contributed by William Knowles and Patrick
A report written by a senior officer of the Strategic Affairs Delegation (DAS), a french intelligence agency, has accused the National Security Agency (NSA) of working with computer giant Microsoft to develop software allowing Washington to spy on communications around the world. (The only way Microsoft could be so powerful is with the help of the always streamlined and super-efficient US Government.)

The Age
Yahoo News
Intelligence Online - In French
Intelligence Online - English

contributed by Weld Pond
Evidence is surfacing that the French Government has been funding its own version of Echelon, a global eavesdropping network, that has been dubbed Frenchelon. Listening stations for the French network are reported to be in French Guiana, in the city of Domme in the Dordogne region of southwestern France, in New Caledonia, and in the United Arab Emirates. It is also thought that Germany may be involved to help fund the project.

Communications Week International - via cfp.org

contributed by William Knowles
While denial of service attacks make the headlines around the world the real threat to computer security continues on its merry way unobstructed by the commotion. Corporate espionage and disgruntled employees are still out there causing trouble, often undetected.

The Register UK

contributed by Evil Wench
Distributed denial of service attacks against various IRC hosts may have been precursor to the actual attacks against the larger targets. Administrators at Internet America, a mid sized Dallas ISP, say that their IRC servers where hits weeks before Yahoo with a similar attack and believe that it was not a coincidence.

Washington Post

contributed by Evil Wench
The FBI is still furiously attempting to dig up information in regards to the now two weeks old denial of service attacks against a dozen or so major web sites. The media frenzy over the this case has reached unheard of levels. Some reporters are now taking a step back and looking at all the commotions and what it really means, other are just looking to report on anything that may be 'hacker' related.

Richard Thieme comments on the difference of 'hackers' and 'script-kiddies' and how the meaning of the word 'hacker' has warped so much in the last few years.
The Village Voice

Bronc Buster takes a look at law enforcement and how well they have handled or bungled this case, you decide.
The Synthesis

Old school vs. new school, hacker vs. script-kiddie. Nothing new here they just needed a 'hacker' story for the Friday edition.
Washington Post

contributed by Dan
Jacy Kyle Johnson, 14, has been charged with accessing a computer network without authorization of the network owner after he allegedly broke into teacher grading files from a computer in the school library. Crystal River High School officials say they don't think he changed his or anyone else's grade, but he may have penetrated at least two firewalls too reach the compromised system.

St. Petersburg Times

contributed by William Knowles
Ken Sato, administrative vice minister of The Defense Agency, said that they are planning to establish a unit in the Self-Defense Forces dedicated to combating cyber intrusions against key computer systems, as part of the five-year defense buildup program beginning in fiscal 2001.

The Daily Yomiuri

contributed by Arik
Apple's Sherlock, an Internet search technology, sends out users' e-mail addresses. This occurs when Sherlock, going into auto-update mode, searches for new versions of modules that enables it to search specific sites. When the update is sent via FTP Sherlock logs in, sending the users' e-mail address as the login password. (This is a known issue with FTP, that is why they invented SCP.)

The Register UK

contributed by Keems
Spokespeople for presidential hopeful John McCain say that it was all a simple misunderstanding after the FBI shut down a duplicate donations page that had nothing to do with the McCain campaign. A McCain support evidently exactly copied the donations page from McCain's web site, put it up as his own and started taking contributions. Originally believed to be a case of page hijacking or redirection both sides now say it was simply a mistake. The fake page earned 4180 in donation which will be returned to the McCain campaign.

MSNBC