Greetings NetHappenings Readers

Happy Reading for today.

<Karen>

1)
Blind Hacker Says He's No Friend of Convicted SWATters
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/12/blind-hacker-sa.html
The FBI is circling around a blind 17-year-old phone hacker in Boston
suspected of being the brains behind a gang of phone phreaks who sent
police SWAT teams bursting into the homes of party line foes.
But the teen, known on the lines as "Li'l Hacker," says he actually
helped the FBI bust the gang's ringleader, 40-year-old Stuart Rosoff,
who he describes as an enemy.
"I'm actually against those people," the teenager told THREAT LEVEL in a
phone interview.  "Mr. Rosoff and I are at odds ... He actually came
after me and disconnected my phone service, but of course I had it
turned back on instantly."

2)
Inside Microsoft's security war room
http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9827124-56.html
The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) was completed in June
2005. The engineering conference room includes four flat-panel screens
that can display live TV or a computer screen as well as a couple dozen
chairs, though the place is often standing-room-only in a real crisis.
The war room is just one of a number of changes Microsoft has made over
the years, usually the result of a lesson learned the hard way through
some work or other outbreak. In part one of a three-part series starting
Monday, I take a look back at those painful lessons and how they have
shaped Microsoft's current practices. On Tuesday, I'll look at the role
of the human element in trying to keep software secure. And on
Wednesday, I'll look at some of the people Microsoft counts on to keep
its products safe. Each day there will be a blog too, going into more
depth on one issue raised by that day's story.

3)
IT pro admits to stealing 8.4M consumer records
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/12/04/admin_steals_consumer_records/
William Gary Sullivan  A senior database administrator for a consumer reporting agency in
Florida has admitted stealing more than 8.4 million account records and
selling them to a data broke. He netted $580,000 over five years from
the scheme. Sullivan used  his access to Fidelity's database on to pilfer records that included
individuals' names, addresses and financial account information,
according to court documents. To cover his tracks, he incorporated a
business called S&S Computer Services, which sold the data to an
unindicted co-conspirator.
The scheme first came to light in July, when Fidelity disclosed that an
employee absconded with 2.3 million records [1]. Fidelity was alerted to
the theft by a retail customer, which noticed a "correlation between a
small number of check transactions and the receipt by the retailer's
customers of direct telephone solicitations and mailed marketing
materials". Fidelity later raised the estimate to 8.5 million records.
[1] http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/04/fidelity_employee_steals_records/


4)
Cybercrime agency faces cuts as computer raid threats grow
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2994807.ece
Staff cuts at the government agency that tackles cybercrime will leave
British businesses vulnerable to attack from criminals and industrial
espionage, experts say.
It has emerged that the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), formed
last year, will have to shed up to 400 staff when the Home Office
announces its policing budget this week.
The Government is also being criticised for last years merging of the
National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU), the police division formed in 2001
to deal with cybercrime, with Soca.

5)
Teen hacker has mild autism
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10479730
The teenager at the centre of an international cyber crime investigation
has Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism often characterised by
social isolation but great intelligence and talent in a particular area.
Owen Walker's mother yesterday told the Herald that her son had the
condition and that police investigating allegations that he is the
mastermind of an international "bot-net" ring were aware of the fact.
She confirmed that her son's surname was Walker, after the Weekend
Herald was told it was Wilson.
Owen is also known by "Snow Whyte" and "Snow Walker".

Learn about the rhythmic structure of human speech communication, speech and music connection and Interdisciplinary Social Rhythm Researchers.

People with autism have a different rhythm in their body response to sound that indicates their hearing is delayed and echoing. I call this different rhythm "Condon's Autism Anomaly" (CAA).