[iwar] Internet enables surfing for secrets (fwd)


From: Fred Cohen
From: fc@all.net
To: iwar@egroups.com

Fri, 8 Sep 2000 09:06:04 -0700 (PDT)


fc  Fri Sep  8 09:09:15 2000
Received: from 207.222.214.225
	by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.1.0)
	for fc@localhost (single-drop); Fri, 08 Sep 2000 09:09:15 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by multi33.netcomi.com for fc
 (with Netcom Interactive pop3d (v1.21.1 1998/05/07) Fri Sep  8 16:09:09 2000)
X-From_: sentto-279987-520-968429266-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com  Fri Sep  8 11:09:01 2000
Received: from cj.egroups.com (cj.egroups.com [208.50.144.68]) by multi33.netcomi.com (8.8.5/8.7.4) with SMTP id LAA32495 for ; Fri, 8 Sep 2000 11:09:01 -0500
X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-520-968429266-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com
Received: from [10.1.10.35] by cj.egroups.com with NNFMP; 08 Sep 2000 16:08:36 -0000
Received: (qmail 16402 invoked from network); 8 Sep 2000 16:06:04 -0000
Received: from unknown (10.1.10.27) by m1.onelist.org with QMQP; 8 Sep 2000 16:06:04 -0000
Received: from unknown (HELO all.net) (24.1.84.100) by mta2 with SMTP; 8 Sep 2000 16:06:04 -0000
Received: (from fc@localhost) by all.net (8.9.3/8.7.3) id JAA24434 for iwar@onelist.com; Fri, 8 Sep 2000 09:06:04 -0700
Message-Id: <200009081606.JAA24434@all.net>
To: iwar@egroups.com
Organization: I'm not allowed to say
X-Mailer: don't even ask
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL1]
From: Fred Cohen 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Mailing-List: list iwar@egroups.com; contact iwar-owner@egroups.com
Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@egroups.com
Precedence: bulk
List-Unsubscribe: 
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2000 09:06:04 -0700 (PDT)
Reply-To: iwar@egroups.com
Subject: [iwar] Internet enables surfing for secrets (fwd)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~>
Test your WML code with our
Online WAP Testing Tool at
http://click.egroups.com/1/9112/14/_/595019/_/968429266/
---------------------------------------------------------------------_->

Internet enables surfing for secrets 

BY Dan Verton  08/28/2000 Federal Computer Week  

A study conducted for the Pentagon has singled out the Internet as one of=
 the primary vehicles by which classified information related to weapons of=
 mass destruction often falls into the wrong hands. 

The study, conducted in 1998 for the Pentagon=92s Office of Command,=
 Control, Communications and Intelligence by Booz-Allen & Hamilton Inc.,=
 looked at declassified documents from Pentagon intelligence and security=
 organization

The Pentagon released the study last week as a result of a Freedom of=
 Information Act request made by the Federation of American Scientists. It=
 examined how declassification efforts throughout the Defense Department=
 could be unwittingly divulging secrets. 

The study=92s authors argued that information contained in four particular=
 documents could easily have been made available on the Internet and enable=
 adversaries, such as Iraq, to advance their own nuclear weapons programs. 

"There appears to be a high probability that a good deal of simulation=
 testing could be accomplished based upon the research and formulae=
 provided," the study stated. "The era of information sitting in some=
 archive available only to some scholarly researcher digging through a=
 mountain of paper is in the past." 

The study recommended that DOD conduct a full review of the Internet=92s=
 impact on declassification activities and how overlooked secrets might be=
 leaking out around the world in electronic format. The Pentagon released=
 the study last week as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request=
 made by the federation. 

One of the study=92s more unusual recommendations called for the government=
 to use the Internet to "reduce the unrestrained public appetite for=
 "secrets=92 by providing good faith distraction material." The Internet,=
 according to the study=92s authors, could be used to help "channel public=
 interest toward already appropriately declassified material and possibly=
 lessen FOIA requests." 

Defense agencies are required by executive order to regularly review=
 documents for possible declassification and public release. 

Steven Aftergood, who directs the Federation of American Scientists=92=
 Project on Government Secrecy, said he does not think the "good faith=
 distraction" approach recommended by the study represents the current=
 thinking in government on declassification. 

"But the very concept reflects an attitude that seeks to evade public=
 scrutiny and to discourage public inquiry," Aftergood said. "Also, the=
 "good faith distraction=92 notion reminds me that [the National Security=
 Agency], for example, has taken some trouble to post UFO documents on its=
 Web site =97 as if this were somehow responsive to the public interest." 


------------------
http://all.net/