December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

IP: Y2K Horror Stories a Foretaste of Breakdowns to Come
by Vladimir Z. Nuri 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: believer(a)telepath.com Subject: IP: Y2K Horror Stories a Foretaste of Breakdowns to Come Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 23:08:03 -0500 To: ignition-point(a)majordomo.pobox.com Source: http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/2665 Category: Noncompliant_Chips Date: 1998-09-23 11:10:48 Subject: Horror Stories That Are a Foretaste of Breakdowns to Come Link: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000AUk Comment: This document speaks for itself. Mutiply this through every institution that uses embedded systems. There is a lesson here. Any time anyone tells you, "This will work. No problem," ask him to demonstrate how it will work with no problem. Companies are just like governments. They stonewall. They pretend. They lie. Mainly, when caught, they lie. "I did not have noncompliance with that product!" This was especially interesting: "Nearly a month after I sent email to two different year 2000 addresses at the company, I received a phone call from the company. The caller described herself as a liaison with technical support and admitted to having no technical knowledge of the instrument. She said that their legal department would only allow verbal communication in this matter. She was prohibited from replying by email or written communication. "She said the embedded systems 'could be a problem' if new firmware wasn't installed. When questioned, she admitted that new firmware was not available and she did not know when it would be." Substitute the term "Western civilization" for "new firmware." * * * * * * * * * * * I am an analytical chemist specializing in inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). ICP-AES is a method used to determine trace amounts of metals in solutions in the part per million and part per billion range. I am responsible for two spectrometers each of which cost approximately $130,000. Both instruments contain embedded microprocessor systems that are in turn controlled by external computers. The first uses a PDP-11/53 for the external computer. It is running the instrument control software under RT-11 and TSX-Plus. No hardware real time clock exists in the system. This version of RT-11 only accepts 1979 to 1999 as valid years for the system clock. There is no 2000 or 00. If left powered up, the system clock rolls over from 99 to 100. The file system is not designed to handle dates outside of the 79 to 99 range. A compliant version of RT-11 has just become available, but the manufacturer of the instrument says this won't help with problems in the instrument control software. We have been told that the software will "crash and burn" when hit with year 2000. The instrument was manufactured in 1988 and the software is no longer supported by the company. In fact, the company no longer employs anyone who worked on the Fortran source. The company's solution is to replace the PDP-11 with a PC and purchase a $6000 software package that runs under Windows. If we did this, we would no longer be able to use the quality control and data transfer programs we have written for the current system. We would also have several weeks of down time while entering our current analytical methods into the new system. My experience with a beta version of the PC software leads me to believe productivity would suffer in the end. The second instrument was controlled with a DEC 466 (486-66) running instrument control software under SCO-UNIX System V/386 Release 3.2. This system became very confused after the real time clock (RTC) was set to 12/31/99. Allowing the clock to roll over with the power off gave a RTC date of 1900. On boot up, Unix said the system year was 2000. However, the instrument software reported the current date as 01/01/10 and the RTC was reset to 1970. With the RTC set to 2000, the instrument software still reported the date as 01/01/10, but now the RTC was reset to 2070. On the next boot up, Unix would report the system date as 1970. At any time, typing in 000101 in the yymmdd field on boot up resulted in the RTC being reset to 1970. SCO has a patch for the operating system, but again this would not solve problems in the instrument control software. In this case, we have replaced the 486 with a Y2k compliant Pentium 300 and installed instrument control software that runs under Windows 95. The manufacturer no longer supports the software that ran under Unix. The instrument is two years old. Inside the instrument are two embedded 68000 microprocessor systems with real time clocks. Access to the clocks requires a program normally supplied only to service technicians. Execution of that program requires a password. The real time clocks can run without external power for up to ten years on internal lithium batteries. One function of the clocks is to insure the proper start-up sequence is followed after shutdowns of different lengths (hot or cold start). Extensive damage could be caused by an error in the control of heating, cooling, or gas flow systems. The clocks are also used in the monitoring of safety interlocks and sensors. Both clocks rollover from 1999 to 1900 and can not be set to 2000. The clocks also count off the days of the week. I am reluctant to extensively test the system myself because of the possibility of damage. When I first talked to technical support about my concerns, the technician pulled out a copy of the year 2000 compliance certificate for the new software and read it over. He then stated: "This certification only covers the software - not the *instrument*." This instrument and software is being sold as the company's year 2000 solution to replace almost all earlier systems. My next contact was with a different technician who was in the lab to repair an electronic problem in the instrument. He told me: "Don't worry, we use four digit dates." I asked him to demonstrate setting the clocks ahead. He ran the program on the main computer and it allowed him to type the year 2000 on the entry screen. He then executed the command to send the date to the embedded system. There were no error messages. He gave me a look that implied "I told you so". I then asked him to read back the current time from the clock he just set. He was visibly startled when he saw 1900 appear on the screen. He said he would have one of their experts call me. A few days later I heard from the "expert" who tried to reassure me with phrases like "they're just timers" and "the instrument doesn't _need_ to know what day it is". However, since he didn't seem to have a mastery of what the clocks actually do, I wasn't reassured. For example: I can put the instrument into standby (sleep mode) over the weekend with instructions to be ready to operate at 8:00 AM Monday. This will conserve gases (nitrogen and argon) and reduce power needs. 73 minutes before the assigned ready time, the embedded systems will query the main computer for start-up instructions. If the main system is running, it takes control of the sequence. If the main system is off, the embedded systems will look for it for 10 minutes and then independently begin the start-up sequence in the instrument EPROM. The "expert" didn't seem to have even this depth of knowledge of the system. Nearly a month after I sent email to two different year 2000 addresses at the company, I received a phone call from the company. The caller described herself as a liaison with technical support and admitted to having no technical knowledge of the instrument. She said that their legal department would only allow verbal communication in this matter. She was prohibited from replying by email or written communication. She said the embedded systems "could be a problem" if new firmware wasn't installed. When questioned, she admitted that new firmware was not available and she did not know when it would be. She also said that the clocks were used for the "wake up" procedure and not used for anything else. Since she had no knowledge of the instrument, there was no point in asking about system error (SYSERROR) message 75 described in the appendix of the manual: 75 Real-Time Clock. Call Service. The real-time clock, used to monitor the status of interlocks (and sensors), is not functioning. This will not shut down the system; however, a XXXXXXXX service engineer should be contacted. "This will not shut down the system" means I can start up a sustained 10,000 degree plasma in a confined space with uncertainty as to whether the interlocks and sensors will detect a malfunction. It's my belief that in thinking about embedded systems, this company has been in "sleep mode". I may have been the first to sound a "wake up" alarm about this instrument. Now they have to muster the people and resources to re-write the programs stored in the EPROM's, produce new chips, and install them in hundreds of instruments around the world. I should also mention that this is only one instrument in a large product line that has other Y2k problems. Will they get them all done? On time? I don't think they know. Link: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000AUk ---------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----------------------- ********************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: majordomo(a)majordomo.pobox.com with the message: (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address ********************************************** www.telepath.com/believer **********************************************

1 0

IP: NSA listening practices called European`threat'
by Vladimir Z. Nuri 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: believer(a)telepath.com Subject: IP: NSA listening practices called European`threat' Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 14:54:05 -0500 To: believer(a)telepath.com Source: Baltimore Sun http://www.sunspot.net/cgi-bin/editorial/story.cgi?storyid=900000194001 NSA listening practices called European`threat' European Parliament report accuses agency of widespread spying By Neal Thompson Sun Staff The National Security Agency has incurred the wrath of some U.S. allies and triggered debate about increased global eavesdropping, thanks to a new report that accuses the agency of spying on European citizens and companies. With the help of a listening post in the moors of northern England, NSA for nearly a decade has been snatching Europe's electronic communications signals, according to a report for the European Parliament. "Within Europe, all e-mail, telephone and fax communications are routinely intercepted by the United States National Security Agency, transferring all target information to Fort Meade," said the report. `Powerful threat' It warned that the NSA's tactics represent a "powerful threat to civil liberties in Europe" at a time when more communication -- and commerce -- is conducted electronically. A preliminary version of the report circulated overseas in recent months, touching off heated debate, with front-page stories in Italy, France, Scotland, England, Belgium and even Russia. The NSA won't discuss the report or even admit that the listening post exists. But this week, two days of debate in the European Parliament continued the extraordinary public disclosure of comprehensive post-Cold War spying by the agency. On Wednesday, the Parliament passed a resolution seeking more accountability from such eavesdropping arrangements and more assurances that they won't be misused. "We want to make sure that somebody's watching them," said Glyn Ford, a British member of the European Parliament, the legislative body for the 15-member European Union. Observers say this was the first time a governmental body has described in detail -- and then criticized -- the NSA's tactics. "The cat's well and true out of the bag," said Simon Davies, director of the London-based watchdog group Privacy International. "I would argue that we have made the grandest step in 50 years toward accountability of such national security transparencies." The report describes a sophisticated program called Echelon, which the NSA established in conjunction with British intelligence agencies. The program includes a listening post in Menwith Hill, in Yorkshire, whose satellite dishes soak up the satellite and microwave transmissions carrying Europe's telephone conversations, faxes and e-mail. Unlike Cold War spying aimed at the military, Echelon is a global electronic surveillance system that targets individuals, businesses, governments and organizations, the report says. The U.S. shares the information with Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand as part of an intelligence-sharing agreement called UKUSA. Each nation has its own set of key words, so it can seek information on specific issues, the report states. Europe is but a fraction of Echelon's target area -- and the Menwith Hill post is one of at least 10 around the world, the report adds. "One reason its a bigger deal over there than it is over here [in the U.S.] is because the SIGINT [signals intelligence] systems are over their heads and not our heads," said Jeffrey Richelson, an analyst with the National Security Archives, a U.S. group seeking to declassify intelligence related documents. Echelon repercussions But the disclosure of Echelon could soon resonate across the Atlantic after the European Parliament action. Furthermore, it could complicate current negotiations between the U.S. and the European Union over encryption programs that scramble or encode computer information, said Parliament member Ford. The U.S. has been lobbying for back-door access to such codes for security reasons. Originally published on Sep 19 1998 ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----------------------- ********************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: majordomo(a)majordomo.pobox.com with the message: (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address ********************************************** www.telepath.com/believer **********************************************

1 0

IP: Funny Money: New $20 FRNs are here
by Vladimir Z. Nuri 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

From: believer(a)telepath.com Subject: IP: Funny Money: New $20 FRNs are here Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 17:05:38 -0500 To: believer(a)telepath.com Source: US Newswire http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0924-109.txt U.S. Treasury, Federal Reserve Issue New $20 Note U.S. Newswire 24 Sep 10:45 U.S. Treasury, Federal Reserve Issue New $20 Note To: National and Financial Desks Contact: Hamilton Dix of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, 202-622-2960, or Bob Moore of the Federal Reserve, 202-452-3215 WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin and Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan today announced the issuance of the redesigned $20 note, which includes new and modified security features to deter counterfeiting of U.S. currency. Rubin and U.S. Treasurer Mary Ellen Withrow marked the issuance of the new notes in a ceremony at Treasury's Cash Room in Washington, D.C. More than two dozen regional events hosted by Federal Reserve banks and branches and major retailers were also conducted around the country. "We have introduced a series of features that greatly raise the hurdle for counterfeiters," Rubin said. "Together these features amount to a formidable tool, and make spotting a counterfeit note easier than ever. For them to be effective, it is important that people stop for a moment to look for the new features." The new $20 will replace older notes gradually, and older series $20 notes still in good condition will be recirculated. About $83 billion worth of $20 notes is currently in circulation, 80 percent of those in the U.S. More than $450 billion worth of U.S. currency circulates around the globe. The Series 1996 $20 note is the third U.S. currency note to be redesigned to include new and modified security features. New $10 and $5 notes are expected to be issued simultaneously in 2000, and a new $1 note with a more modest redesign will follow. "We are confident that the introduction of this third redesigned note will be as smooth as that of the $100 and $50 notes," Chairman Greenspan said. "Older notes will not be recalled or devalued. All existing notes will continue to be legal tender." Like the Series 1996 $100 and $50 notes introduced since 1996, the new $20 note has a familiar appearance. The size, color and historical subjects have not changed. It also incorporates several security features that have proved effective against would-be counterfeiters: a watermark; enhanced security thread; fine-line printing patterns; color-shifting ink; and a larger, off-center portrait that is the most noticeable change in the overall architecture of the note. There are also two features for the blind and visually impaired. The new $20 note includes a capability that will allow the development of technology to help the blind ascertain the denomination of their currency. In addition, the $20 and $50 notes have a large numeral on the back that make the notes easier for millions of Americans with low vision to read. The continuing introduction of redesigned notes is a critical component of the Federal government's anti-counterfeiting effort. The new series aims to maintain the security of the nation's currency as computerized reprographic technologies such as color copiers, scanners and printers become more sophisticated and more readily available. The $20 note is the most frequently counterfeited note in the United States. Since the $20 note is so widely used in daily commerce and most frequently dispensed by ATMs, broad nationwide recognition of the new note when it is introduced will minimize apprehension on the part of the public. A public education campaign now underway encourages the public and people who handle cash every day to become familiar with the design and security features of the new notes. Retailers and financial institutions are educating their employees and customers by sending posters to their outlets, training cashiers, offering pamphlets to the public, and including information about the new note in advertising circulars and on shopping bags. More than 100 constituency organizations have helped reach small business owners, loss prevention managers, visually impaired and older Americans, and others with a stake in the new note's introduction. U.S. embassies and consulates are using materials translated into 15 languages to conduct localized education outreach to ensure that local users of U.S. currency as well as financial institutions are prepared for the issuance of the new note. Fact sheets on the new note, the history of U.S. currency and related agencies are available at http://www.moneyfactory.com. -0- /U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/ 09/24 10:45 Copyright 1998, U.S. Newswire ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----------------------- ********************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: majordomo(a)majordomo.pobox.com with the message: (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address ********************************************** www.telepath.com/believer **********************************************

1 0

Release of Veterans' Affairs policy
by Scott Balson 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Please check: <A href="http://www.gwb.com.au/onenation/policy/vet.html">http://www.gwb.com.au/onenation/policy/vet.html GWB Scott Balson

1 0

No Subject
by Anonymous 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Friday, September 25, 1998 - 08:08:49 MET You know for what the acronym CLINTON stands for ? Call Lewinsky, I Need The Oral Now !

1 0

TODAY'S NEWS AND PICS PACKED STUFFED! - READ IT NOW!
by STUFFED NEWS DAILY 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

+ BOP TIL YOU DROP + SEX MAD FOR IT + STUPID SPICE + THE BEST OF EUREKA + PANTY THEIF + LEZ BE PALS + WHIP U + DO I TAFT TO ----> http://stuffed.net/98/9/25/ <---- Welcome to today's issue of Stuffed. To read it you should click on the URL above. If it is not made clickable by your email program you will need to use your mouse to highlight the URL, copy it and then paste it into your browser (then press Return). This email is never sent unsolicited. Stuffed is the supplement for the Eureka newsletter you subscribed to. Full instructions on unsubscribing are in every issue of Eureka! ----> http://stuffed.net/98/9/25/ <----

1 0

Hello from USA,
by winkler.elke＠usa.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Here is Elke agian, it's been a while we've exchanged our e-mails. I'd like to touch bases with you again on the Network Branch. Are you still interested in setting your own business on the internet? Our project is ready to be taken over. So you can run your branch of an International Dating, Matchmaking and Travel Service in your region. We will provide for you all necessary setup, software, etc., and you can start making your money right away! So, please get back to me on that. Warmly, Elke Winkler Berlin, Germany winkler.elke(a)usa.net

1 0

MEDIA RELEASE: Data Fellows and BackWeb sign agreement
by Marita N�sman-Repo 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

For immediate release. September 25, 1998 #################################### Data Fellows to integrate BackWeb's technology into CounterSign architecture Helsinki, Finland, September 25, 1998 - Data Fellows Ltd., a leading data security vendor, and BackWeb Technologies, a leader in push solutions for Knowledge Distribution, today announced an agreement to integrate BackWebs Polite Server and Agent technology into Data Fellows CounterSign management architecture. The CounterSign architecture provides a scalable, policy-based framework for managing the security infrastructure. By including BackWeb technology in Data Fellows products, protection against security breaches reaches the highest level, as the security system will automatically and transparently keep itself up-to-date during idle time online. BackWebs solution will complement the existing Internet update technology in F-Secure security products, which include F-Secure Workstation Suite, F-Secure Anti-Virus, F-Secure FileCrypto, F-Secure VPN+, F-Secure SSH and F-Secure NameSurfer. "Combining our integrated security solutions with BackWebs Polite distribution technology provides clear benefits to corporate customers in todays insecure Internet environments," said Risto Siilasmaa, President and CEO of Data Fellows. "The use of bandwidth-friendly and scaleable push technology is a natural extension of our strong Internet approach." F-Secure utilizes BackWebs new client, which allows data transfer to customer networks securely even through firewalls. Administrators of corporate networks will be able to make the decision about deploying a particular version update in their networks, on a case-by-case basis, if they prefer to evaluate the updates before deployment. This type of implementation ensures that customers always have the latest versions on hand and are able to follow company security policy on software distribution. Data Fellows will also utilize the BackWeb broadcast channel for delivering alerts as well as relevant product service and support information to the corporate administrators and to its partners world-wide. Data Fellows future plans include establishing partnerships with ISPs for using BackWebs push technology and its down- and upstream capabilities to enable ISPs to find new sources of revenue from value-added services, such as well-managed security services. About Data Fellows Data Fellows is one of the worlds leading developers of data security products. The Company develops, markets and supports anti-virus, data security and cryptography software products for corporate computer networks. It has offices in San Jose, California, and Espoo, Finland, with corporate partners, VARs and other distributors in over 80 countries around the world. All F-Secure products are integrated into the CounterSign management architecture, which provides a three-tier, scaleable, policy-based management infrastructure to minimize the costs of security management. F-Secure Workstation Suite consists of malicious code detection and removal, unobtrusive file and network encryption, and personal firewall functionality, all integrated into a policy-based management architecture. F-Secure Anti-Virus, with multiple scanning engines (including F-PROT and AVP), is the most comprehensive, real-time virus scanning and protection system for all Windows platforms. F-Secure VPN+ provides a software-based, IPSEC-compliant Virtual Private Network solution for large corporate networks as well as remote and small office networks. F-Secure FileCrypto is the first and only product to integrate strong real-time encryption directly into the Windows file system. FSecure SSH provides secure remote login, terminal, and other connections over unsecured networks. It is the most widely used secure remote administration tool. F-Secure NameSurfer is the solution for remote Internet and Intranet DNS administration. Its easy-to-use WWW user interface automates and simplifies DNS administration. The Company has customers in more than 100 countries, including many of the worlds largest industrial corporations and best-known telecommunications companies, major international airlines, European governments, post offices and defense forces, and several of the worlds largest banks. The Company was named one of the Top 100 Technology companies in the world by Red Herring magazine in its September 1998 issue. Other commendations include Hot Product of the Year 1997 (Data Communications Magazine); Best Anti-Virus product (SVM Magazine, May 1997); Editors Choice (SECURE Computing Magazine); and the 1996 European Information Technology Prize. For more information, please contact: USA: Data Fellows Inc. Mr. Petri Laakkonen, President Tel. +1 408 938 6700, fax +1 408 938 6701 E-mail: Petri.Laakkonen(a)DataFellows.com Europe: Data Fellows Oy Mr. Jari Puhakka, Director, Business Development PL 24 FIN-02231 ESPOO Tel. +358 9 859 900, fax. +358 9 8599 0599 E-mail: Jari.Puhakka(a)DataFellows.com or visit our web site at http://www.DataFellows.com -- Marita.Nasman-Repo(a)DataFellows.com, World-Wide Web http://www.DataFellows.com

1 0

Georges
by Edwin E. Smith 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

The rain has started here in north Tampa. Hope to see all of you in the next life. :-)

1 0

EU-US Relations and Spy Satellit
by John Young 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

http://www.europarl.eu.int/dg3/sdp/pointses/en/p980914s.htm#6 EU-US relations and spy satellite Monday 14 September MEPs adopted the resolution emphasising the importance of EU-US relations and welcoming the New Transatlantic Agenda agreed at the 18 May London Summit. MEPs see the agreement as a means of reducing potential sources of conflict between both sides but want Congress to scrap the extra-territorial Helms-Burton and d'Amato Acts. The resolution recognises the importance of cooperation in the field of electronic surveillance for tracking down international criminal terrorists and drug traffickers but takes the view that "protective measures concerning economic information and effective encryption" should be taken to guard against abuse and threat to civil liberties posed by international telecommunications such as the "Echelon" US system. ----- We were unable to find the full resolution online and would appreciate a pointer, or a hardcopy: US Fax: 212-873-8700 Snail: John Young 251 West 89th Street, Suite 6E New York, NY 10024 No response from DoD on our request to interview Secretary Cohen about Echelon. And despite the spate of news reports on the recent Euro Parliament debate about it, there have been no questions about Echelon in DoD press briefings. Perhaps one of our esteemed journalists with Pentagon links could follow up on the Baltimore Sun coverage. Duncan Campbell, the first to write of Echelon in 1988, is offering information on Menwith Hill (NSA Echelon base) obtained by British protestors: http://jya.com/en092198.htm

1 0