IP: Internet Content Advisory: Considering The Unintended Audience

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 02:07:27 -0500
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> From: Matthew Gaylor <freematt () coil com>
> Subject: Internet Content Advisory: Considering The Unintended Audience
>
> <http://www.nipc.gov/warnings/advisories/2002/02-001.htm>
>
> Advisory 02-001
>
> Internet Content Advisory: Considering The Unintended Audience
> January 17, 2002
>
> As worldwide usage of the Internet has increased, so too have the vast 
> resources available to anyone online. Among the information available to 
> Internet users are details on critical infrastructures, emergency response 
> plans and other data of potential use to persons with criminal intent. 
> Search engines and similar technologies have made arcane and seemingly 
> isolated information quickly and easily retrievable to anyone with access 
> to the Internet. The National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) has 
> received reporting that infrastructure related information, available on 
> the Internet, is being accessed from sites around the world. While in and 
> of itself this information is not significant, it highlights a potential 
> vulnerability.
>
> The NIPC is issuing this advisory to heighten community awareness of this 
> potential problem and to encourage Internet content providers to review 
> the data they make available online. A related information piece on 
> "Terrorists and the Internet: Publicly Available Data should be Carefully 
> Reviewed" was published in the NIPC's HIGHLIGHTS 11-01 on December 07, 
> 2001 and is available at the NIPC web site www.nipc.gov. Of course, the 
> NIPC remains mindful that, when viewing information access from a security 
> point of view, the advantages of posting certain information could 
> outweigh the risks of doing so. For safety and security information that 
> requires wide-dissemination and for which the Internet remains the 
> preferred means, security officers are encouraged to include in corporate 
> security plans mechanisms for risk management and crisis response that 
> pertain to malicious use of open source information.
>
> When evaluating Internet content from a security perspective, some points 
> to consider include:
>
>
> 1. Has the information been cleared and authorized for public release?
>
> 2. Does the information provide details concerning enterprise safety and 
> security? Are there alternative means of delivering sensitive security 
> information to the intended audience?
>
> 3. Is any personal data posted (such as biographical data, addresses, etc.)?
>
> 4. How could someone intent on causing harm misuse this information?
>
> 5. Could this information be dangerous if it were used in conjunction with 
> other publicly available data?
>
> 6. Could someone use the information to target your personnel or resources?
>
> 7. Many archival sites exist on the Internet, and that information removed 
> from an official site might nevertheless remain publicly available elsewhere.
>
>
> The NIPC encourages the Internet community to apply common sense in 
> deciding what to publish on the Internet. This advisory serves as a 
> reminder to the community of how the events of September 11, 2001 have 
> shed new light on our security considerations.
>
>
>
> The NIPC encourages recipients of this advisory to report computer 
> intrusions to their local FBI office http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm 
> or the NIPC, and to other appropriate authorities. Recipients may report 
> incidents online at http://www.nipc.gov/incident/cirr.htm, and can reach 
> the NIPC Watch and Warning Unit at (202) 323-3205, 1-888-585-9078 or 
> nipc.watch () fbi gov
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> **************************************************************************
> Subscribe to Freematt's Alerts: Pro-Individual Rights Issues
> Send a blank message to: freematt () coil com with the words subscribe FA
> on the subject line. List is private and moderated (7-30 messages per week)
> Matthew Gaylor, (614) 313-5722  ICQ: 106212065   Archived at 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fa/
> **************************************************************************

For archives see:
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/