Date: Wed, 08 May 96 18:01:11 EST Errors-To: Comp-privacy Error Handler From: Computer Privacy Digest Moderator To: Comp-privacy@uwm.edu Subject: Computer Privacy Digest V8#037 Computer Privacy Digest Wed, 08 May 96 Volume 8 : Issue: 037 Today's Topics: Moderator: Leonard P. Levine Privacy Phone Guard Automated Toll Collection Underpinnings of Web Attacked Re: Prepaid Calling Card Stores Called Numbers Crypto Chat with Senator Burns at www.crypto.com Info on CPD [unchanged since 11/22/95] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: rachael@ix.netcom.com (Jon Gootnick) Date: 04 May 96 15:59:37 GMT Subject: Privacy Phone Guard Organization: epg Do you worry that your phone number is available to anyone whom you call with a caller id box? I DO ! For a very simple phone guard that you can implement right now with little or no equipment and little or no cost send 4.95$ to: EPG Communications 10 Clinton Place Suit 2 Fairport NY 14450 [moderator: In response to my request for myre, Mr. Gootnick indicated that the solution was probably a "how to" sheet for $4.95:] This is a simple an elegant system which involves programing a touch tone phone with a star number command which effectively disables or cloaks your phone number. -- Jon Gootnick rachael@ix.netcom.com ------------------------------ From: herwin@mason2.gmu.edu (HARRY R. ERWIN) Date: 06 May 1996 13:43:12 GMT Subject: Automated Toll Collection Organization: George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA The State of Virginia is encouraging drivers on the Dulles Tollway to sign up for a program that automates toll collection. A sensor at the toll station identifies your car and debits an account you set up. You can opt for automatic transfer against a credit card when the account gets low or you can handle it over the phone. Quarterly statements will be mailed out, and you can request a monthly statement for $2.00. There is a $35 charge for replacement if the electronic device installed in your car is broken or stolen. For information: http://www.fastoll.com. It doesn't appear that the privacy issues have been thought through. -- Harry Erwin, Internet: herwin@gmu.edu, Web Page: http://osf1.gmu.edu/~herwin PhD student in computational neurosci and lecturer for CS 211 (advanced C++) ------------------------------ From: glr@ripco.com (Glen L. Roberts) Date: 07 May 1996 12:51:54 GMT Subject: Underpinnings of Web Attacked Organization: Full Disclosure PRESS RELEASE Contact: Glen L. Roberts (814) 678-8801 Underpinnings of Web Attacked "Banyan Revival Bets Heavily on the Web" reads a headline in the 3/96 issue of Web Week. Banyan Systems International is apparently looking for corporate success through the Internet and it's world wide web. Now, however, they appear to be attacking the entire structure of the web. The fundamental key to the brilliant success of the world wide web is hypertext linking. These allow every document on the web to link to (reference) any other document on the web. Hence, the name: "world wide web." Every page on the web is an individualistic creation of that web master, but includes links to other webs, making a never seen before collage of expression. Each piece adds to the rest. "In my continuing presentations about privacy, I found the web to be an excellent medium, rather than abstractly talking about risks, I can point people directly to resources and they can make their own decisions," said Glen L. Roberts, host of Full Disclosure Live. He says that technology is forging ahead and our only assurance that it is used for good is a true understanding of it. "Hands on is the best way." One of his most recent web pages has come under attack by Banyan Systems International. While betting on the web for a corporate revivial, they have asked Roberts' information service provider (ISP) to terminate all access to Banyan's web page! Banyan never contacted Roberts about his web page, but rather placed a number of demands on his ISP, which if implemented would open the door for all hypertext links to be prohibited. "They are asking for the death of the web," said Roberts. "The beauty of the web is that I can place my web page on any ISP or even multiple ISPs. Freedom of expression is the king of the web, not the whim of corporate America." Corporate attacks on his political expression are not new to Roberts. Harris Corporation accused him of criminal and civil infractions for writing about their cellular phone interception equipment. The web page in question can be accessed at: http://pages.ripco.com:8080/~glr/stalk.html Banyan's letter to his ISP follows. This letter follows my attempt to contact you by telephone today. Banyan Systems Incorporated has learned that one or more parties operating on your system (http://pages.ripco.com:8080/~glr/stalk.html) are misappropriating Banyan's on-line "whitepages" directory, Switchboard(tm). Furthermore, these parties expressly encourage and instruct users of your system to access Switchboard in order to engage in "stalking" -- privacy -- spying -- snooping", some of which activities are subject to federal, and state criminal laws, and all of which entail potential liability for damages to one or more personal privacy rights. Attached for your information are photocopies of computer screens containing the offending text. We intend vigorously to protect our legal rights and the integrity of our products and services, as well as to insure strict performance of your obligations in this matter. While we continue to pursue our own investigation into these activities and consult with law enforcement agencies as necessary, we require you to take the following measures: 1. immediately terminate all access to Switchboard via your system by any programmatic means; 2. immediately stop further misappropriation of Switchboard in any form and its misuse for criminal purposes; 3. immediately implement effective procedures to preclude any linkage whatsoever to Switchboard in the future without our express written consent; and 4. promptly and without delay confirm to me in writing that you have undertaken these measures. You may contact me at (508)898-1000, ext. 1662. Sincerely, Richard L. Bugley Vice President and General Counsel RLB/smc Enclosure Banyan Systems Inc., 120 Flanders Road, P.O. Box 5013, Westboro, MA 01581-5013 Tel 508-898-1000 Fax 508-898-1755 -- Full Disclosure -- Inside Information -- Check it out: http://pages.ripco.com:8080/~glr/glr.html ------------------------------ From: glr@ripco.com (Glen L. Roberts) Date: 07 May 1996 19:28:20 GMT Subject: Re: Prepaid Calling Card Stores Called Numbers Organization: Full Disclosure References: wrfuse@mab.ecse.rpi.edu (Wm. Randolph U Franklin) wrote: If you use a prepaid calling card, then all the numbers that you call may be stored permanently. (As I say this, it sounds all so reasonable; however in the past I've been called paranoid by some Usenet readers for even observing the possibility.) My source is http://www.nando.net/newsroom/ntn/nation/050296/nation13_13359.html a news article saying that the Oklahoma City bombing suspects used a pre-paid phone calling card purchased in November 1993 thru the Spotlight to make 634 calls to bomb suppliers, the truck rental company, etc. Did the suppliers (not resellers) ever offer the prepaid calling cards as a privacy card? I think not. Just "prepaid" not "recordless." -- Full Disclosure -- Inside Information -- Check it out: http://pages.ripco.com:8080/~glr/glr.html ------------------------------ From: shabbir@vtw.org (Shabbir J. Safdar) Date: 06 May 1996 22:52:04 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Crypto Chat with Senator Burns at www.crypto.com Question : Senator Burns, As a small business in Montana that provides web-space to local Montana businesses, I'm concerned that the lack of privacy and security on the Net will keep many of my potential customers from purchasing online. How will this bill help? Sen Burns : That's exactly why I introduced this bill. Right now I don't think any of us feel safe transmitting our credit card numbers over the Internet, and many companies who have workers around the nation or world are worried about how they can safely send sensitive information back and forth between them. If we can raise their level of security, we can guarantee that that information will be sent without unwanted eyes looking in. Question : What do you think the Administration, FBI, and NSA reaction to your bill will be? Have you already heard from them? (I run an ISP in Missoula, Montana.) Sen Burns : We expect them to have some concern with this, and we will work with them but we have to undertsnad that the people we are concerned with can already gain encryption that is already longer than 40 bits on teh international market. ------------------------------ From: "Prof. L. P. Levine" Date: 07 May 1996 09:14:50 -0600 (CDT) Subject: Info on CPD [unchanged since 11/22/95] Organization: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee The Computer Privacy Digest is a forum for discussion on the effect of technology on privacy or vice versa. The digest is moderated and gatewayed into the USENET newsgroup comp.society.privacy (Moderated). Submissions should be sent to comp-privacy@uwm.edu and administrative requests to comp-privacy-request@uwm.edu. This digest is a forum with information contributed via Internet eMail. Those who understand the technology also understand the ease of forgery in this very free medium. Statements, therefore, should be taken with a grain of salt and it should be clear that the actual contributor might not be the person whose email address is posted at the top. Any user who openly wishes to post anonymously should inform the moderator at the beginning of the posting. He will comply. 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Web browsers will find it at gopher://gopher.cs.uwm.edu. ---------------------------------+----------------------------------------- Leonard P. Levine | Moderator of: Computer Privacy Digest Professor of Computer Science | and comp.society.privacy University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Post: comp-privacy@uwm.edu Box 784, Milwaukee WI 53201 | Information: comp-privacy-request@uwm.edu | Gopher: gopher.cs.uwm.edu levine@cs.uwm.edu | Web: gopher://gopher.cs.uwm.edu ---------------------------------+----------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of Computer Privacy Digest V8 #037 ****************************** .