Forwarded From: William Knowles <erehwon@kizmiaz.dis.org>
Hackers worry Minneapolis Officials
http://www.apbonline.com/911/1999/05/21/hackers0521_01.html
MINNEAPOLIS (APBNews.com) [5.21.99] - The arrival of several hundred
computer hackers this weekend has prompted the city to shut down several
vulnerable points in its computer network.
While the city's computer guru called the weekend shutdown "an opportunity
to remind ourselves of network-based security," the conference organizer
called the measures "an overly paranoid precaution."
The hackers descended today on the Minneapolis Convention Center for
RootFest 99, a three-day discussion of computer security open to "the
computer underground, hackers, IT professionals, government agents, feds,"
according to the conference's Web site.
The conference features sessions entitled "Circumventing Internet
Censorship," and "Internet Security in Europe: State of Affairs."
Speakers include both hackers and computer security consultants
City downplays concerns
But the city responded to the event by closing off some older dial-up
modem lines that a few telecommuting employees and remote city agencies
still use to connect into the city's network.
Don Saelens, the city's information technology manager, downplayed
concerns about possible hacking attempts.
The conference, Saelens said, presented "an opportunity to remind
ourselves of network-based security."
But Saelens did admit that the timing of the system shutdown was not
wholly coincidental.
"We've been doing a number of upgrades on our own networks, and these were
all slated to go out anyway this year," Saelens said. "I have to admit,
[this conference] was a reminder of network security that heightened the
awareness."
Police reportedly shut down
In addition, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the city Police
Department shut down its computer network over the weekend. Saelens and a
police official refused to confirm the report, citing safety concerns.
"The only thing the police is saying is we are not releasing anything we
are doing for security reasons," said Penny Parrish, a police department
spokeswoman.
'Hacker threat'?
Chris Lothos, an organizer of RootFest, attacked the city's measures in a
dispatch on the RootFest Web site.
"It's an overly paranoid precaution taken for the 'hacker threat' that
RootFest supposedly poses to the world at large," Lothos wrote.
The conference also printed on its Web site a copy of the e-mail memo
Saelens sent to city employees alerting them to the security measures.
Saelens said he's not sure how the group got a copy of his e-mail.
[WK Note: http://www.rootfest.org/park.txt ]
-o-
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Received on Sat May 22 12:36:12 1999