[iwar] [fc:UK.security.details.'listed.on.web']

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2002-06-26 06:29:41
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From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net>
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Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 06:29:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [iwar] [fc:UK.security.details.'listed.on.web']
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UK security details 'listed on web'

BBC News, Tuesday, 25 June, 2002, 13:47 GMT 14:47

<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_2064000/2064388.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_2064000/2064388.stm>

UK Were security frequencies used by Millwall hooligans? The safety of
the Royal Family and top politicians is at risk because classified
security details are being published on the internet, it has been
revealed.

Radio scanning enthusiast Paul Wey is intercepting Special Branch and
other communications and publishing their details on internet news
groups, BBC Radio 4's Today programme has learned.

An intelligence source said Mr Wey was a "menace", whose actions could
help terrorists commit atrocities and may have already been used to
counter police operations.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said the government
must consider banning radio scanners, which are currently illegal to use
but not to own.

'Limited harm'

Mr Wey, from Hertford, told Today he had a list of frequencies used by
security for any big events or organisations in London.

He admitted that what he was doing was illegal, but denied the
information he was publishing would be "gold dust" to potential
terrorists.

He said: "They would be aware of these things whether I published them
or not", adding that the harm being done to national security was
"limited".

Mr Wey suggested that his activities could prompt the authorities to
take better care of security - for instance by ensuring that Special
Branch's radio equipment was updated as it should be.

Restricted

The intelligence source said Mr Wey and his website were "a severe
danger to the public and to national security".

"It's basically what I would describe as an ex-directory publication of
radio frequencies used by the government, security services, military
and police and other emergency services throughout the UK."

She said the frequencies and files published contained "highly
restricted" information.

The source called for the site to be closed down, as well as for
scanners to be made illegal.

She said: "They can only be used for illegal activity. It's similar to
saying to somebody: 'It's OK to have a gun, as long as you don't put
bullets in it'."

Millwall suspicion

The source suggested Mr Wey's newsgroup may have been used by Millwall
supporters to avoid police during riots at the south London football
club on 2 May.

A month before the riots, someone claiming to be a Millwall supporter
posted a message on Mr Wey's site.

It read: "We're always getting bothered by the police so want to turn it
the other way around and watch them closely.

"Does anyone know the exact frequency or listen to police when Millwall
games are on?"

Mr Wey said he would not entertain such questions on his website: "I'm
not having people like that on the group."

However, the Today programme has seen evidence that Mr Wey provided the
supporter with radio frequencies, plus information about police
deployments and intelligence.

Prosecutions

Speaking to the BBC Simon Hughes said: "The first thing that needs to
happen is to make sure that the equipment that the police have is the
best available.

"We have to make sure that our people doing this job have the most
secure communications possible."

The options for action the UK authorities could take against Mr Wey are
limited.

Most web groups like his are registered in the US and, as such, are out
of bounds to the UK authorities.

But a Home Office spokeswoman said it was also illegal to publish
transmissions on websites, and added that people had been prosecuted in
the past.

She said: "The material would have to be assessed to see if any offence
had been committed or if there was any civil wrong."

There is also the option of prosecuting Internet Service Providers which
fail to remove the material if they know it is there.

The maximum penalty for listening to private radio communications with a
scanner is a Ł5,000 fine and confiscation

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