Probe into wireless network hacking suspended

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/front/1576858

By STEVE BREWER
Houston Chronicle
Sept. 16, 2002

Harris County Attorney Mike Stafford has suspended his investigation
into a security gap discovered earlier this year in a county-run
wireless computer network.

Stafford said his office will not issue a final report because the
computer security analyst who pointed out the problem has since been
indicted by a federal grand jury.

Besides, Stafford added, his office found nothing that merits a report
and he doesn't expect to reopen the probe.

District Clerk Charles Bacarisse asked Stafford and District Attorney
Chuck Rosenthal last March to investigate after Steve Jennings, head
of the county's Central Technology Department, told him a wireless
system run by Bacarisse's office was vulnerable to hackers.

The problem had been brought to Jennings' attention by the Chronicle
and computer security analyst Stefan Puffer, who demonstrated to
Jennings how the system could be accessed with a laptop and phone card
-- a practice known as "wardriving."

At the time, Bacarisse downplayed the incident and said the system was
only being tested. But he immediately shut it down and criticized
Jennings for waiting until a day after the March 18 demonstration to
inform him. Jennings said other county systems were vulnerable and he
wanted to secure them first.

Rosenthal's investigation resulted in no charges. But Puffer, who once
worked for Bacarisse's office, was indicted in July for allegedly
hacking into the system before the March 18 demonstration, causing
officials to spend $5,000 to clean up after the breach. Puffer's
lawyer has denied his client caused any damage or had any criminal
intent.

Bacarisse and Jennings declined comment on Stafford's decision.



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