498 lines
29 KiB
Plaintext
498 lines
29 KiB
Plaintext
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
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Submitted to Crisnews By:
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James Lipshultz, Esquire
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Computer Specialist/Computer Security Officer/
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Computer Forensics Specialist
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United States Federal Government, Law Enforcement Branch
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- ---------------------------- Start of Article -------------------------------
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"Treasury Department doing an excellent job on educating U.S. Government
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Security Officers, Professionally jealous mystery person causes weak willed
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government management to crumble at his vaporous words."
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The actual headline in the Washington Post was: "Treasury Told Computer
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Virus Secrets, Whistleblowers Halted Display Available to Anyone With
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a modem."
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Please, give me a break!
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COMPUTER VIRUSES ARE A SECRET ONLY TO COMPUTER ILLITERATES!
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The article in the Washington Post on Saturday June 19, 1993 was a
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myopic, yellow journalistic piece designed to malign the reputation of Kim
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Clancy who is an outstanding U.S. Government's Security Officer working
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for the Treasury's Bureau of Public Debt., AIS Branch.
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Washington's alternative newspaper, "The Washington Post", appears to
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have been manipulated by Paul Ferguson (an apparent Anti-Virus Sycophant
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Groupie) who supports and echoes the extreme self-righteous, pious,
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whimpering of a coward who posted an anonymous message in the risks
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forum which condemns the BBS run by the Treasury Department.
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Ferguson's comments appear to mentored by a corpulent self serving British
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Anti-Virus vendor whom I will refer to as possibly being Paul's
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"Stromboli". (The Puppet Master in Pinocchio who makes the marionettes
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magically dance.) +<|:)
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The quote in the Post by Ferguson was incredibly muddled, obtuse, and
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boorish. It is a globally known fact that in any debate analogy is not valid
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because it has nothing to do with the subject matter. As a computer
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consultant who thinks a computer virus is, as quoted in the Post,".... like
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leaving a loaded gun around and people saying: 'It's not my fault if someone
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picks it up and shoots himself in the head with it.'". Who are you kidding
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Paul? Do you really think that source code is the same as a hand gun?
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Viruses have no relationship to handguns at all. If this comparison was
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valid, wouldn't it have been enjoyable to have heard that when the riots
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broke out in South Central L.A., that the rioters held up store owners with
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floppy disks containing virus source code in ASCII format or were seen
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pointing printouts of virus source code. +<|:) If you need education in
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computer source code versus handguns, allow me to direct you to the
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nearest University for an education in computer programming, the NRA for
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handgun enlightenment, and G. Gordon Liddy to learn how to correctly form
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a sentence as well as use a handgun.
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Is it ethical or moral for you to own the Trident Polymorphic Engine that
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you got from a virus BBS? Do you consider yourself two-faced for
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engaging in this practice of downloading viruses from virus BBS's?
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Perhaps you should take a closer look at your own ethics before you venture
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opinions about a respected security officer in the Federal Government.
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Do you now see how ridiculous you sound? Do you believe that anyone
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who owns virus source code is immoral or unethical? If so, then when does
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it become ethical and moral to own source code?
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Another statement by Paul Ferguson on computer viruses sounds like an
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advertisement for an Anti-Virus (AV) vendor. "The potential for virus
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damage has increased geometrically as big isolated mainframe computers
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are abandoned in favor of networks of small PCs--some worldwide in
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scope--through which the viruses can migrate. Because of the distributed
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nature of the network, a virus can now reach thousands of machines,
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requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars of man-hours to clean up once
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infected.' "
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Let's examine this statement. What is the basis of this statistical claim?
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Is it real or is it Memorex? Hmmm...... Geometrically?.... Are you sure?
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How about exponentially or is it linear? Maybe you should have said
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"To obtain the proper potential for virus damage we multiplied the growth
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rate based on The Theory of Relativity which we then divide by the Gamma
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Factor, which, as we all know, is the inverse of the square root of one,
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minus Planck's Constant divided by C squared, C being the speed of light
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which as we all know is an absolute." Whooo Weee, next time baffle the
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press with heavy duty BS, Paul. +<|:) <G>
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On what type of network operating system does the situation you describe
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occur? On networks with at least a C2 level of security? Is it because
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everyone is allowed physical and write access to the server, or because the
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System Administrator is a total incompetent or computer illiterate? Is it
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correct to assume that most Sysops are so ignorant about viruses that most
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networks are not running Anti-Virus software?
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Paul, once again I think you have overstated yourself. I believe you should
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have said:
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"If a network sysop is a secretary with no computer skills and the network
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has no security whatsoever and everyone on the LAN is allowed to bring
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foreign software and execute it on the server, then a virus that is specific
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to the network operating system has a chance of remaining undetected and
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traveling."
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(Notice I kept your sentence structure so that it would look like your
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words.) +<|:) <Did you understand the symbol to the left yet? Get it, (Pope
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Paul)> <G>
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Coming in at a very close second in my hit parade of insipid comments was
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Bruce Sterling, the author of the mostly dry and mildly entertaining "Hacker
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Crackdown...Bla Bla Bla". Bruces's equally ridiculous quote appears to
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have been made to get his vanishing name in print. He made virus source
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code "the equivalent of how to commit arson, or hot-wire cars." Would you
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be willing to submit to a drug test Bruce? Maybe you should return to
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writing fiction since you have such a wonderful imagination. Would you
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please cite the instances were a house was burned down and the fire
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marshal attributed the cause to virus source code? Have you ever heard of
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a police officer who said a thief has been starting cars with virus source
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code?
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I am so impressed by your brilliant quote: "Every maladjusted sociopath
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with Coke-bottle-bottom glasses has no trouble finding this stuff. The
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police are the only ones not allowing themselves to look at this stuff."
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Wow, I'm having trouble understanding why you did not seek a career in
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law enforcement. It is apparent that you would know the Bad Guys because
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they are the ones with the close-set beady eyes.
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Bruce, if maladjusted sociopaths exist, are there any adjusted sociopaths?
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As a "professional" writer I would assume that your verbal and writing
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skills to be better than most. May I make the following suggestion? Look in
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the dictionary and learn the meaning of the word malapropism before you
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write anything else. By your quote, are you saying that all sociopaths wear
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coke-bottle-bottom glasses and thus have gravitated to fulfilling the quest of
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the unholy grail by seeking out people with virus source code? Why not
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type cast people by race? Take a good look at the people who code
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Anti-Virus products. Some of them have thick glasses, though we both
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know that they would never spread a virus? (Yea, Right!)
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As for the police not looking at this stuff, I have to assume that you imply all
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law enforcement officers, County, State, and Federal. Law Enforcement
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knowledge regarding computer crimes is far better than you ever dreamed
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and we do gather knowledge from virus BBS's. As a brotherhood, we share
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knowledge to help fight the war on crime, so don't ever sell us short. It is
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apparent that you are unaware of the skills of computer specialists in the
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federal government, especially in federal law enforcement agencies.
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I will give you credit for conveying the idea that Kim Clancy was very good
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at her job, though you give it an edge that leaves one feeling that she is
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brilliant but somehow demonically twisted. (Oh help me Obiwan, she is
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succumbing to the dark side of the force.) :) Kim Clancy is a decent hard
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working person who attained her knowledge and status by intense work and
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study. She is respected because she knows, understands, and can articulate
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computer security subject matter in a concise clear manner, something
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beyond the ability of you and your ilk.
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What you have done is to sensationalize an event that has been blown totally
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out of proportion. Your choice of words is the type that sells publications
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such as the Washington Post and the National Enquirer.
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Do you understand why your comments are ludicrous? In the future stay
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away from analogy and please take some courses in English before you
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write your next book, or at least talk to Mr. Liddy. Dial 1-800-G-G-LIDDY
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Monday through Friday, right after the lovely and talented Howard Stern. :)
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I was further upset by the way in which the Washington Post sensationalized
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what was on the board. Where, oh where, did the Washington Post get their
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all their info? Mmmmm? "The board also made available hundreds of
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"hackers' tools"--The cybernetic equivalent of safecracking aids. They
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included "password cracker " software."...and Bla Bla Bla. Wow, wake
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the kids, phone the neighbors, someone has a BBS with files that will hack a
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password! (Uh-ohhh, Frankenstein is on the loose!) :0 Several things to
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note here:
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o Many companies make their living by selling software that returns
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the password used in the proprietary scrambling of WordPerfect,
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Lotus, Paradox, Excel and others.
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o Also, there is software that takes a brute force approach to breaking
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the password to PKZIP v1.1 encrypted files.
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The article leads one to believe that the BBS had a piece of software
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that could crack any type of encryption, possibly endangering National
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Security.
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The Washington Post should have specified what type of encryption
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breaking software was available. Instead, the Post failed to inform
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the reader that the encryption breaking files on the Treasury board
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were nothing of any major significance. It's just that encryption
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breaking sounds good and satisfies the tabloid readers
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who have "inquiring" minds. :)
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The catalyst that started this avalanche of Bravo Sierra (BS) appeared from
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the Risks Forum. The article was submitted by a coward who refuses to
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reveal his identity. I will restate his words and comment on this trash
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directly from the RISKS14.58 which I downloaded from The Treasury's
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AIS BBS. I will not use the direct quote from the Washington Post since
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they omitted several sentences. (By the way, how can a publication put
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quotes marks around a statement and then not have it reflect the exact words
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that were actually written? Can you answer this Joel? Back to English 101
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for you Joel.) I will put the Post's quote in CAPS that the reader can see
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how it was edited. I will include my wonderful and insightful comments, in
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parenthesis, where appropriate in the text.
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"This text was forwarded to me by a friend and professional colleague in
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the UK. I AM DISMAYED THAT THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY IS BEING CONDONED BY AN
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AMERICAN GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. I can only hope that this operation is shut
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down and the responsible parties reprimanded. I AM EXTREMELY DISTURBED BY
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THE THOUGHT THAT MY TAX MONEY IS BEING USED FOR WHAT I CONSIDER UNETHICAL,
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IMMORAL, AND POSSIBLY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES."
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... Insert screen captures from the menu of the Treasury's BBS here...
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"I submit this text in an anonymous fashion for fear of reprisal. (COWARD!!!)
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I respectfully request (lick, lick, kiss, kiss...my what a brown nose you
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have Pinocchio.) that it be posted to both VIRUS-L and RISKS Digests.
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I think the risks of Government sponsored virus exchange are crystal clear."
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(To whom, Pinocchio?)
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Who is this person who so frivolously throws such strong words around but
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is to afraid to put his name to them? (Like we really don't have a clue, we're
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so naive.) Mr. Anonymous also states that he is afraid of reprisals from the
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Treasury Department. Does this person actually believe that the Treasury
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Department engages in retaliation for negative comments to their polices
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and procedures? The Treasury Department is staffed by some of the finest
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law enforcement and non law enforcement personnel, who probably have
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the finest morals and ethics in the Federal Government.
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"Anonymous" used all the correct government buzzwords that will send any
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meek GS management scrambling to cover their ass. The good old boy
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alarm is activated, memos start to fly and the process of denying knowledge
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of the activity begins. Weak willed government management cringes at the
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thought of a memo with the words tax money associated with "unethical,
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immoral, and illegal". Damage control is enacted and the weak kneed
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management buckles under to the words of a ghost. What a shame that
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Kim's BBS was so easily raped and reduced to mediocrity.
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Peter Hollenbach's words were irresponsible and ill chosen. His first
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mistake was to state that the Treasury Department had made a mistake
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which they were scrambling to correct. It implied extreme ignorance on
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management's part. The paragraph in the Washington Post stated: "The
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Treasury Department has little idea who has dialed up the bulletin board,
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and what has been copied out of it", said spokesman Peter Hollenbach.
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"Hence it is impossible to judge if any damage has been done." Is this the
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best you can do Peter? Where is your head making these outrageous
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statements? You answer in the extreme negative and leave out the positive.
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You should be fired for gross incompetence in handling damage control!
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The Treasury Department definitely needs a person who will stand up for
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its people and the Agency. Where the hell is your pride? Kissing ass of the
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politically correct makes you sound like a roll over wimp and a poor liar.
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I used the "I didn't know" excuse in grade school. Please ... be a man!
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A strong willed, organized, management would have admitted that they
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were aware of, and defended, Kim Clancy's actions. I believe the Treasury
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Dept. AIS management should have publicly announced that they were
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putting her up for a performance award and done it! (No Guts, No Glory!)
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Hollenbach should have said that the board had been running for several
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years with the full knowledge of the Anti-Virus community and not one
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(or say most all) AV vendor had complained. Nor have they received any
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complaints from the ICSA, NCSA, EICAR, or CARO (once again list the
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"big" guys who do not complain; do you understand yet, Hollenbach?) who
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are all fully aware of the boards existence. In fact two members of the
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Computer Antivirus Research Organization (CARO) actively encouraged
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Kim to obtain more computer professional programming files (commonly
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called hacker files by the press neophytes). They did not complain that the
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BBS distributed because they were among the organizations who
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downloaded these files. The Anti-Virus industry as a whole did not
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complain that the board was immoral or unethical and encouraged its
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existence.
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Most importantly, the board provided extensive help to security personnel
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throughout the Federal Government and helped other security officers in
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their endeavors to achieve outstanding performance in securing their
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agencies networks. (Period, end of statement!)
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See how it works Peter, stand up for the Treasury Department and its
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people. Don't be pushed around. Tell the press how really ethical, moral,
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and loyal Treasury personnel are, and mean it! The Federal Government is
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providing you with a fine job. Drop the coffee cup from one hand and the
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paycheck from the other and get your sorry ass in gear, mister!
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(Semper Fi!)
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If you don't know what to say, tell the press that a statement is being
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prepared which will be released in a few days. By so doing, you've given
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yourself time to think clearly and form a good plan by talking to people who
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understand the problem clearly. Thus, you do not embarrass the Federal
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Government. In addition, never admit ignorance or try and back-pedal, the
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Washington Post twisted your words to make you look foolish. Remember
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above all, Peter, the truth is the easiest to remember.(Truth is your shield
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and knowledge is your weapon. You had both and didn't use them!)
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On to the next topic, the quote in the Post that states "'...since the
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complaints began, Treasury officials, while not disciplining Clancy, have
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shut down the 'underground' portion of her bulletin board.' "It is not
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consistent with what we originally set out to accomplish", Hollenbach said.
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"We decided to refocus back to our roots." Since complaints began?
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How many complaints were lodged against this BBS? I would like to count the
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complaints. (on the fingers of one hand, I'll bet!) How many letters of
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support and accolades from competent Federal and private security officers
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has Kim Clancy received? I would wager that the support letters
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"geometrically" +<|:) outnumber the holy (two faced) self-righteous letters.
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Wake up everybody! The AV people trade more source code and viruses
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than anyone! I know because I trade with them. I have their infected goat
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files with their Company names in them! Shutting down the Treasury BBS
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has not vanquished some evil, it is insuring that vendors will control the
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market place and tell us only what they deem appropriate. You
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"Pinocchios" not only need a conscience, you need common sense. You are
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being used as pawns in a game for control of the market place, and your
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being made into politically correct fools.
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Third on the chart of laughable Post quotes is Neumann... 'Neumann of
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Risks Forum, however, is troubled by Clancy's actions. "It is the classical
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double-edged sword. It might help, and might hinder. (You should have
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stopped your quote at this point, however you had to step in it by going on.
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Now your doing that special one shoe tap dance... Ugh!) You're looking at
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a potential for serious disaster", he added. "If you're talking about
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life-critical systems --air traffic control, for instance-- it means killing
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people."
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Another brilliant thinker? All I can say is if you are stupid enough to run
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a DOS based network for critical systems such as air traffic control, people
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will probably die anyway, even if there are no viruses. Have you ever had
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a DOS system hang due to a conflict with a TSR? (Duh!) --- DOS is a real
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C2 secure operating system isn't it? Maybe an Apple or an Amiga system
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would be better for Air Traffic Control. Hmmmmm? Those are at least as
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secure as MS-DOS ...please spare me your platitudes, Neumann.
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The Treasury BBS did not have any viruses that would take out the Air
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Traffic Control System or some other Mission critical system. Let's come
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back to earth please. Neumann, do you have an understanding of viruses or
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are you just like the other computer illiterates that hear the word virus and
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pull out their verbal Excalibur swords to attack? Next time, truly know
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your enemy before you attack.
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An interesting experiment by one virus author involved tracking viruses
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through the AV vendors. The author sent his virus up to one big name AV
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vendor. Two months later in was in VSUM and it was sent back to him by
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overseas underground virus BBS's in three months. I call that an interesting
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experiment with a powerful statement on the propagation of viruses by the
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AV community itself.
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Several virus writers have told me that they are coming together in their
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efforts and are becoming more politically aware in pointing out hypocrisy.
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One virus author alleges that he created a virus called "SARA" with a
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unique X-rated graphics as a statement of hypocrisy in a AV groupie who
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hounded and begged Mark Ludwig at an AV convention for a copy of his
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book "The Little Black Book of Computer Viruses". Upon finally selling
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her (What is the name, Hmmmmm?) a copy to get her to leave him alone,
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she allegedly ran around holding Ludwig's book above her head shouting
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"He sold me a copy, he lied, see." (Ludwig promised not to sell a copy of
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this book at the Conference. - If this is true, lame stunt to pull Sara!
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Shame on you, bad girl, bad girl, Grrrrrrrr.)
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This same person was later heard saying that she planned to publish a book
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containing the Sysop name, actual name, addresses and phone numbers of
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all the virus sysops. (Obviously a money junkie in need of a quick fix.
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How popular could this possibly be? I believe the author of such an
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endeavor better be correct, and be able to back it up, otherwise it sounds
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like a class action libel law suit . Not good for profits.) This allegedly
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created a big commotion among the sysop community.
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Virus authors are also attacking the lack of programming skill of some
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popular AV developers to demonstrate how the public is getting stuck with
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inferior AV products. For example McOversized Wallet's scanner only
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catches about sixty percent of the viruses generated by the Phalcon-SKISM
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Mass Produced Code Generator. In addition, NPOX attacks the lack of
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internal security checks in CPAV. On the other hand, there are some
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exceptionally outstanding virus scanners, such as Fridrick Skulason's
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F-PROT. He has about, if not the best scanner/disinfector on the market.
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Frisk is truly a person dedicated to stopping the virus problem by making
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his AV software available for ONE dollar, thus the public can choose quailty
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protection for their PC that is affordable.
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Another alleged story in the underground goes like this: a meeting of AV
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people was held in New York and "Stromboli" was running the show.
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During the lunch break a computer "criminal" broke into the room and stole
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the minutes of meeting. The minutes reported the AV organization would
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deny the existence of their virus collection. Thus they would not have to
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share them with anyone else. (Squeezing out competition and raising prices
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later.) Sounds like a Cartel to me. Wow, can this be true? An AV person
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worrying more about profits and eliminating competition than fighting the
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war on computer viruses? But when "Stromboli" talks all he can say is how
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unethical and immoral those people are who possess viruses or even source
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code.
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Perhaps the Federal Trade Commission should be notified of unfair
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competition in the market place. I would also hope that a government
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agency takes control of a super set of all viruses from all the companies and
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sets the naming standard (NIST could do this.), as well as keep the viral
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search strings and algorithmic patterns of ALL anti-virus vendors. Thus any
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new vendor could apply for a set of viruses from this agency and not be
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prevented from entering the market because of a lack of test viruses. Every
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time a vendor at home or overseas updates his product he would then
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submit the new viruses to this governmental agency, along with
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recompilable AV product source code. The Federal Government would
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thus have an accurate comparison of the existing marketed version and
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would protect consumers from shabby anti-virus products, because these
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would have government approval. The ethical conflict of vendors
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controlling source code and viruses while assuring us, with a toothy grin,
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that their products work, would be solved.
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I think this idea could work and should be expanded upon. It would seem to
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be a better idea than trying to keep citizens from owning virus source code
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or compiled and executable versions for test purposes. Maybe the average
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citizens should contact their senators about enacting some legislation to
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enforce standards on AV products that purport to protect our computer
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disks. I hope the Federal Government would be in control of a complete
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library of source and compiled, viruses insuring product quality and
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competition among AV vendors. Thus, the consumer would be relieved of
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virus fears by superior products and competitive pricing. Thus, ALL
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individuals who choose to own source code and viruses will maintain this
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freedom.
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I am asking for a response from the user community on these next few
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questions:
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o If viruses are illegal in the UK, then why does "Stromboli", in
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PRIVATE industry, control the largest set?
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o Why doesn't the British government control access to the viruses?
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o If it is illegal for a private citizen to own or trade viruses in
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|
the UK then why hasn't "Stromboli" been arrested for trading
|
|
viruses locally and internationally?
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o "Stromboli's" goat file viruses are showing up on virus BBS's and
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|
infecting American PC's.
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o Is "Stromboli" trading with virus BBS's to get the latest viruses?
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o Can the U.S. Government hold "Stromboli" responsible for his virus
|
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infected goat file infecting any Federal PC's?
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o Should Americans complain to The State Department to press for
|
|
action against "Stromboli" for importing viruses into the US, while
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violating the laws of the UK? (How dare you... you... you... phony
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|
internet mail virus Importer/Exporter., P.S. Thanks for my set.)
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"Stromboli", you and you alone are ultimately responsible for the spread of
|
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the viruses with your company logo attached. What did your fellow CARO
|
|
members say when they received a large set of viruses from an American
|
|
virus BBS that contained your virus infected goat files? (Holy Moly Dude,
|
|
the monster you created is coming back to bite you in the ass.)
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|
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|
The news media is constantly being manipulated by special interest groups
|
|
that stand to financially benefit from politically correct views. At the same
|
|
time, the papers are constantly looking for ways to create cover stories
|
|
which support their political agenda and enhance stories that sell their
|
|
publications, making huge profits. (Don't get me wrong I'm all for profit and
|
|
big business. Go Gates!) However, when it comes to attacking one of the
|
|
government's most respected Security Officers I feel the news media was
|
|
fast to move and slow to screen bias in their stories. I also feel that
|
|
Ferguson, Sterling, Hollenbach, and Neumann should present a written
|
|
apology to Kim Clancy in an open public forum.
|
|
|
|
Viruses are an overblown phenomenon created by people who make money
|
|
from the existence of viruses. Remember the Michelangelo virus, a big dud
|
|
in the real world, except for the AV people's McOversized wallets?
|
|
Viruses do exist, though they are a very small problem for an ethical and
|
|
knowledgeable sysop who follows common sense computing practices.
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|
|
|
Do you bootleg software? Do you download strange software files offered
|
|
by various BBS's and execute the files on your server? Do you share or
|
|
trade floppies with your friends at work or home? Do you import software
|
|
from your home PC? If so, does anyone else (like your college son) operate
|
|
software from the university on your PC? Is your PC devoid of Anti-Virus
|
|
Software? If you answer yes to any of the above questions, your own
|
|
ignorance and laziness will insure you someday get a virus.
|
|
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|
In conclusion, you moral majority types are neither moral nor in the
|
|
majority. As a law enforcement computer security officer and computer
|
|
forensics specialist, I have been told I am not responsible enough to own
|
|
viruses, by the same AV people who trade viruses among themselves.
|
|
Since the response was usually, "We don't want to be responsible for
|
|
spreading viruses", it was all I could do to not speak out and call them
|
|
hypocrites. It is time that certain vendors stop telling us how to think. and
|
|
what we can or can not do as regards computer source code, viral in nature
|
|
or otherwise.
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|
AFTER THOUGHT: to Peter S. Tippett, has any anti-virus vendor signed
|
|
the "Anti-Virus Developers, Publishers and Professionals Code of Ethics"
|
|
(My Copy is) Draft 1.3, 11/19/91 (a noble attempt by a decent fair minded
|
|
person with a good idea, brought forth at the NCSA 1st International
|
|
Anti-Virus Product Developers Conference on 11/25/91). As I recall, not
|
|
one AV Developer was willing to sign it, and it scared the hell out of most
|
|
of the AV people. Has it been improved on and has anyone signed it?
|
|
I would like to see the names published in the Washington Post of the
|
|
AV people who signed and did not sign an ethics agreement. Will the
|
|
signature count be greater than two, including yourself?
|
|
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------------------------------------------------------------
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|| My message to the coward "anonymous" in the RISKS FORUM. ||
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|| ||
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|| Quid Pro Quo ||
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|| ||
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|
------------------------------------------------------------
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Author: James Lipshultz, Esquire
|
|
Computer Specialist/Computer Security Officer/
|
|
Computer Forensics Specialist
|
|
United States Federal Government, Law Enforcement Branch
|
|
|
|
(Special Thanks to Mr. Frank Tirado, US Federal Government,
|
|
for editing and comments.)
|
|
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