May 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

Fatherland tries to tie pot to 'terrorists'
by Major Variola (ret) 16 May '03

16 May '03

Number of marijuana plants seized at Sequoia has soared. Officials say Mexican cartels linked to Mideast terrorists run the operation. ... The pot fields are financed by the Mexican drug cartels that dominate the methamphetamine trade in the adjacent Central Valley, drug enforcement officials say. The officials say there is evidence that the cartels, in turn, have financial ties to Middle Eastern smugglers linked to Hezbollah and other groups accused of terrorism. <snip> http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pot14may14,1,4366659.story?coll=la%… If the middle-eastern freedom fighters actually had ties to Mexico, not just sending some $ that way, you can kiss your texas ranch goodbye. ---- I love the smell of RDX in the morning. It smells like.. victory.

4 4

Re: Fatherland tries to tie pot to 'terrorists'
by Major Variola (ret) 16 May '03

16 May '03

At 11:16 AM 5/16/03 +0800, Sandy Harris wrote: >I'd say that if opium is indeed a major crop in Af now, then the >situation was created by some combination of US pressure on other >sources, the Islamic gov't in Iran suppressing it there, various >groups -- including Bin Laden's lads -- needing money to fight >the Russians, Taliban (probably with the help of the CIA and >Pakistani Intelligence, who created them) needing money, ... Um, hello? Farmers are *rational beings*. They will grow cash crops given sufficient ROI. No different from Kentucky inbreds growing tobacco. (Funny how no one is allowed to criticize the US exports of this addictive plant. Very funny indeed. Perhaps the Columbians will start spraying tobacco fields, (hey if other crops die its collateral damage), and shooting innocent planes out of the air. Frankly I'd rather they buy Al Q a kilo-class sub driven up the Potomac, tobacco keeps social fnord security solvent)

1 0

Nmap is actually fast in the future.
by R. A. Hettinga 16 May '03

16 May '03

--- begin forwarded text

3 2

Re: NYT on Biometrics
by Major Variola (ret) 15 May '03

15 May '03

At 07:40 PM 5/15/03 -0400, BobCat wrote: >From: "Bill Stewart" <bill.stewart(a)pobox.com> > >> The eye-scanning system at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is >> something of a novelty. But the technology might someday >> replace traditional forms of identification. > >Ha. That's my opthamologist in the article. I'll ask him about it, I need to >get my eyes checked anyway. While you're at it, ask him whether my nastigmatic (albeit deceased) grandmother would have problems (or rather, the system with her) (modulo her being deceased).

1 0

Nmap is actually fast in the future.
by gkm＠petting-zoo.net 15 May '03

15 May '03

Forwarded-by: nev(a)bostic.com Forwarded-by: "Frank Byrum" <byrum(a)infionline.net> From: Fyodor [mailto:fyodor@insecure.org] Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 5:17 AM To: nmap-hackers(a)insecure.org Subject: Whoa! Hi Everyone. There is a disturbance in the force! You may recall a couple weeks ago that MS started recommending Nmap on some of their web pages. That was strange, but I did not foresee the anomalous omens that would ensue. Like almost any self-respecting geek, I bought tickets to 'Matrix: Reloaded' several weeks back (no spoilers, I promise). After all, who can resist the combination of philosophical mind games and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in that tight leather bodysuit? So after waiting an hour in a line snaking out of the theatre to the parking lot, I finally got in to my 10pm Wednesday showing. All was going well until Trinity needed to do some hacking. Oh, no! I was sure we'd see a silly "Hackers"-esque 3D animated "hacking scene". Not so! Trinity is as smart as she is seductive! She whips out Nmap (!!!), scans her target, finds 22/tcp open, and proceeds with an 8ber ssh technique! I was so surprised, I almost jumped out of my seat and did the "r00t dance" right there in the theatre! There can be only one explanation: Carie-Anne has the hots for me! Now your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to secure a screen-shot of that few-second episode! Not only is it important for the coolness factor, but we can learn how Nmap looks in the future by studying that output! So perhaps some of you gray hats in the audience have a quality DivX/MPG of the movie already? Let me know if you do (but no 2GB email attachments please!) Or perhaps someone could sneak a quiet flashless digital camera into the theatre and take a shot. But you must react quickly as it is literally only up for a few seconds (Nmap is actually fast in the future). Do this, and you will prove that you are truly "the one"! I'll also put your name and a thumbnail on the front page of Insecure.Org if you send in the best shot. In other news, a few people have inquired about further survey results. Sorry I have been so slow, but things have been very busy. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to send more by next week. I hope to have a couple other announcements ready for next week as well! Keep it real, Fyodor -------------------------------------------------- For help using this (nmap-hackers) mailing list, send a blank email to nmap-hackers-help(a)insecure.org . List run by ezmlm-idx (www.ezmlm.org) --- end forwarded text -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah(a)ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

1 0

Nmap is actually fast in the future.
by gkm＠petting-zoo.net 15 May '03

15 May '03

Forwarded-by: nev(a)bostic.com Forwarded-by: "Frank Byrum" <byrum(a)infionline.net> From: Fyodor [mailto:fyodor@insecure.org] Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 5:17 AM To: nmap-hackers(a)insecure.org Subject: Whoa! Hi Everyone. There is a disturbance in the force! You may recall a couple weeks ago that MS started recommending Nmap on some of their web pages. That was strange, but I did not foresee the anomalous omens that would ensue. Like almost any self-respecting geek, I bought tickets to 'Matrix: Reloaded' several weeks back (no spoilers, I promise). After all, who can resist the combination of philosophical mind games and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in that tight leather bodysuit? So after waiting an hour in a line snaking out of the theatre to the parking lot, I finally got in to my 10pm Wednesday showing. All was going well until Trinity needed to do some hacking. Oh, no! I was sure we'd see a silly "Hackers"-esque 3D animated "hacking scene". Not so! Trinity is as smart as she is seductive! She whips out Nmap (!!!), scans her target, finds 22/tcp open, and proceeds with an 8ber ssh technique! I was so surprised, I almost jumped out of my seat and did the "r00t dance" right there in the theatre! There can be only one explanation: Carie-Anne has the hots for me! Now your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to secure a screen-shot of that few-second episode! Not only is it important for the coolness factor, but we can learn how Nmap looks in the future by studying that output! So perhaps some of you gray hats in the audience have a quality DivX/MPG of the movie already? Let me know if you do (but no 2GB email attachments please!) Or perhaps someone could sneak a quiet flashless digital camera into the theatre and take a shot. But you must react quickly as it is literally only up for a few seconds (Nmap is actually fast in the future). Do this, and you will prove that you are truly "the one"! I'll also put your name and a thumbnail on the front page of Insecure.Org if you send in the best shot. In other news, a few people have inquired about further survey results. Sorry I have been so slow, but things have been very busy. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to send more by next week. I hope to have a couple other announcements ready for next week as well! Keep it real, Fyodor -------------------------------------------------- For help using this (nmap-hackers) mailing list, send a blank email to nmap-hackers-help(a)insecure.org . List run by ezmlm-idx (www.ezmlm.org) --- end forwarded text -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah(a)ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

1 0

NYT on Biometrics
by Bill Stewart 15 May '03

15 May '03

I like the juxtaposition of two of the articles in David Pogue's NYT "Circuits" online column today... The article is about iris scanners, not retina scanners, and it doesn't mention the effects of glasses on it. I'd guess that conventional eyeglasses would interfere with its effectiveness, because they magnify or shrink the image and may distort it in other ways, but perhaps the scanners already need to rescale to adapt to different camera angles and distances. ----------- 6. How It Works: A Scanner Zeroes In on the Eyes ================================================ The eye-scanning system at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is something of a novelty. But the technology might someday replace traditional forms of identification. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/15/technology/circuits/15howw.html?8cir 7. Online Shopper: Finding Eyeglasses on the Web ================================================ The Web may seem an unlikely place to shop for eyeglasses. But it even lets you check the fit. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/15/technology/circuits/15shop.html?8cir ----------

2 1

OIF Establishes Security for UNI and NNI
by Tyler Durden 15 May '03

15 May '03

For the transport/optical networking folks. Come to think of it, it is suprising that this hadn't been tackled soon, given the potential consequences of a compromised UNI, and given that UNI 1.0 was settled upon back in early 2001 or so. -TD FREMONT, Calif. -- In the wake of its quarterly meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona last week, the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) announced approval of the Security Extension for the User-to-Network Interface (UNI) and Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) Implementation Agreement (IA). The IA is the result of the combined efforts of the OIF's Architecture Working Group (WG), Carrier WG, Signaling WG and Operations Administration, Maintenance, & Provisioning (OAM&P) WG. The IA focuses on security for management interfaces and the auditing and logging of optical transport network elements. "Work on this implementation agreement began by identifying carriers' security requirements and then evaluating alternative solutions," said Joe Berthold, CIENA Corporation, president of the OIF. "The Security Extension IA is an example of multiple OIF working groups collaborating to better the industry." The Security IA defines a common extension for securing the protocols used in the UNI 1.0 IA and the UNI 2.0 and NNI works in progress. The IA was written to provide a common set of security mechanisms required to protect the signaling and routing of optical connections. These mechanisms safeguard transport networks against attacks that may compromise their control planes, seek unauthorized use of their resources or attempt to gain unauthorized information about their configuration and usage. To counter these threats, the IA was developed to protect the UNI signaling control channel(s). The Security Extension IA provides options for more extended coverage, defines a common method to secure additional protocols, allows compatibility between UNI and NNI security and reduces the need for manual intervention. The IA defines an optional-to-implement profile of the IETF's IPsec so signaling protocols that can be protected with mutual authentication, key management, message integrity, replay detection and confidentiality in a standard, widely-implemented, interoperable manner. _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus

1 0

about fucking time! - local communities refuse to enforce patriot act
by Sunder 15 May '03

15 May '03

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,86915,00.html Local Communities Refuse to Enforce Patriot Act Thursday, May 15, 2003 By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos WASHINGTON . In a rare occurrence, conservative watchdogs are siding with liberal groups who say that several provisions of the anti-terror USA Patriot Act (search) are cause for concern by Americans seeking to protect their basic rights. "We must balance at all times the fact that national security is important, but freedom is essential," said Phil Kent, president of the conservative Southeastern Legal Foundation (search), which has taken issue with expanded federal surveillance powers granted under the law. Kent and others are applauding local efforts to try to ward off provisions of the Patriot Act. As of this week, the state of Hawaii as well as 104 cities and counties across the country have passed resolutions protesting federal law enforcement measures in the USA Patriot Act. <SNIP> Responding to a anti-Patriot Act resolution passed by the Tucson, Ariz., city council on May 5, Republican U.S. Sen. John Kyl said none of the invasiveness activists have warned about has come to pass. "Despite what critics charge, law-abiding Americans have not seen their rights infringed," he told Foxnews.com. <SNIP> [[[My comments: yeah, I guess that depends on your definition of American (said the same way W. J. Clinton commented on the definition of "is")]]] ----------------------Kaos-Keraunos-Kybernetos--------------------------- + ^ + :25Kliters anthrax, 38K liters botulinum toxin, 500 tons of /|\ \|/ :sarin, mustard and VX gas, mobile bio-weapons labs, nukular /\|/\ <--*-->:weapons.. Reasons for war on Iraq - GWB 2003-01-28 speech. \/|\/ /|\ :Found to date: 0. Cost of war: $800,000,000,000 USD. \|/ + v + : The look on Sadam's face - priceless! --------_sunder_(a)_sunder_._net_------- http://www.sunder.net ------------

1 0

Homeland Security Department Used to Track Texas Democratic Legislators
by Bill Stewart 15 May '03

15 May '03

Yow! Either Jon Stewart's Daily Show or Jay Leno last night was quoting one of the Texas Republicans joking about the Democrats being Terrorists for blocking the bill this way, but apparently he wasn't totally joking. (Daily Show also showed a bunch of people in chicken suits mocking the Democrats, which is a perfectly appropriate response...) Apparently they only have to hold out till sometime Friday, but it's illegal to prevent a quorum in the legislature so the Republicans are able to send Texas police after them. I don't know if that law is intended to apply to outsiders preventing a quorum or if it really does apply to walkouts like this one. There's the initial posting and then a followup. ------ Forwarded Message Date: Wed, 14 May 2003 15:00:52 -0700 To: Dave Farber <dave(a)farber.net> Subject: Homeland Security Department Used to Track Texas Democratic Legislators (someone sent me this url... here it is for the IP if you wish) http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0514-07.htm Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 by CommonDreams.org Homeland Security Department Used to Track Texas Democrats by Glenn W. Smith Republicans in Washington and Austin, Texas apparently used a Homeland Security Department agency to track Texas Democratic legislators who left the state to block passage of a GOP-backed Congressional redistricting bill. This is the same Homeland Security Department that is supposed to be making America safe from foreign terrorists. It's the agency we were told would never be used for domestic political purposes. But today's edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the Air and Marine Interdiction and Coordination Center, in Riverside, California, became involved in the Republican search for 51 Democratic state representatives who went to Ardmore, Oklahoma to break a quorum of the House and block action on the redistricting bill. Here's what the Star-Telegram reported: "The agency received a call to locate a specific Piper turboprop aircraft. It was determined that the plane belonged to former House Speaker Pete Laney." Laney is one of the Democrats who is fighting against the redistricting bill. The newspaper said, "Laney's plane proved to be a key piece of information because, (Republican House Speaker) Craddick said, it's how he determined that the Democrats were in Ardmore. 'We called someone, and they said they were going to track it. I have no idea how they tracked it down,' Craddick said. 'That's how we found them.'" The Interdiction and Coordination center "falls under the auspices of the Homeland Security Department," the Star-Telegram reported. Republican Craddick, at the request of U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, is pushing a redistricting plan that would eliminate five Democrats from the U.S. Congress. Currently, the Texas delegation contains 17 Democrats and 15 Republicans. While saying they "called someone," Craddick denied making calls to any federal agency, but DeLay confirmed that Republicans sought the assistance of federal law enforcement. The action by the House Democrats, dubbed the "Heroes of the House" and the "Killer D's" (a reference to a similar quorum-busting action by Texas Senate Democrats in the late 1970s), has gained national attention. Their action has also received a surprising amount of support from Texas newspapers, which have criticized the deeply partisan actions of Texas Republicans. Republican leaders in Texas and Washington are furious. They have called the Democrats, holed up in a Holiday Inn in Ardmore, "cowards" and "terrorists." State troopers have followed the Democrats wives, parents and children. Troopers even staked out a hospital where one lawmaker's premature twins are being cared for. Staffers have been harassed. All this has happened after the location of the Democrats was known. Now, in a chilling revelation, we discover the Homeland Security Department was apparently used to try and track the Democrats' whereabouts. It was no doubt a ham-fisted, incautious and bungled attempt (like the Watergate burglary) by Republicans to use all the law enforcement they could find to overcome the Democrats' temporary advantage. But the use of the Homeland Security Department for partisan political purposes should alarm all Americans. It deserves a full, complete and independent investigation. The warnings of civil libertarians appear to have been justified. Even if it turns out that some half-crazed Republican staffer or independent investigator called the Air and Marine Interdiction and Coordination Center, it raises disturbing questions about the operations of Homeland Security and the lengths Republicans will go enforce their will. Americans deserve to know the details of this scandal. And they deserve to know them now. Glenn W. Smith is managing director/consultant to the progressive Rockridge Institute of Oakland, California. Smith lives in Austin, Texas. His email is glenns(a)affinitydynamics.com . ### ------ Forwarded Message From: Mary Shaw <mary.shaw(a)cs.cmu.edu> Date: Wed, 14 May 2003 22:13:32 -0400 To: dave(a)farber.net Subject: Re: [IP] Homeland Security Department Used to Track TexasDemocratic Legislators Dave, The online version of the article you sent has a link to an article in the Ft Worth Start-Telegram, http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/5858118.htm. The CommonDreams.org article didn't make it clear that rules of the legislature apparently give the state cops the authority to round up legislators if they are needed to make a quorum. Bringing in federal agencies still crosses the line, and the in-state tactics are questionable. But the (partisan) reporting in the CommonDreams article leaves the reader with the impression that it was over the line to be looking for the legislators at all. Mary Posted on Wed, May. 14, 2003 Eyes of Texas, U.S. on truant legislators By Jay Root Star-Telegram Austin Bureau STAR-TELEGRAM/RODGER MALLISON Reps. Al Edwards of Houston, Helen Giddings of DeSoto and Sylvester Turner of Houston talk with reporters in Austin. The three Democratic representatives returned to the House on Tuesday. Wives have been watched. A former House speaker's plane was tracked. Federal officials have been asked to intervene. Even the El Paso Police Department has gotten involved. The hunt for Democrats on the lam from the Texas Legislature has involved virtually every level of government, ranging from a house call by local cops to monitoring conducted -- apparently unwittingly -- by a California-based agency that normally is involved in the fight against terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. By Tuesday night, only one House member, Rep. Helen Giddings, D-DeSoto, had been apprehended. State Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, said he believes that the dragnet went overboard when a Texas Ranger tried to find him Monday night at the neonatal unit of the Galveston hospital where his newborn twins are recovering -- in intensive care. Eiland said he called the agent on his cellphone and told him that DPS agents had already found him in Ardmore, Okla. -- where he and most of his fellow boycotters are in self-imposed exile. "It's unnecessary, bordering on harassment," Eiland said. "Let the good guys go back to catching the bad guys and let the politicians deal with each other." The Texas Department of Public Safety says it's just doing its job: trying to haul in more than 50 Democrats who skipped town to block a controversial vote on redistricting. Although their tactic isn't a crime, state law enforcement officers have the authority to arrest members of the Legislature and deliver them to the Capitol to achieve the necessary quorum. At least three divisions of the DPS -- state troopers, Texas Rangers and the Special Crimes unit -- are on the case. [[[snip]]] ------ End of Forwarded Message

1 0