Hackers damage Internet radio site

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/business/article/0,1299,DRMN_4_1931529,00.html

By Roger Fillion
Rocky Mountain News
May 2, 2003

Hackers broke into the Web site of a local Internet radio station
that's sponsoring a Denver conference next week aimed at thwarting
computer break-ins.

The attack is believed to have caused more than $50,000 in damage.

"It's ironic that this all happened," said Larry Nelson, co- founder
of Denver-based w3w3 network, the target of the attack and sponsor of
the May 6-7 conference dubbed "Cyber Security Super Bowl."

"When you start to do things that target computer hackers, you open
yourself to attack from such people," Nelson added. "It becomes a
challenge for them."

The FBI is expected to investigate the break-in. Nelson said the
hackers got away with up to 1,000 names and e-mail addresses for
people attending the cybersecurity conference. But they didn't get any
credit-card numbers or Social Security numbers.

The w3w3 site bills itself as an Internet talk radio station and
online business magazine. It has featured a variety of Colorado movers
and shakers, ranging from Gov. Bill Owens to University of Colorado
President Elizabeth Hoffman.

Nelson said the break-in appears to have roots dating back to
mid-March. "We think it's a hacking ring based in Sweden," he added.

Using stolen Internet domain names, Nelson said, the hackers
apparently got hold of the passwords needed to access the part of the
w3w3 Web site where e-mail is processed and other administrative
duties are handled.

That area of the site fielded e-mail queries about next week's
conference. Registration for the gathering was handled separately by
an outside firm.

The conference will bring together industry and government experts
from around the nation to discuss homeland defense and "cybersecurity"  
- a growing field that aims to protect computer systems from hackers.

Nelson said the FBI and two cybersecurity firms probing the w3w3
attack plan to use the case as a model to underscore the threat of
Internet-based break- ins.

"Maybe some people will learn from this, and other people who have
such problems will come out in the open and take precautions ahead of
time," Nelson said. "We thought we had all the bases covered."



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