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  1. #1
    Richard M. Smith
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
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    Thread Starter

    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate

    http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ar...tion_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.

    From the spring of 2002 until at least April 2003, members of the GOP
    committee staff exploited a computer glitch that allowed them to access
    restricted Democratic communications without a password. Trolling through
    hundreds of memos, they were able to read talking points and accounts of
    private meetings discussing which judicial nominees Democrats would fight --
    and with what tactics.

    The office of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms William Pickle has already launched an
    investigation into how excerpts from 15 Democratic memos showed up in the
    pages of the conservative-leaning newspapers and were posted to a website
    last November.

    With the help of forensic computer experts from General Dynamics and the US
    Secret Service, his office has interviewed about 120 people to date and
    seized more than half a dozen computers -- including four Judiciary servers,
    one server from the office of Senate majority leader Bill Frist of
    Tennessee, and several desktop hard drives.

    ....




  2. #2
    =?iso-8859-1?Q?~Kevin_Davis=B3?=
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
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    Thread Starter

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

    This was clearly not a "hack attack". The title and opening content of this
    article is quite intentionally misleading. The phrases "infiltration",
    "monitoring secret memos", "exploited computer glitch", "hack attack" are
    used. If you read the entire article you will find out the following:

    First, "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."

    Which means the Democrats screwed up setting up their own share point and
    allowed public access to it. There was no "computer glitch" which was
    "exploited". This was completely a human screw-up. And there was no
    hacking ("exploitation of a computer glitch") done by the Republicans.
    Unless you wish to call clicking on a share point configured with public
    access and opening it up "hacking".

    Additionally the Republicans allegedly "in the summer of 2002, their
    computer technician informed his Democratic counterpart of the glitch".

    The Republicans knew that the share was supposed to be protected (why else
    would they inform the Democrats of the misconfiguration?) so they certainly
    did something wrong despite (supposedly) warning the Democrats of the
    problem, but not to the extent that the article - in the way that it was
    written - would like you to believe.

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms@computerbytesman.com>
    To: "BUGTRAQ@SECURITYFOCUS. COM" <BUGTRAQ@securityfocus.com>
    Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:25 PM
    Subject: Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate


    >

    http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ar...tion_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.
    >
    > From the spring of 2002 until at least April 2003, members of the GOP
    > committee staff exploited a computer glitch that allowed them to access
    > restricted Democratic communications without a password. Trolling through
    > hundreds of memos, they were able to read talking points and accounts of
    > private meetings discussing which judicial nominees Democrats would

    fight --
    > and with what tactics.
    >
    > The office of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms William Pickle has already launched

    an
    > investigation into how excerpts from 15 Democratic memos showed up in the
    > pages of the conservative-leaning newspapers and were posted to a website
    > last November.
    >
    > With the help of forensic computer experts from General Dynamics and the

    US
    > Secret Service, his office has interviewed about 120 people to date and
    > seized more than half a dozen computers -- including four Judiciary

    servers,
    > one server from the office of Senate majority leader Bill Frist of
    > Tennessee, and several desktop hard drives.
    >
    > ...
    >
    >
    >



  3. #3
    =?iso-8859-1?Q?~Kevin_Davis=B3?=
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
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    Thread Starter

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

    This was clearly not a "hack attack". The title and opening content of this
    article is quite intentionally misleading. The phrases "infiltration",
    "monitoring secret memos", "exploited computer glitch", "hack attack" are
    used. If you read the entire article you will find out the following:

    First, "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."

    Which means the Democrats screwed up setting up their own share point and
    allowed public access to it. There was no "computer glitch" which was
    "exploited". This was completely a human screw-up. And there was no
    hacking ("exploitation of a computer glitch") done by the Republicans.
    Unless you wish to call clicking on a share point configured with public
    access and opening it up "hacking".

    Additionally the Republicans allegedly "in the summer of 2002, their
    computer technician informed his Democratic counterpart of the glitch".

    The Republicans knew that the share was supposed to be protected (why else
    would they inform the Democrats of the misconfiguration?) so they certainly
    did something wrong despite (supposedly) warning the Democrats of the
    problem, but not to the extent that the article - in the way that it was
    written - would like you to believe.

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms@computerbytesman.com>
    To: "BUGTRAQ@SECURITYFOCUS. COM" <BUGTRAQ@securityfocus.com>
    Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:25 PM
    Subject: Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate


    >

    http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ar...tion_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.
    >
    > From the spring of 2002 until at least April 2003, members of the GOP
    > committee staff exploited a computer glitch that allowed them to access
    > restricted Democratic communications without a password. Trolling through
    > hundreds of memos, they were able to read talking points and accounts of
    > private meetings discussing which judicial nominees Democrats would

    fight --
    > and with what tactics.
    >
    > The office of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms William Pickle has already launched

    an
    > investigation into how excerpts from 15 Democratic memos showed up in the
    > pages of the conservative-leaning newspapers and were posted to a website
    > last November.
    >
    > With the help of forensic computer experts from General Dynamics and the

    US
    > Secret Service, his office has interviewed about 120 people to date and
    > seized more than half a dozen computers -- including four Judiciary

    servers,
    > one server from the office of Senate majority leader Bill Frist of
    > Tennessee, and several desktop hard drives.
    >
    > ...
    >
    >
    >



  4. #4
    Brian C. Lane
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
    Gast
    n/a Berichten
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    Thread Starter

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

    --=-++mu4K/EE8wzUiJmRa73
    Content-Type: text/plain
    Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

    On Thu, 2004-01-22 at 09:25, Richard M. Smith wrote:
    > http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ar...ration_of_fil=

    es_
    > seen_as_extensive?mode=3DPF
    > =20
    > Infiltration of files seen as extensive
    > Senate panel's GOP staff pried on Democrats
    > By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff, 1/22/2004
    >=20
    > WASHINGTON -- Republican staff members of the US Senate Judiciary Commite=

    e
    > infiltrated opposition computer files for a year, monitoring secret strat=

    egy
    > memos and periodically passing on copies to the media, Senate officials t=

    old
    > The Globe.
    >=20


    [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

    --=-++mu4K/EE8wzUiJmRa73
    Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc
    Content-Description: This is a digitally signed message part

    -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
    Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux)
    Comment: Remember Lexington Green!

    iD8DBQBAET2XIftj/pcSws0RAlGCAJ4+oW3Ehqu010EDWNUEy9Dt9+x+DACfQs5n
    8KkRKpErXmowOpAt8ayLNJ8=
    =AgeX
    -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

    --=-++mu4K/EE8wzUiJmRa73--


  5. #5
    Brian C. Lane
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
    Gast
    n/a Berichten
    Berichten zijn liked



    Thread Starter

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

    --=-++mu4K/EE8wzUiJmRa73
    Content-Type: text/plain
    Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

    On Thu, 2004-01-22 at 09:25, Richard M. Smith wrote:
    > http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ar...ration_of_fil=

    es_
    > seen_as_extensive?mode=3DPF
    > =20
    > Infiltration of files seen as extensive
    > Senate panel's GOP staff pried on Democrats
    > By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff, 1/22/2004
    >=20
    > WASHINGTON -- Republican staff members of the US Senate Judiciary Commite=

    e
    > infiltrated opposition computer files for a year, monitoring secret strat=

    egy
    > memos and periodically passing on copies to the media, Senate officials t=

    old
    > The Globe.
    >=20


    [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

    --=-++mu4K/EE8wzUiJmRa73
    Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc
    Content-Description: This is a digitally signed message part

    -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
    Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux)
    Comment: Remember Lexington Green!

    iD8DBQBAET2XIftj/pcSws0RAlGCAJ4+oW3Ehqu010EDWNUEy9Dt9+x+DACfQs5n
    8KkRKpErXmowOpAt8ayLNJ8=
    =AgeX
    -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

    --=-++mu4K/EE8wzUiJmRa73--


  6. #6
    Daniel.Capo@tco.net.br
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
    Gast
    n/a Berichten
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    Thread Starter

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

    ~Kevin Davis=B3 wrote:

    > This was clearly not a "hack attack". The title and opening content =

    of this
    > article is quite intentionally misleading. The phrases =

    "infiltration",
    > "monitoring secret memos", "exploited computer glitch", "hack attack" =

    are
    > used. If you read the entire article you will find out the =

    following:
    >=20
    > First, "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."
    >=20
    > Which means the Democrats screwed up setting up their own share point =

    and
    > allowed public access to it. There was no "computer glitch" which =

    was
    > "exploited". This was completely a human screw-up. And there was no
    > hacking ("exploitation of a computer glitch") done by the =

    Republicans.
    > Unless you wish to call clicking on a share point configured with =

    public
    > access and opening it up "hacking".


    AFAIK, "hacking" is legally defined in the USA as being unauthorized=20
    access to computer resources. It doesn't matter if the resource was=20
    adequately protected (or protected at all) in first place or not. If =
    you=20
    were not given permission to make use of that resource, you are=20
    criminally liable.

    --
    Daniel C. Sobral

  7. #7
    Daniel.Capo@tco.net.br
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
    Gast
    n/a Berichten
    Berichten zijn liked



    Thread Starter

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

    ~Kevin Davis=B3 wrote:

    > This was clearly not a "hack attack". The title and opening content =

    of this
    > article is quite intentionally misleading. The phrases =

    "infiltration",
    > "monitoring secret memos", "exploited computer glitch", "hack attack" =

    are
    > used. If you read the entire article you will find out the =

    following:
    >=20
    > First, "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."
    >=20
    > Which means the Democrats screwed up setting up their own share point =

    and
    > allowed public access to it. There was no "computer glitch" which =

    was
    > "exploited". This was completely a human screw-up. And there was no
    > hacking ("exploitation of a computer glitch") done by the =

    Republicans.
    > Unless you wish to call clicking on a share point configured with =

    public
    > access and opening it up "hacking".


    AFAIK, "hacking" is legally defined in the USA as being unauthorized=20
    access to computer resources. It doesn't matter if the resource was=20
    adequately protected (or protected at all) in first place or not. If =
    you=20
    were not given permission to make use of that resource, you are=20
    criminally liable.

    --
    Daniel C. Sobral

  8. #8
    Kevin Reardon
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
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    Thread Starter

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

    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/ar...tion_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
    >
    >



  9. #9
    Kevin Reardon
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
    Gast
    n/a Berichten
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    Thread Starter

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

    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/ar...tion_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
    >
    >



  10. #10
    rsh@idirect.com
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
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    Thread Starter

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

    Your view will depend on whether you are a Republican or a Democrat IF
    you are in the US. If you are a member of another party in the US you
    will likely say a pox on both. If you are not in the US you will sit
    there laughing at both sides.

    Whether a hack or a bad configuration, from a moral point what the
    Republicans did is still dirty pool, and they would be screaming if it
    were the other way around. Lets be realistic and call a spade a spade -
    in the US both parties are big business and neither will give the other
    the time of day if they can help it. This is simply one more example of
    what can happen.

    Does it really matter if it was a hack or it was a screw-up which gave
    the opponents a free entry into what they KNEW was not their material
    and they KNEW they were supposed to stay out of? Is anyone suggesting
    that its wrong if you hack in to get the info but okay if it does not
    require you actually hack in? Get real... moral turpitude has NOT
    changed, but then to claim that either the Democrats or the Republicans
    are morally better than their opposites is hypocrisy in any event.

    Give me a better democracy... Like that in Canada or the UK or New
    Zealand or Australia... where we KNOW that the PM is both the head of
    the executive and the head of the legislative and the current US bull is
    NOT part of the mix.

    FWIW

    RSH

    --------------------

    On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 22:29:21 -0500, you wrote:

    >This was clearly not a "hack attack". The title and opening content of this
    >article is quite intentionally misleading. The phrases "infiltration",
    >"monitoring secret memos", "exploited computer glitch", "hack attack" are
    >used. If you read the entire article you will find out the following:
    >
    >First, "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."
    >
    >Which means the Democrats screwed up setting up their own share point and
    >allowed public access to it. There was no "computer glitch" which was
    >"exploited". This was completely a human screw-up. And there was no
    >hacking ("exploitation of a computer glitch") done by the Republicans.
    >Unless you wish to call clicking on a share point configured with public
    >access and opening it up "hacking".
    >
    >Additionally the Republicans allegedly "in the summer of 2002, their
    >computer technician informed his Democratic counterpart of the glitch".
    >
    >The Republicans knew that the share was supposed to be protected (why else
    >would they inform the Democrats of the misconfiguration?) so they certainly
    >did something wrong despite (supposedly) warning the Democrats of the
    >problem, but not to the extent that the article - in the way that it was
    >written - would like you to believe.
    >
    >----- Original Message -----
    >From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms@computerbytesman.com>
    >To: "BUGTRAQ@SECURITYFOCUS. COM" <BUGTRAQ@securityfocus.com>
    >Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:25 PM
    >Subject: Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
    >
    >
    >>

    >http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ar...tion_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.
    >>
    >> From the spring of 2002 until at least April 2003, members of the GOP
    >> committee staff exploited a computer glitch that allowed them to access
    >> restricted Democratic communications without a password. Trolling through
    >> hundreds of memos, they were able to read talking points and accounts of
    >> private meetings discussing which judicial nominees Democrats would

    >fight --
    >> and with what tactics.
    >>
    >> The office of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms William Pickle has already launched

    >an
    >> investigation into how excerpts from 15 Democratic memos showed up in the
    >> pages of the conservative-leaning newspapers and were posted to a website
    >> last November.
    >>
    >> With the help of forensic computer experts from General Dynamics and the

    >US
    >> Secret Service, his office has interviewed about 120 people to date and
    >> seized more than half a dozen computers -- including four Judiciary

    >servers,
    >> one server from the office of Senate majority leader Bill Frist of
    >> Tennessee, and several desktop hard drives.
    >>
    >> ...
    >>
    >>
    >>

    >
    >


    ================================================== ===
    R.S.H. Toronto, ON, Canada

    Copyright retained.
    My opinions - no one elses...
    If this is illegal where you are, do not read it!

  11. #11
    rsh@idirect.com
    Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
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    Thread Starter

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

    Your view will depend on whether you are a Republican or a Democrat IF
    you are in the US. If you are a member of another party in the US you
    will likely say a pox on both. If you are not in the US you will sit
    there laughing at both sides.

    Whether a hack or a bad configuration, from a moral point what the
    Republicans did is still dirty pool, and they would be screaming if it
    were the other way around. Lets be realistic and call a spade a spade -
    in the US both parties are big business and neither will give the other
    the time of day if they can help it. This is simply one more example of
    what can happen.

    Does it really matter if it was a hack or it was a screw-up which gave
    the opponents a free entry into what they KNEW was not their material
    and they KNEW they were supposed to stay out of? Is anyone suggesting
    that its wrong if you hack in to get the info but okay if it does not
    require you actually hack in? Get real... moral turpitude has NOT
    changed, but then to claim that either the Democrats or the Republicans
    are morally better than their opposites is hypocrisy in any event.

    Give me a better democracy... Like that in Canada or the UK or New
    Zealand or Australia... where we KNOW that the PM is both the head of
    the executive and the head of the legislative and the current US bull is
    NOT part of the mix.

    FWIW

    RSH

    --------------------

    On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 22:29:21 -0500, you wrote:

    >This was clearly not a "hack attack". The title and opening content of this
    >article is quite intentionally misleading. The phrases "infiltration",
    >"monitoring secret memos", "exploited computer glitch", "hack attack" are
    >used. If you read the entire article you will find out the following:
    >
    >First, "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."
    >
    >Which means the Democrats screwed up setting up their own share point and
    >allowed public access to it. There was no "computer glitch" which was
    >"exploited". This was completely a human screw-up. And there was no
    >hacking ("exploitation of a computer glitch") done by the Republicans.
    >Unless you wish to call clicking on a share point configured with public
    >access and opening it up "hacking".
    >
    >Additionally the Republicans allegedly "in the summer of 2002, their
    >computer technician informed his Democratic counterpart of the glitch".
    >
    >The Republicans knew that the share was supposed to be protected (why else
    >would they inform the Democrats of the misconfiguration?) so they certainly
    >did something wrong despite (supposedly) warning the Democrats of the
    >problem, but not to the extent that the article - in the way that it was
    >written - would like you to believe.
    >
    >----- Original Message -----
    >From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms@computerbytesman.com>
    >To: "BUGTRAQ@SECURITYFOCUS. COM" <BUGTRAQ@securityfocus.com>
    >Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:25 PM
    >Subject: Major hack attack on the U.S. Senate
    >
    >
    >>

    >http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ar...tion_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.
    >>
    >> From the spring of 2002 until at least April 2003, members of the GOP
    >> committee staff exploited a computer glitch that allowed them to access
    >> restricted Democratic communications without a password. Trolling through
    >> hundreds of memos, they were able to read talking points and accounts of
    >> private meetings discussing which judicial nominees Democrats would

    >fight --
    >> and with what tactics.
    >>
    >> The office of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms William Pickle has already launched

    >an
    >> investigation into how excerpts from 15 Democratic memos showed up in the
    >> pages of the conservative-leaning newspapers and were posted to a website
    >> last November.
    >>
    >> With the help of forensic computer experts from General Dynamics and the

    >US
    >> Secret Service, his office has interviewed about 120 people to date and
    >> seized more than half a dozen computers -- including four Judiciary

    >servers,
    >> one server from the office of Senate majority leader Bill Frist of
    >> Tennessee, and several desktop hard drives.
    >>
    >> ...
    >>
    >>
    >>

    >
    >


    ================================================== ===
    R.S.H. Toronto, ON, Canada

    Copyright retained.
    My opinions - no one elses...
    If this is illegal where you are, do not read it!

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