headers
EDUCAUSE | 4 Mar 2003 00:44

Edupage, March 03, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 03, 2003
  Details Revealed about Government Data Mining
  New Spam Filter Only Delivers E-Mail from Approved Sources
  Red Herring Shuts Down
AND
  Alexandria Library Project to Build Vast Online Collection
  Experts Find Fault with Current Copyright Legislation
  Senator Offers Market Approach to Copyright

DETAILS REVEALED ABOUT GOVERNMENT DATA MINING
A freedom-of-information request by the Electronic Privacy Information
Center (EPIC) has uncovered information about 26 research grants
awarded for the Defense Department's controversial Total Information
Awareness (TIA) program. The Defense Department tried to block the
release of the grant information, but a federal district court ruled
that the information must be turned over. Future funding for the TIA
program has been blocked by Congress, pending an accounting of how the
program will deal with privacy issues. The grants described were
approved before Congress took action to limit funding. Grant applicants
included large and small corporations and large research universities.
According to EPIC, the grant program solicited proposals dealing with
repository technologies; collaboration, automation, and cognitive aids
technologies; and prototype system technologies.
Internet News, 27 February 2003
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 6 Mar 2003 00:21

Edupage, March 05, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 05, 2003
  Passenger-Screening Program Upsets Privacy Advocates
  Government Seizure of Domain Names Causes Concern
  Study Shows Lack of IT Disaster Plans
AND
  Library Filters Go Before Supreme Court
  Copyright Enforcement Heats Up on Campus
  Group Releases Benchmarking Software for Linux

PASSENGER-SCREENING PROGRAM UPSETS PRIVACY ADVOCATES
Delta Airlines's upcoming test of the government's Computer Assisted
Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS II) has at least one activist up
in arms over what he sees as the system's threat to privacy. Bill
Scannell, who led the Boycott Adobe campaign to protest the arrest of
programmer Dmitry Sklyarov, is now calling for a boycott against Delta.
CAPPS II assigns a rating of green, yellow, or red to every airline
passenger based on that person's credit, banking, and criminal
history. According to developers of the system, the ratings indicate a
passenger's security threat level; people with yellow ratings will be
subject to extra security checks at airports, while passengers
identified as red can be prevented from flying. Scannell said the
system sacrifices individuals' right to privacy while doing nothing to
increase security. Barry Steinhardt of the American Civil Liberties
Union shares Scannell's concerns. "CAPPS II threatens our liberty,"
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 8 Mar 2003 00:32

Edupage, March 07, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 07, 2003
  FBI Evidence Dismissed in Internet Child Pornography Case
  Sendmail Flaw Used to Test Cybersecurity
  GSA and Defense Department Join Liberty Alliance Project
  Gartner Warns Against Uncertified 802.11g Devices
AND
  Hackers Swipe 55,200 IDs from University of Texas
  Cornell to Charge Bandwidth Hogs

FBI EVIDENCE DISMISSED IN INTERNET CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE
In a ruling that could affect similar prosecutions nationwide, Federal
Judge Denny Chin struck down FBI evidence in an Internet child
pornography case against a Bronx resident. In the case, the FBI was
given authority to search homes and computers of members of the
Candyman Internet group based on an affidavit saying all members of the
group received pornography through e-mail. The FBI later acknowledged
that Candyman subscribers could opt out of the e-mail list and did not
necessarily receive pornography. The FBI unjustly searched the home of
a Candyman member who did not receive or send e-mail images, said Judge
Chin, who threw out the evidence against him. Although it is unclear
how many Candyman prosecutions have relied on the affidavit, there will
likely be many challenges. In another case in St. Louis, Judge
Catherine D. Perry suppressed evidence based on false statements in the
FBI affidavit. Daniel A. Juengel, the lawyer for the defendant in the
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 11 Mar 2003 00:27

Edupage, March 10, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2003
  Employers Look to Limit Non-Work Web Use
  Computer Waste Bill Reintroduced
  City Supplements Alarm with PC Notices
  Afghanistan Gets Own Domain
AND
  Diploma Mills Shut Down
  Dell Refund Offer Rouses Customer Ire

EMPLOYERS LOOK TO LIMIT NON-WORK WEB USE
As the Web and Web usage continue to grow, more employers seek to
monitor employees' e-mail and Internet use to gauge worker
productivity, limit network traffic, and prevent the spread of computer
viruses. An FBI survey found that employees at 78 percent of companies
had misused the Internet, and a study by IDC estimates that 30 to 40
percent of Internet surfing during work hours is not work related. An
alternative to monitoring Web use and "spying" on employees is highly
customized blocking software that can block specific sites entirely or
enable site visits for discrete amounts of time or during certain hours
of the day. Websense Inc. offers such employee Internet management
software to 18,000 customers worldwide that allows clients to define
access to 4.2 million Web sites, divided by categories. Privacy
advocates applaud blocking software as preferable to monitoring, which
one employee advocate labeled a "privacy nightmare."
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 13 Mar 2003 00:57

Edupage, March 12, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2003
  Survey Shows Continued IT Weakness
  Boston Businessman Offers Free Wireless Network
  California Bill Would Ban All Spam
  Liberty Alliance Releases Details about Future Plans
AND
  WGU Opens Teachers College
  Sylvan Unloads K-12, Focuses on Higher Ed

SURVEY SHOWS CONTINUED IT WEAKNESS
A survey by Goldman Sachs of chief information officers at 100 top U.S.
companies revealed that IT spending in 2003 is growing at about one
percent, an improvement over a December survey's prediction for a one
percent decline. The current survey's results, however, fall short of
the two to three percent average growth predicted in a survey last
fall. The report indicated that concerns about a war with Iraq have
negatively impacted both corporate and consumer spending. Bucking the
two-year downturn in the IT industry are Dell and IBM, "the
best-positioned enterprise systems vendors in the current environment,"
according to the report. Linux is also performing well, with 53 percent
of respondents implementing the open-source operating system.
CNET, 12 March 2003
http://news.com.com/2100-1014-992197.html
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 15 Mar 2003 00:21

Edupage, March 14, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2003
  Facial-Recognition Software Tests Released
  Marketers and Consumers Prepare for National No-Call List
  New Target for Copyright Enforcement: Organized Crime
AND
  Technology Grants for Minority Institutions Approved
  FCC Begins Spectrum Debate
  Graduate Student Accused of Terrorist Ties

FACIAL-RECOGNITION SOFTWARE TESTS RELEASED
According to test data released by the federal government,
facial-recognition systems have become significantly more accurate and
reliable since 2000. The tests, which were overseen by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology and covered products from 10
companies, also showed, however, that in certain conditions the
accuracy of the systems dropped to 50 percent. In "reasonable,
controlled indoor lighting," the best of the systems was able to
correctly match facial images with those in a database 90 percent of
the time. The results are expected to support efforts to add
facial-recognition systems, as well as other biometric identification
technologies, in situations where security is vital, such as at
airports.
New York Times, 14 March 2003 (registration req'd)
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/14/technology/14FACE.html
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 18 Mar 2003 00:40

Edupage, March 17, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2003
  Republican Criticizes Administration's Handling of Privacy
  Growing Profits from Identity Theft
AND
  UT Student Charged with Recent Theft of Personal Data
  Spelling and Grammar Checkers Add Errors
  Visit the Doctor on TV

REPUBLICAN CRITICIZES ADMINISTRATION'S HANDLING OF PRIVACY
Former Congressman Dick Armey accused George W. Bush and other
Congressional Republicans of disregarding citizens' right to privacy
in their efforts to increase national security. He said, "[P]eople in
the government, very much so in the Justice Department, have been
playing out a lust for our information that is not consistent with who
we have been as a nation and what our constitutional freedoms are."
Armey criticized the government's proposed data-mining programs and
other efforts to identify potential criminals and prevent crimes by
collecting and sharing information from various sources. He said the
notion that the collection of such data should not bother the innocent
is ridiculous. A spokesman from the Justice Department defended that
agency's use of expanded powers of surveillance, saying the agency
stays within the bounds of the law and that Congress still has
oversight for what is done.
IDG, 14 March 2003
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 22 Mar 2003 00:39

Edupage, March 21, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2003
  War Incites Cyberattacks
  Music Industry Complains to 300 Companies
  Technique Hides Data in Songs
  Congress Seeks to Regulate Internet Gambling
AND
  Another University Opts for Cellular Phones
  Report Shows Shrinking Digital Divide

WAR INCITES CYBERATTACKS
Security firm F-Secure reports that more than 1,000 Web sites have been
hacked in direct response to the launching of war in Iraq. According to
F-Secure, although some of the hackers apparently are U.S.-based
supporters of the war, the majority of the attacks came from people
opposed to the war. iDefense, another security firm, also reported that
hundreds of Web sites have been hacked by peace activists, some of whom
have called this the "new era of cyber war." Sites that have been
hacked since the beginning of military action against Iraq include the
U.S. National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research and the U.S.
Navy. Damage from the recent hacking activity is reported to be
minimal.
BBC, 21 March 2003
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2871985.stm
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 25 Mar 2003 00:57

Edupage, March 24, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2003
  Anti-Spam Efforts May Be Bolstered by Junk Fax Law
  Start-up Targets Spam
  War Tests High-Speed Internet
  Mixed Signals about War's Effect on Internet Sales
AND
  Technical Problems Plague SEVIS
  Internet-Based Vote Voided on Alabama Campus
  Hacking as Learning Tool

ANTI-SPAM EFFORTS MAY BE BOLSTERED BY JUNK FAX LAW
A three-judge panel in Washington, D.C., has ruled that a law limiting
junk faxes does not infringe on the First Amendment, overturning a
ruling by a lower court. Part of the decision was an acceptance that
the junk-fax law fairly attempts to fight the practice of
"cost-shifting," in which the cost for advertisements is borne by the
recipients in the form of tied-up phone lines, paper, ink, and toner.
Because anti-spam activists make similar arguments for restricting
unsolicited e-mail advertisements, many see the approval of the fax law
as support for anti-spam forces. Anti-spam activist Ray Everett-Church
said the recent ruling "reinforces the argument that ... federal
regulations banning unsolicited e-mail could be held constitutional."
CNET, 21 March 2003
http://news.com.com/2100-1028-993749.html
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
EDUCAUSE | 26 Mar 2003 23:54

Edupage, March 26, 2003

*****************************************************
Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
*****************************************************

TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2003
  CAPPS II System Draws Criticism from EU and OMB
  Sun Gains Seat on Web Services Board
  Gartner Predicts Dissatisfaction with Outsourcing
AND
  Survey Shows Increased IT Spending This Year
  Growing Popularity of Online MBA Programs

CAPPS II SYSTEM DRAWS CRITICISM FROM EU AND OMB
The European Union (EU), civil libertarian groups, and the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) have urged the government to resolve
serious legal, privacy, and operational issues before moving forward
with the proposed Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System II,
or CAPPS II. The Transportation Security Administration is testing a
passenger-screening system with Delta Airlines that provides personal
and financial information on each passenger who makes a reservation.
The system then assigns a color code indicating that passenger's
threat risk. Concerns include unwarranted intrusions into personal
data, cost, and effectiveness of the system in evaluating risk.
Washington Post, 26 March 2003
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28839-2003Mar25.html

SUN GAINS SEAT ON WEB SERVICES BOARD
Sun Microsystems, after protracted wrangling over the issue, has been
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |

Gmane