DATE=2/26/98
TYPE=COMPUTER SERIES
NUMBER=7-18054

TITLE=PENTAGON COMPUTER BREAK-IN
BYLINE=DAN NOBLE
TELEPHONE=619-1014
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=SWANEY

CONTENT=

(PHONE QUALITY INSERTS AVAILABLE FROM AUDIO SERVICES)

INTRO:   RECENTLY (FYI - WEDNESDAY FEB 25), JOHN HAMRE, THE U.S.
         DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY, ANNOUNCED THAT HIS AGENCY'S
         COMPUTER NETWORK SUFFERED -- WHAT HE CALLS -- "THE MOST
         ORGANIZED AND SYSTEMATIC ATTACK."  THE EVENT REMINDS
         COMPUTER USERS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH-TECH SECURITY.
         DAN NOBLE HAS DETAILS.

TEXT:    THE ILLEGAL ENTRIES INTO THE PENTAGON'S COMPUTERS WERE
         MADE INTO UNCLASSIFIED FILES WHICH INCLUDE PAYROLL AND
         PERSONNEL DATA.  CLASSIFIED NETWORKS USE MUCH MORE
         INTENSIVE SECURITY MEASURES.  BUT, DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
         OFFICIALS SAY BECAUSE OF THE BREAK-IN, OR "HACKING," AS
         IT IS OFTEN CALLED, THEY INTEND TO BOLSTER SECURITY EVEN
         MORE.

         PATRICIA FISHER IS PRESIDENT OF JANUS ASSOCIATES, A
         STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT-BASED COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN
         COMPUTER SECURITY.  SHE SAYS THAT PROBLEMS, LIKE THOSE
         FACED BY THE PENTAGON, ARE COMMON.

TAPE     CUT ONE -- PAT FISHER (0:17)

         "WE FIND, CONSTANTLY, BREAK-INS.  WE ALSO FIND THAT THE
         ABILITY TO BREAK-IN IS RATHER SIMPLE.  THAT'S MOSTLY
         DUE, NOT TO SOFTWARE PROBLEMS, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME
         OF THOSE, BUT IT IS OFTEN DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE
         PROBLEMS.  PEOPLE TAKING SHORT CUTS."

TEXT:    ACCORDING TO PAT FISHER, A WIDE VARIETY OF PEOPLE
         ATTEMPT TO ILLEGALLY ENTER COMPUTER SYSTEMS.  SHE SAYS
         THAT THE INCIDENT AT THE PENTAGON APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A
         GAME THAT WAS BEING PLAYED BY A PARTICULAR GROUP OF
         HACKERS...

TAPE:    CUT TWO -- PAT FISHER (0:19)

         "...AND, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS ALSO DONE BY A SMALL
         NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS.  OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S VERY HARD
         TO TRACK WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE BECAUSE THEY COME THROUGH
         A VARIETY OF COMPUTERS TO GET TO WHEREVER THEY ARE
         TRYING TO GET IN.  THEY DO THIS ON PURPOSE, SO THAT YOU
         CAN'T TRACK THEM.  THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO DIFFICULT."

TEXT:    SECURITY EXPERTS LIKE PAT FISHER OF JANUS DO A NUMBER OF
         THINGS TO IMPROVE SECURITY.  THE FIRST THING THEY DO IS
         TO EXAMINE A COMPANY'S OR ORGANIZATION'S COMPUTERS TO
         DETERMINE WHERE THEIR PROBLEM AREAS ARE, SO THAT THEY
         CAN CLOSE THOSE PROBLEMS BEFORE A HACKER GETS INSIDE.

TAPE:    CUT THREE -- PAT FISHER (0:27)

         "IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S OKAY FOR SOMEONE TO COME TO THE
         DOOR, AS LONG AS YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH THE DOOR.  YOU
         ARE NOT GOING TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THESE WORLDWIDE
         NETWORKS, ESPECIALLY THE INTERNET.  YOU JUST CAN'T DO
         IT.  BUT, YOU BETTER HAVE YOUR DOORS AND YOUR WINDOWS
         INTO YOUR SITE, LOCKED TO PREVENT THEM.  SO, WE
         PERIODICALLY TEST ENVIRONMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
         DOORS AND THE WINDOWS ARE REMAINING LOCKED.  WE ALSO
         PROVIDE SOFTWARE THAT DOES THE SAME THING."

TEXT:    ONCE IN PLACE, SAYS PAT FISHER OF JANUS, COMPUTER
         SECURITY MEASURES ARE EFFECTIVE DETERRENTS.

TAPE:    CUT  FOUR -- PAT FISHER (0:54)

         "ABSOLUTELY.  THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PRODUCTS OUT THERE
         THAT ARE VERY, VERY GOOD, AND METHODOLOGIES THAT ARE
         VERY, VERY GOOD.  BUT, PEOPLE HAVE TO USE THEM.
         (///OPT///) IF YOU USE A VERY POOR PASSWORD, OR NO
         PASSWORD, OR SOMETHING THAT'S EASILY GUESSED, THEN YOU
         MIGHT AS WELL NOT BOTHER WITH SECURITY.  WE FOUND,
         RECENTLY, A SMALL PROGRAM THAT DOES BRUTE FORCE PASSWORD
         CRACKING.  THIS IS A SHAREWARE PROGRAM, AVAILABLE OVER
         THE INTERNET, AND IT IS ABLE TO CRACK WHAT WE THOUGHT,
         BEFORE, WERE VERY SECURE PASSWORDS.  SO, (///END OPT///)
         PEOPLE HAVE TO BE CONSTANTLY UPGRADING THEIR SECURITY
         BECAUSE THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF PROGRAMS ROAMING AROUND
         OUT THERE THAT LET UNINITIATED, OR NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE,
         PEOPLE GET TO YOUR SITE AND BREAK IN.  YOU JUST HAVE TO
         BE AWARE OF THAT, ALL THE TIME, AND TAKE MEASURES TO
         PREVENT IT."

TEXT:    PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAYS THAT THE RECENT BREAK-IN TO ITS
         COMPUTER SYSTEM IS SENDING IT A WAKE-UP CALL.  SECURITY
         FEATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE UPGRADED.  WHAT HAPPENED AT
         THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE.

27-Feb-98 8:31 AM EST (1331 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.