From: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 22:20:34 -0800 (PST)
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   Digital Jam hackers graphic 
   Hackers victimize firms
   
   
   Experts tell House panel breaking into networks is too simple
   
   
   February 11, 1997: 6:17 p.m. ET
   
   
   [INLINE] 
   
   
   Hackers and Feds in Vegas - July 31, 1996
   
   
   Internet firms make hacking pay - April 12, 1996
   
   WASHINGTON (Reuter) -- Hackers are finding it easier to break into
   computer networks and steal money, partly because companies are
   reluctant to admit that they are vulnerable, security experts said
   Tuesday.
   [INLINE] "If I want to steal money a computer is a much better tool
   than a handgun," Daniel Geer, engineering director for Open Market,
   Inc., told a House of Representatives technology subcommittee hearing
   on computer security. "They start out stealing $1,000 a day and figure
   they can get away with $2,000 a day and then they get greedy and hit
   some figure which sets off alarm bells."
   [INLINE] A panel of experts assembled by the subcommittee said many
   companies refuse to report breaches in their security because they
   want to avoid negative publicity and embarrassment.
   [INLINE] "Most computer crimes are not reported," Eugene Spafford of
   Purdue University told the panel. He estimated losses run into
   "hundreds of millions of dollars" but said no one really knows since
   so much goes unreported.
   [INLINE] Daniel Farmer, a security consultant, said penetrating a
   computer system is relatively easy. "Just using simple tests, I could
   break into two-thirds of the systems I tried," he said, adding that he
   could easily raise that figure to three-quarters if he wanted.
   [INLINE] Farmer said that during his tests he even discovered a
   problem with the White House World Wide Web site and told the system
   manager about it. He said he never received a reply.
   [INLINE] "Defensive programs have been overtaken by offensive
   programs" developed by hackers, he said.
   [INLINE] Spafford said law enforcement has kept pace with advances
   made by hackers who are able essentially to take over entire networks
   and run them by remote control.
   [INLINE] In addition to banks and corporations, the experts said,
   government secrets can be stolen and used to threaten national
   security. They cited recent computer network tampering at the Justice
   Department and the CIA.
   [INLINE] A General Accounting Office study recently found that there
   were 250,000 "hits" aimed at the Defense Department's computer
   networks last year and 65 percent were successful. Link to top 
   
   
   
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