From: fergp@sytex.com (Paul Ferguson)
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 93 14:45:29 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: DCypherpunks
Message-ID: <LJFs7B2w165w@sytex.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Washington, DC area Cypherpunks:
 
I have accepted a consulting position in the DC area which will not
require consistent travel (unlike my current job), which I will begin
the first of August. This position will be designing, implementing and
configuring routed Internet access data networks for one of the big
three carriers (no, not AT&T).
 
Anyway, I'd like to find out how many of the DCypherpuuks are willing
to plan a physical meeting for mid-August to discuss current
happenings, sign keys and the likes.
 
E-mail me if you are interested.
 
Cheers.

Paul Ferguson               |  "Confidence is the feeling you get
Network Integrator          |   just before you fully understand
Centreville, Virginia USA   |   the problem."
fergp@sytex.com             |      - Murphy's 7th Law of Computing
 
               Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

 being used for,
what I consider, unethical, immoral and possibly illegal activities.
 
             ---- begin forwarded message -------------
 
AIS BBS Capture log.
 
To:  all interested parties, especially Americans who may wish to
ask relevant questions of relevant people.
 
Capture log from a BBS that claims to be run by the US Treasury
Department, Bureau of the Public Debt. Notice - I have not verified
that the US government is actually running this BBS, only that the
BBS claims that it is.
 
The capture was made live. I have cut out parts where the same area
was visited twice, and the information is identical. Also cut out,
is any information that could lead to the caller being identified, as
the caller wishes to retain privacy. If indeed this is being run by
the US Government, the caller would not wish to be harassed by that
organisation.
 
Also omitted are the "More" prompts for paging the display. And,
after the first few displays of the main menu, some of those have
also been omitted for brevity.
 
The file 27-ASM.ZIP was downloaded, to check that there really were
source codes. In fact, there were mostly recompilable disassemblies,
some good, some bad. I've included, at the end of this file, the
beginning of 512.ASM, a disassembly of Number of the Beast. But
I've only included the header, the first couple of instructions
(discover Dos version) and the end (the '666'). All the meat of
the code, I've omitted for brevity, and because this capture
is likely to become publicly available.
 
 
[End of forwarded transcript]
 
Immediately following the above text, was contained a list of computer
viruses, virus construction tools and virus disassemblies.
 
In the subsequent storm of debate, there have been several scathing
articles written about the way the situation was  brought into public
knowledge, including a front-page article in the Washington Post and
several rather scathing articles in Computer Underground Digest (CuD
5.51) and a rebuttal (of sorts, CuD 5.52) in which I stated my own
position on the matter.
 
It is also been brought to my attention that certain underground
hackers have vowed to seek revenge in some fashion, which really
worries me the least.
 
My main concern is that this instance of valid utilization of
"whistleblowing" has been overshadowed by the ravings of virus
exchange enthusiasts and underground virus distribution and propagation
groups who are calling "Foul!" without closely examine the
implications of their own actions (a topic which I will not launch
into at this time).
 
In fact, I applaud Peter G. Neumann, moderator of RISKS Forum for
allowing the anonymous post to be posted to the list in the first
place. Another copy of the message was sent anonymously to VIRUS-L
Digest (comp.virus list) where Ken van Wyk, the moderator, decided not
to post it. (A raspberry to Ken for that one.)
 
Perhaps the remainder of the  net is not quite ready to acknowledge
anonymity? As I stated above, I'd really like to hear some of your
thoughts on the matter...
 
Cheers.

Paul Ferguson               |  "Confidence is the feeling you get
Network Integrator          |   just before you fully understand
Centreville, Virginia USA   |   the problem."
fergp@sytex.com             |      - Murphy's 7th Law of Computing
 
               Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?