**************************************************************************** >C O M P U T E R U N D E R G R O U N D< >D I G E S T< *** Volume 3, Issue #3.04 (January 28, 1991) ** **************************************************************************** MODERATORS: Jim Thomas / Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@NIU.bitnet) ARCHIVISTS: Bob Krause / Alex Smith / Bob Kusumoto RESIDENT SYSTEM CRASH VICTIM:: Brendan Kehoe USENET readers can currently receive CuD as alt.society.cu-digest. Back issues are also available on Compuserve (in: DL0 of the IBMBBS sig), PC-EXEC BBS (414-789-4210), and at 1:100/345 for those on FIDOnet. Anonymous ftp sites: (1) ftp.cs.widener.edu (2) cudarch@chsun1.uchicago.edu E-mail server: archive-server@chsun1.uchicago.edu. COMPUTER UNDERGROUND DIGEST is an open forum dedicated to sharing information among computerists and to the presentation and debate of diverse views. CuD material may be reprinted as long as the source is cited. Some authors, however, do copyright their material, and those authors should be contacted for reprint permission. It is assumed that non-personal mail to the moderators may be reprinted unless otherwise specified. Readers are encouraged to submit reasoned articles relating to the Computer Underground. Articles are preferred to short responses. Please avoid quoting previous posts unless absolutely necessary. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DISCLAIMER: The views represented herein do not necessarily represent the views of the moderators. Contributors assume all responsibility for assuring that articles submitted do not violate copyright protections. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Various Subject: The CU in the News Date: January, 1991 ******************************************************************** *** CuD #3.04, File 4 of 4: The CU in the News *** ******************************************************************** Subject: Lotus Drops Suit From: Anonymous Date: Sun, 24 Jan 91 01:21:00 EST From: New York Times, January 24, 1991, p. C3 (By Lawrence M. Fisher) SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 23 - The Lotus Development Corporation and Equifax Inc. said today that they had canceled plans to sell a database of names, addresses and marketing information on 120 million United States consumers. The companies said their decision came after they had received 30,000 calls and letters from individuals wishing to have their names and personal information deleted from the database. The companies said they believed the public misunderstood the product and that the costs of addressing privacy concerns had made Marketplace:Households no longer viable. Lotus will also discontinue Market-lace:Business, a similar product with information on seven million United States businesses, which began shipment in October. Mr. Manzi said the business product was not viable without the revenues from the consumer version." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: cdp!mrotenberg@labrea.stanford.edu Subject: CPSR FOIA Suits Seeks Gov't Computer Policy Date: Sun, 13 Jan 91 19:20:35 PST PRESS RELEASE Release: Friday, 1/4/91 CPSR Washington Office, 1025 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington DC 20036 For more information: David Sobel Marc Rotenberg 202/775-1588 LAWSUIT SEEKS BUSH DIRECTIVE ON COMPUTER SECURITY WASHINGTON - Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility ("CPSR") filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court today to obtain a classified government directive on computer security. The document at issue was signed by President Bush on July 5, 1990. It is intended to replace a controversial security policy signed by President Reagan in 1984. The Reagan policy, designated "NSDD 145," put the super-secret National Security Agency ("NSA") in charge of computer security, raising concerns about government secrecy. Congress sought to limit NSA's role through passage of the Computer Security Act of 1987, which transferred responsibility for federal computer security to the National Institute for Standards and Technology, a civilian agency. The administration contends that the revised directive complies with the Computer Security Act, but so far has released to the public only an unclassified summary of the new directive. According to Marc Rotenberg, Director of CPSR's Washington Office, "Computer security policy should not be made behind closed doors or through the issuance of classified directives. At a time when computer technology touches every aspect of our lives, it is essential that the public be fully informed about our government's policy." CPSR first requested a copy of the revised directive from the Defense Department under the Freedom of Information Act last August. The organization also sought a copy from the National Security Council the following month. To date, neither agency has responded to CPSR's requests. The Freedom of Information Act provides a legal right for individuals to obtain records held by government agencies. According to CPSR Legal Counsel David Sobel, "Agencies are required to respond to requests within ten working days. When agencies fail to respond within a reasonable period of time, requesters often begin legal proceedings to obtain the information." CPSR is a national membership organization of computer scientists. Its membership includes a Nobel Laureate and four recipients of the Turing Award, the highest honor in computer science. CPSR has prepared reports and presented testimony on computer technology issues, including NSDD 145, at the request of Congressional committees. The case is CPSR v. National Security Council, et al., Civil Action No. 91-_____, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, January 4, 1991. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: well!mercury@APPLE.COM(Michael Edward Marotta) Subject: Thoughts on the Bill of Rights Date: Tue, 22 Jan 91 21:52:34 pst GRID News. vol 2 nu 2. January 23, 1991. World GRID Association, P. O. Box 15061, Lansing, MI 48901 USA -------------------------------------------------------------------- "The Bill of Rights" by Michael E. Marotta. (54 lines) When agents of the US Secret Service raided publishers in 1990 while chasing The Legion of Doom, they demonstrated that the paradigms of cyberspace are not well understood. Therefore, identifiers must be used to show that this activity is protected by the Bill of Rights. Copyright notices are one identifier. A copyright is earned whenever an idea achieves physical expression or "realization". Two copies of the publication (or two photographs of a work of art) are send to the Library of Congress along with a registration fee. Books, sound recordings, and films may be copyrighted. A copyright can be given to the mass production of a work in the public domain, such as the Bible. You could write out by hand an original poem, send two xeroxes to the Library of Congress (along with the registration fee) and earn a copyright on your work. When the United States joined the Berne Convention in December of 1988 (effective March 1, 1989), life became easier --- perhaps too easy. By default, every realization is automatically copyrighted to the creator, whether or not copies are sent to the Library of Congress. A copyright notice on the login screen announces that the BBS contains works of non-fiction, fiction, art or other production that are protected by the First Amendment. The First Amendment also promises that the People have the right to PEACEABLY ASSEMBLE to seek redress of grievances against the government. A BBS is an assembly and can host assemblies. The Supreme Court has often and consistently shown that this right to peaceably assemble is also the right to association. Most BBSes support message bases. Discussions on religion are specially protected by the First Amendment. The Bill of Rights contains two purposely broad articles, the Ninth and Tenth. The Ninth Amendment says that there are more rights than the ones listed in the Bill of Rights. The Tenth Amendment limits the federal government to its enumerated powers and gives all other powers to the States (except where prohibited) or to the People (apparently without special reservation or stipulation). For instance, without stretching the meaning of "religion" or requiring that we photograph blackboards, it is strongly argued that there is a Right to Scientific Inquiry. This strongly assertable right protects experiments with encryption algorithms. There may be a Right to Travel. This would extend to the lawful use of communication systems to "visit" a computer, whether or not you actually "enter" the computer. (Internet syntax tolerates users who chat though not logged in.) To the extent that a computer is a weapon, its ownership is protected under the Second Amendment. Indeed, when Saddam Hussein's storm troopers rolled into Kuwait, "Hack Iraq" messages appeared on some systems. The Bill of Rights is your Best Friend. Sleep with it. ******************************************************************** ------------------------------ **END OF CuD #3.04** ********************************************************************