[18928] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
[Clips] Spies in the Server Closet
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (R. A. Hettinga)
Sun Nov 13 14:36:54 2005
X-Original-To: cryptography@metzdowd.com
X-Original-To: cryptography@metzdowd.com
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 13:37:27 -0500
To: cryptography@metzdowd.com, cypherpunks@al-qaeda.net
From: "R. A. Hettinga" <rah@shipwright.com>
If this most recent darknet-as-IP-bogeyman meme persists, Hollywood et al.
is probably going to make Tim May famous.
*That* should be interesting.
:-)
Cheers,
RAH
-------
--- begin forwarded text
Delivered-To: clips@philodox.com
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 12:59:42 -0500
To: Philodox Clips List <clips@philodox.com>
From: "R. A. Hettinga" <rah@shipwright.com>
Subject: [Clips] Spies in the Server Closet
Reply-To: rah@philodox.com
Sender: clips-bounces@philodox.com
<http://www.cio.com/archive/110105/tl_filesharing.html?action=print>
NOVEMBER 1, 2005 | CIO MAGAZINE
FILE SHARING
Spies in the Server Closet
BY MICHAEL JACKMAN
The Supreme Court might have stirred up a bigger problem than it settled
when it ruled last June that file-sharing networks such as Grokster could
be sued if their members pirated copyrighted digital music and video.
Since then, some programmers have announced they would pursue so-called
darknets. These private, invitation-only networks can be invisible to even
state-of-the-art sleuthing. And although they're attractive as a way to get
around the entertainment industry's zeal in prosecuting digital piracy,
they could also create a new channel for corporate espionage, says Eric
Cole, chief scientist for Lockheed Martin Information Technology.
Cole defines a darknet as a group of individuals who have a covert,
dispersed communication channel. While file-sharing networks such as
Grokster and even VPNs use public networks to exchange information, with a
darknet, he says, "you don't know it's there in the first place."
All an employee has to do to set one up is install file-sharing software
written for darknets and invite someone on the outside to join, thus
creating a private connection that's unlikely to be detected. "The Internet
is so vast, porous and complex, it's easy to set up underground networks
that are almost impossible to find and take down," says Cole.
He advises that the best-and perhaps only-defense against darknets is a
combination of network security best practices (such as firewalls,
intrusion detection systems and intrusion prevention systems) and keeping
intellectual property under lock and key. In addition, he says, companies
should enact a security policy called "least privilege," which means users
are given the least amount of access they need to do their jobs. "Usually
if a darknet is set up it's because an individual has too much access,"
Cole says.
--
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
_______________________________________________
Clips mailing list
Clips@philodox.com
http://www.philodox.com/mailman/listinfo/clips
--- end forwarded text
--
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"When I was your age we didn't have Tim May! We had to be paranoid
on our own! And we were grateful!" --Alan Olsen
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Cryptography Mailing List
Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to majordomo@metzdowd.com
