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Re: OT: Here it comes again...



Udi Finkelstein wrote:

> Hi everyone,
> 
> It seems the "lebanoneze computer terrorists" story refuses to die.
> 
> Today's (22/12) idiot was a Maariv reporter, Ophir CHacham. The story is
> called "The hacker hunters" (page 10 of "Maariv Hayom"). Also helping the
> reporter was another reporter, Uri Binder.
> 
> Let me quote (the loose translation is mine)
> ..."There also examples here in Israel. About two months ago, 100 Internet
> sites were damaged by a "Computerized attack" done by arabs or lebanoneze
> origin, living in Texas. During the attack, which lasted 3 months, the
> attackers has damaged services provided by internet sites, destroyed files,
> damaged computer networks, and caused maulfunctions to Email services. In an
> Email correspondence the attackers has apologized in the words "We meant no
> harm" ".
> 
> AD MATAY???
> 
> Will this stupid story never die?
> 
> Will stupid reporters never cease writing (or at least check their facts?)

As it seems to me, as usual, the only one to blame is the computer
(of Maariv's archive). Of course, everybody knows that it was a
mistake (or a hoax). I wrote about it (
http://elmar.co.il/wwh/column/1survey/ ) and that article was
published (with some shortenings) by "Captain Internet" of HaAretz.

But when those reporters wrote their new story, they searched (I
guess) Maariv's archive for old stories about hackers, and found
that story. The archive does not "tell" them that the story was
denied and found to be wrong, and after dealing with dozens or
hundreds stories since that story, they really cannot remember the
details...

> And ofcourse, as if we couldn't do without it, some free advertizement to a
> securirty firm called "Expert" (aren't they the same firm who blew the false
> alarm last time?).

Chas VeHalila!
It was Comsec. They were mentioned and interviewed zillion times
in the media.

Xpert UNIX Systems is much more serious. I know most of them. They
have even some real Linux gurus. They were involved in another
story (on May 1998), but that story was real, and I know many who
were hurt (some of them are subscribers of Linux-IL). There is no
evidence that the attacks of May were against Israel; According to
CERT and other resources, about half of the world wide Linux based
DNS's were compromised (most were patched immediately).

I think that the name of Xpert which was mentioned on May, was the
motivation of Comsec to have their own story too.

Anyway, I am not happy to mention Comsec. It was a "Fadiha"
(according to Captain Internet), and I didn't mention their name in
my articles, even once, because of Lashon-HaRa. I mention the name
here only to prevent the people from thinking that the embarrassed
company was Xpert.

-- 
Eli Marmor