http://www.tradesmart.com/cgi-bin/surfreport.html just fill in your email address and wait. The results will be emailed to you. You do not need to wait for the reply..since the stats processing takes time. good luck on your endeavours and feel free to post something on the Rumor Mill. Whether anonymous or pubicly. Martin Leach Webmaster of the Biotech Rumor Mill. Arthur E. Sowers (arthures(a)access.digex.net) wrote: : Folks, I decided to visit this web site and tell all of you a few things : you ought to keep in mind. : First, the review: Yes, the "Rumor Mill" is a sort-of web-site : "newsgroup". The majority of posts and responses that I saw (not counting : the archives) were by "anonymous" posters. A good many were not : particularly "hot" (such as "why is company 'X' stock dropping?" and some : inane comments). Some were cryptic (meaning to the average person, they : might be essentially meaningless). Most were very short (1-2 sentences). A : few posts did have some information that I downloaded for use later. One : or two mentioned lawsuits (patent infringement). : Second, the warning: The Rumor Mill lets you post anonymously (as far as I : could see, but I did not try it) but THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT SOMEONE WILL : NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE. I don't know how the Rumor Mill is operated, but I : do know that websites CAN be configured to capture information about : browser users who access that site! They can get a large amount of : information about you including your name, email address, all sorts of : information about your domain & ISP, etc. Your anonymous post may appear : to everyone else as anonymous, but the sysop (webmaster) at that site : should be presumed to be capable of determining who you are. I myself have : seen website "hit statistics" and believe me, it all shows up. You should : look in your Web Browser directory for the <cookies.txt> file and note : that some web sites that you visit will put short lines of data into your : file. You might try to change the attributes on that file to "read only" : and see what happens. Sometimes it will thwart the web site, sometimes it : will give you an error message. As a matter of fact, I did click on one : button and my netscape security window opened up to warn me that the : channel to that site was not secure. What else is related to this? There : are a number of anonymous remailers out in cyberspace, but it has been : stated by a knowledgeable source that a number of them are being operated : by law enforcement agencies (presumably to troll for criminal activity). A : website which allows rumors to be posted anonymously, especially involving : commercial business details (i.e. proprietary) but carries at least : no disclaimer that the sysop or sponsors do not use hit statistics data : to correlate it with anonymous posters and thereby determine or attempt to : determine thier identity is a website that I would avoid using. In the : worlds of politics, leaks, trial-baloons, rumor, inuendo, insinuations, : etc. are common and make for entertaining reading for those who enjoy it. : But in the world of commerce, the wrong blip in the wrong place can lead : to lawsuits, prosecution (by, for example, the Securities and Exhange : Commission), and other personal information, identity, etc., to fall into : hands that I would hope smart people might think about before they make : posts. I have the feeling that a simple post to a newsgroup through a : remailer would be safer that an anonymous post to the Rumor Mill. At : least, I would get into the configuration dialog boxes on your web browser : and leave "your name" and "your email address" blank, or put in a dummy : name. But then, you can figure out that this is a way to also send forged : mail (there was a "fake mail" website about a year or two ago, but the : sysops eventually shut it down). There is in fact a website out there that : says it can be used for anonymous web browsing (and I expect at some time : in the future that they will start charging for its use [think for a : minute why these would exist and it will be obvious]), but where I have : that little snit of paper is burried on my desk with mountains of : uncolated paperwork (sorry). : What dothey say about "buyer beware?" Caveat emptor? : Eh? : Art Sowers : ======= : On 29 Aug 1996, Linda St. James wrote: : > Do you want to have a little fun and perhaps learn something about the : > current state of the biotechnology industry? : > : > Have you a particular company you've been interested in that you'd like : > more information on -- but the "inside scoop" seems better than an : > official company profile? : > : > IF SO --- : > : > : > Please take a look at Dr. Martin Leach's BIOTECH RUMOR MILL, one of the : > most fascinating sites on the WWW for the biotechnologist. : > : > In this site, Martin goes to great lengths to have an "all in one : > location" center for biotechnology news. Whether it is the daily reports : > from PR Newswire, or his reader surveys, you are bound to find something : > of interest. But, to prove that the internet imitates real life, some of : > the most interesting tidbits are pure rumor. : > : > In this site, you and your colleagues have an opportunity to post : > information in a completely anonymous fashion. Some of the biggest news in : > the biotechnology business comes out of the "Rumor Mill" before it hits : > the trade journals, or even the Wall Street Journal! Of course, you have : > to remember that in any forum where anyone can post anonymously, there is : > a certain amount of frivolity as well. But what fun! : > : > Search Masters International, an industry-leading search firm specializing : > in Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and Medical Device industries, is now a : > sponsor of this site along with Research Diagnostics. : > : > Take a look at your earliest convenience: : > : > The Biotech Rumor Mill is at: http://www.tradesmart.com/rumor : > : > The Search Masters International home page is at: http://smi.bio.com/ : > : > Best regards, : > : > Linda St. James, Office Manager : > Search Masters International : > Five Hundred Foothills South, Suite #2 : > Sedona, AZ 86336 : > (520) 282-3553 Phone or (520) 282-5881 Fax : > email to lindasj(a)sedona.net : > : > --- Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM Brighton Beach Boardwalk BBS, Forest Hills, N.Y.: +1-718-261-2013, 14.4Kbps

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FWD: remote help
by Adamsc＠io-online.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

This has the potential to be very useful. I do hope, however, that there are some safeguards against hackers. Just a "Allow access?" dialog would be a large deterrent. ==================BEGIN FORWARDED MESSAGE================== >Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 13:30:10 -0700 >Reply-To: OS/2 Users Discussion List <OS2USERS(a)VM1.MCGILL.CA> >Sender: OS/2 Users Discussion List <OS2USERS(a)VM1.MCGILL.CA> >From: James Ssemakula <JAMES(a)UCRAC1.UCR.EDU> >Subject: FWD: remote help >X-To: os2-l(a)hearn.nic.surfnet.nl, os2users(a)vm1.mcgill.ca >To: Multiple recipients of list OS2USERS <OS2USERS(a)VM1.MCGILL.CA> To: "os2news" <os2news(a)teamos2.org> Date: Wed, 04 Sep 96 12:49:35 -0500 Reply-To: "Terry Hamilton" <tch(a)ibm.net> Subject: OS2News: Remote Support Tool Featured In Merlin REMOTE SUPPORT TOOL FEATURED IN MERLIN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, September 3, 1996 --- International Software Solutions has announced that an IBM-only version of their product, Remote Services Management(TM) (R.S.M.) will be included in OS/2 Warp Version 4 (code-named Merlin). This innovative tool, called IBM Remote Support for OS/2, allows IBM service representatives to help users directly over the phone, much as an on-site Help Desk would. With the permission of the OS/2 user, a remote IBM service representative can now dial into the user's system, take control of the keyboard and screen, conduct training, run programs, edit files and, if necessary, reboot. IBM Remote Support for OS/2 is a functional subset of R.S.M., which was chosen by IBM from among several remote control tools. R.S.M. is a full function product allowing network support and administrative people to take control of client workstations. For the general user community, R.S.M. is used for help desk support, software installation and updating, training, and full access to an office computer from a remote laptop. Through an integrated Programming Script Language, R.S.M. can even be used to build complex LAN and WAN Management applications. R.S.M. was formerly known as PolyPM/2. According to Tim Guptill, Senior Vice President of International Software Solutions, USA, "We at I.S.S. are proud that we have been selected to provide IBM Remote Support for OS/2 for inclusion in the IBM Assistance Center - OS/2 Warp Version 4. Now, IBM Technical Support can directly access and control customer machines to perform Help Desk and diagnostic functions. This is a revolutionary step in providing a level of customer support as yet unavailable in the general software market". For more information on Remote Services Management, contact I.S.S. at their toll-free number (888) ISS-2-YOU, GO ISSLP on CompuServe (e-mail 104127,1754), or on the Web at http://www.iss2you.com. -0- 9/04/96 /CONTACT: Press: Christopher C. Canning, 888-ISS-2-YOU or 407-820-0802, ext. 210 or Fax: 407-820-0804 or CompuServe: 104127,1754/ ===================END FORWARDED MESSAGE=================== - "'Anonymity is bad,' says a source who wishes to remain anonymous." - Nuff' said. * Home: Chris Adams <adamsc(a)io-online.com> | http://www.io-online.com/adamsc/adamsc.htp * Autoresponder: send email w/subject of "send resume" or "send PGPKEY" * Work: cadams(a)acucobol.com | V.M. (619)515-4894 | (619)689-6579 * Member in good standing of the GNU whirled hors d'oeuvre

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All debtes public and private
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 8:36 PM 9/9/96, jbugden(a)smtplink.alis.ca wrote: >This may be a hopelessly naive question, but is it possible to refuse >payment in >cash? Is it really good for all debts public and private? > There is probably a FAQ on this, as it gets asked and debated so often. >From my reading of too many posts on too many lists about this issue, here are some misc. points: * First, anyone may specify what form of payment they want to be paid in, in advance of a transaction. Alice may demand payment in gold, in platinum, in barrels of oil, or in Blatislavan Yarts. Bob is free to decline her terms. (A common example is a sign saying "No bills over $20 accepted." Thus, if Bob fills his gas tank and then says "Here's a thousand-dollar bill...I hope you have change," he cannot escape his debt simply because the gas station does not make change for $1000 bills. If there is no sign, and the $1K note is offered....well, I don't know what would happen. Maybe there's been a case like this... Certainly the debt is not discharged merely because the payment cannot be accepted at the time....) * Second, once a debt has been incurred--as when a restaurant meal has been consumed, a gas tank filled, etc.--and absent any special arrangements for the payment to be in some special form, the debt is considered discharged if payment in legal tender (dollars) is offered. That is, the debtor can offer dollars. If the merchant demands Blatislavan Yarts, the State will not consider the debtor in default for not paying in Yarts. (Again, absent a contractual agreement.) * Third, a merchant is free to not let a transaction go to completion at the point of sale (e.g., the cash register, for physical goods being purchased) if the form of payment is not acceptable to him. (The case of a gas tank already being filled, a restaurant meal already being eaten is more complicated, with an "implied contract" being involved. Absent signs or agreements clearly announced, the assumption is that dollars are the means of settlement.) * Fourth, the main reason for the "legal tender for all debts public and private" statement appears to be linked to efforts to stamp out private, bank-issued currencies. * Fifth, there are various books on alternative currencies, denationalization of money, and such issues. Basically, trying to introduce a new currency is not likely to be strongly supported by the legal system. --Tim May We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1,257,787-1 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Re: [WAS xs4all.nl] Terrorists
by jim bell 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 02:29 PM 9/9/96 -0400, Duncan Frissell wrote: >At 01:49 AM 9/9/96 -0700, Timothy C. May wrote: >>And the net effect of crypto anarchy is to destabilize and marginalize >>central governments, which is a net positive effect. If some eggs get >>broken in the process, the biological imperative will generate more eggs. >>No big deal. > >Particularly since governments murdered 160 million in the last 100 years >while we civilians have only managed to murder a paltry 20 million or fewer. >A savings of 160 million deaths leaves a lot of room for a non-harmful >increase in private murder. We could increase the private murder rate by 8 >to 10 times and still break even. I think the analysis is even more attractive than these numbers would imply. Probably the victims of government were, on average, no more "worthy of death" than that of the average citizen. They were the soldiers killed in wars (many or most of whom were drafted), civilians bombed, the victims of oppression and holocaust, etc. More or less ordinary people, a cross-section of society. While it's harder to generalize about victims of private killing, probably a far higher probability were either the bad guys killed off by other bad guys, or the bad guys killed legitimately by the good guys. Even when they were "good guys killed by bad guys," in many cases it's due to fallout from drug laws, or people prevented from carrying guns for their own protection. >Note too that most terrorism is aimed at governments (even if practiced on >civilians). In the absence of government, terrorist incentives may be reduced. Normally efforts to reduce terrorism would be welcomed by the government. Wouldn't it be interesting to see their reaction to an organization which announces that there are too many innocent citizens who are becoming victims of terrorism, and publicly calls on these terrorists to direct their attacks to non-private individuals, possibly researching the matter and giving suggestions? I think the public would understand, after a little education, that the average terrorist doesn't really have any reason to want to kill a private citizen if a better alternative were presented. I don't suppose you'd ever see a conventional polling organization ask the public questions like, "would you prefer to see 200+ randomly-selected citizens die in an airplane bombing, or the deaths of 50 government employees most responsible for the Waco and Ruby Ridge incidents." Jim Bell jimbell(a)pacifier.com

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Re: Crypto Anachy MUD
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 5:10 AM 9/10/96, Jon Leonard wrote: >Duncan Frissell wrote: >> Did anyone make the point (I gave up on the thread) that we already have a >> great Crypto Anarchy MUD with lots of the coding already done. We call it >> the Internet. Digital cash, strong crypto, remailers, everything. > >Tim May expressed doubt that it was worth the effort: Not much easier >than the real thing, and not as good. That's the closest to your point, >I think. .... >Finally, a MUD has the potential to spread crypto-anarchic ideas to people >who would not otherwise have considered them. > >It may be that I'm wasting my time, but I could come up with some useful >new crypto protocol too. Don't tar me with the "Tim said it was a waste of time" label. Rather, I said I thought it would be pretty tough to get a reasonable ontology, one with rich enough behaviors and reasonable incentives and disincentives. Simulations are an art...they were useful in nuclear war planning, where the degrees of freedom were constrained, and so on. I agree that various cryptographic and crypto anarchic constructs can be "faked" in a game (MUD) that cannot be reasonably implemented at this time in the real world. Note: Didn't Steve Jackson Games have something called "GURPS Cyberpunk" which was somewhat similar? Anyway, good luck and have fun. --Tim May We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, I know that that ain't allowed. ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^1,257,787-1 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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