Re: Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate

From: Kevin Reardon (Kevin.Reardon_at_oracle.com)
Date: 01/23/04

  • Next message: der Mouse: "Re: vulnerabilities of postscript printers" 
    Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 12:59:33 -0800
To: BUGTRAQ@securityfocus.com

    Actually what they did was illegal regardless of the cause. Hopefully
    they realized that storing anything on a shared piece of hardware will
    subject it to the possibility of attacks due to human failure. Human
    failure is a major contributor to computer exploits and the one constant
    in the considerations for computer security.

    ---K

    Brian C. Lane wrote:

    >On Thu, 2004-01-22 at 09:25, Richard M. Smith wrote:
    >
    >
    >>http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/01/22/infiltration_of_files_
    >>seen_as_extensive?mode=PF
    >>
    >>Infiltration of files seen as extensive
    >>Senate panel's GOP staff pried on Democrats
    >>By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff, 1/22/2004
    >>
    >>WASHINGTON -- Republican staff members of the US Senate Judiciary Commitee
    >>infiltrated opposition computer files for a year, monitoring secret strategy
    >>memos and periodically passing on copies to the media, Senate officials told
    >>The Globe.
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >
    >[snip]
    >
    >You left off the most important fact in your snip. The final paragraph
    >pretty well sums it up:
    >
    >"A technician hired by the new judiciary chairman, Patrick Leahy,
    >Democrat of Vermont, apparently made a mistake that allowed anyone to
    >access newly created accounts on a Judiciary Committee server shared by
    >both parties -- even though the accounts were supposed to restrict
    >access only to those with the right password."
    >
    >I sure wouldn't call this a major hack attack. Someone goofed. Someone
    >else took advantage of the goof (and according to some reports even
    >reported it to the bonehead technician).
    >
    >One one hand you really shouldn't look at someone else's files. On the
    >other hand if you're cooking up dirty tricks you darn well ought to make
    >sure your memos are protected, not stored in the clear on a shared
    >system.
    >
    >And these are the jokers who want to dictate to us how to secure the
    >Internet and stop SPAM? Heh!
    >
    >Brian
    >
    >---[Office 71.6F]--[Fridge 38.4F]---[Fozzy 88.8F]--[Coaster 71.7F]---
    >Linux Software Developer http://www.brianlane.com
    >
    >

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