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New Web Site Tracks Computer Viruses
From: InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2000 13:43:39 -0500
Forwarded By: Unit 4 <unit4 () sputum com> http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20000823S0005 EE Times 8/23/2000 by Alexander Wolfe In a bid to alleviate public panic over purported computer viruses, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has set up a new Web site designed to separate hacker wheat from chaff. Designated "Hoaxbusters" and located at hoaxbusters.ciac.org, the site is intended to explain, identify and offer work arounds for both lay computer users and experienced engineers. Word of the site comes days after CIAC released reports on the potential vulnerabilities in Linux, Microsoft and Netscape code. (The CIAC or Computer Incident Advisory Capability organization provides assistance to the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as to Livermore Labs.) Though arcane, the latest warnings identify new avenues though which hackers could wreak havoc on the respective operating systems. Specifically, the Linux glitch revealed this week points out a vulnerability in one of the calls of the operating system. A malicious user could exploit that call to gain root, or administrative, privileges. CIAC says the risk level for this problem is "medium." ISN is hosted by SecurityFocus.com --- To unsubscribe email LISTSERV () SecurityFocus com with a message body of "SIGNOFF ISN".
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