Information Security News: New Web Site Tracks Computer Viruses

[InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>]

Forwarded By: Unit 4 <unit4 () sputum com>

http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20000823S0005

EE Times 8/23/2000
by Alexander Wolfe

In a bid to alleviate public panic over purported computer viruses,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has set up a new Web site
designed to separate hacker wheat from chaff. Designated "Hoaxbusters"
and located at hoaxbusters.ciac.org, the site is intended to explain,
identify and offer work arounds for both lay computer users and
experienced engineers.

Word of the site comes days after CIAC released reports on the
potential vulnerabilities in Linux, Microsoft and Netscape code. (The
CIAC or Computer Incident Advisory Capability organization provides
assistance to the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as to Livermore
Labs.)

Though arcane, the latest warnings identify new avenues though which
hackers could wreak havoc on the respective operating systems.
Specifically, the Linux glitch revealed this week points out a
vulnerability in one of the calls of the operating system. A malicious
user could exploit that call to gain root, or administrative,
privileges. CIAC says the risk level for this problem is "medium."

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