Network Security Roundup for July 28, 2003

Washington Post: WiFi Is Open, Free and Vulnerable to Hackers
27-Jul-03 09:41 ET

Story Highlights:
"Here's how Army Lt. Col. Clifton H. Poole, who teaches classes on wireless security at the National Defense University, gets his kicks on I-66: Several times a month, Poole turns on a laptop computer in his car as he commutes between his Reston home and the university campus at Fort McNair in Southwest Washington. As he drives, a software program records the number of 'hot spots,' areas where wireless transmitters allow Internet access over the air. The results, Poole says, scare him."

Full Story on Washington Post

Story Highlights:
"Thieves are using chat rooms to sell stolen credit card details and advise others how to hack websites containing credit information, security experts have warned. Groups using internet relay chat (IRC) are playing a growing role in online credit card fraud."

Full Story on VNUNET.com

Story Highlights:
"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that it believes exploits are being created to attack computers compromised by a vulnerability recently disclosed by Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) in its Windows operating system. The vulnerability, which is found in Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows NT, and Windows Server 2003, first came to light July 16."

Full Story on TechWeb

Story Highlights:
"Microsoft Corp. is working with the government in studying one of the most pressing challenges in federal information security, one that is critically important to future homeland security and information-sharing efforts: multilevel security workstations."

Full Story on ComputerWorld

ComputerWorld: HP (NYSE: HPQ) , IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Sun To Unveil Server Security Initiative

Story Highlights:
" Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM and Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: JAVA) are allying with three security providers to announce an open-standards initiative for safe computing on Aug. 5."

Full Story on ComputerWorld