Old news, I'm sure, but certain to be cited in the legal & regulatory debates ... ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Wed, 25 Jan 1995 11:49:42 EST Reply-to: gao-docs <gao-docs@MAILHOST.GAO.GOV> From: gao-docs <gao-docs@MAILHOST.GAO.GOV> Subject: Information Superhighway - GAO Report To: Multiple recipients of list PUBPOL-L <PUBPOL-L@UMINN1.BITNET> GAO Report - Information Superhighway The U.S. General Accounting Office, the Congressional watchdog agency, has recently released the following report: *** ASCII Full Text Access and Ordering Info Follows *** TITLE: Information Superhighway: An Overview of Technology Challenges RPTNO: AIMD-95-23 DOCUMENT DATE: 01/23/95 BACKGROUND: GAO reviewed the technical issues associated with protecting the information superhighway from unauthorized access. FINDINGS: GAO found that: (1) the information superhighway poses technical challenges concerning the security, privacy, and reliability of personal and proprietary information; (2) a large proportion of the information that will traverse the superhighway will be sensitive and a tempting target for hackers, foreign governments conducting political and military intelligence operations, domestic and foreign enterprises engaged in industrial espionage, or terrorist groups seeking to disrupt society or the economy; (3) significant effort will be needed to define, develop, test, and implement measures to prevent unauthorized access to the superhighway; (4) although the federal government could play a leading role in ensuring the superhighway's security, critics argue that individuals should be free to choose the technical means for meeting their security requirements; (5) a major challenge facing the development of the information superhighway will be creating a consensus between the federal government, computer and communications industry, business community, and civil liberties groups on how to ensure information security and privacy; (6) federal and private sectors have begun establishing uniform standards to ensure the superhighway's interoperability; and (7) questions remain about how to protect the superhighway from large network failures and encourage the telecommunications industry to develop a secure and reliable infrastructure. *************************************************************** This report is available both in print and electronically. *************************************************************** [junk deleted] ***************** ELECTRONIC ORDER INFORMATION **************** To access GAO reports as FULL TEXT ASCII electronic files from the Government Printing Office (GPO) BBS, follow these steps: 1) TELNET to <federal.bbs.gpo.gov> and designate "port 3001" or dial 202-512-1387 (Menu Selection #22 on FEDWORLD); (***NOTE*** Depending on how your system accesses the TELNET feature, you may need to TELNET to this address: <federal.bbs.gpo.gov 3001> ^^^^^ and hit return a few times after connecting. You should receive a greeting screen. If you receive a prompt for "PASSWORD", something is wrong. Either re-try or contact GPO at the phone number below.) 2) Log in or register on system (type: "NEW" if first time user); 3) From the Main Menu, select "File Library System - 6"; 4) Select "S - Select Library"; 5) Type: "GAO_RPTS"; 6) Select file name: Information Superhighway: AI95023.TXT ***************************************************************** Any questions on using the GPO system should be referred to GPO at 202-512-1530. Please do NOT use this e-mail address for questions about the GPO system or for ordering reports. GPO charges a fee to download each file. Exact costs are listed on the GPO system. NOTE: All Federal Depository Libraries are authorized to download files at no charge. FDL's must first be registered on the GPO system in order to be authorized free download access. **************************************************************** PRINTED COPY ORDER INFORMATION Printed copies via U.S. Mail are also available by calling 202-512-6000 (TDD number is 301-413-0006), sending a FAX to 301-258-4066, or by writing to: P.O. Box 6015, Gaithersburg, MD 20884-6015. Please include the report number and complete postal mailing information in your request. Telephone requests can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During non-business hours, leave a voice mail message with complete information, including the report number and postal mailing information. Copies may also be picked up at the GAO headquarters at: 700 - 4th St., NW, Washington, DC. Sorry, we are NOT able to accept electronic orders for printed documents at this time. The first printed copy is FREE of charge. Additional copies are $2.00. **************************************************************** [more junk deleted] Please forward comments and suggestions to: <gao-docs@gao.gov> Thank you. *************************************************************** Rich Dutcher, San Francisco Greens P.O. Box 77005, San Francisco, California 94107 USA "That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want police protection from their slaves." Kim Stanley Robinson, "Green Mars" Greens, of course, only enslave plants - so weed-whackers work better than cops ...