Section A · Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, February 10, 2000
Nation/World
Infamous cyber hackers create Internet havoc
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Hackers stepped up a three-day electronic assault yesterday against some of the World Wide Web's most popular sites, inconveniencing millions of Internet users and deepening the mystery of the attackers' identities. The apparently coordinated campaign spread to ETrade, ZDNet and other flagship sites.
The growing anxiety about the Internet's vulnerability contributed to a broad selloff on Wall Street and even prompted efforts by top federal officials to reassure Americans that authorities were doing all in their power to combat the online vandalism.
"We are committed in every way
possible to tracking those who are responsible," Attorney General
Janet Keno said in a news conference in Washington.
She said the motives of the vandals were not known, but they appeared to be attempting to disrupt legitimate electronic commerce.
Hackers could
Reno: Committed to tracking the vandals
face a maximum penalty of 5 to 10 years in jail and up to a $250,000 fife, or in some cases, twice the gross loss to the victim, said FBI cyber-security expert Ronald Dick.
The hacker technique, called a denial-of-service attack, involves directing a flood of messages to computers that run Web sites and overrunning high-tech networks. The impact is comparable to unleashing a wave of calls to tie up a city's phone lines.
Uncertainty about the scope and implications of the cyber attacks rattled investors, contributing to a 258.44 point-slide in the Dow Jones industrial average and halting a string of three consecutive record-high closes of the technology-laden Nasdaq Composite Index.
Patrick DI Chiro said. Less than one-fifth of its customers were affected by the clogged traffic for about 90 minutes before the company blunted the attack, he said.
In the latest attacks yesterday, the ETrade online brokerage's Web site was hit, but customer accounts were not compromised, representative
Major sites that fell under attack Tuesday included those of eBay, Amazon, CNN and Buy.Com, all in unusually aggressive assaults.
Microsoft's MSN.com, another highly visited site, was indirectly affected because of disruptions to several Internet-service providers carrying its traffic, said Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla.
Company shares that dropped sharply yesterday included Yahoo, down $13.62 1/2 a share at $362.62 1/2; ETrade, down $1.06 1/4 at $21.93 3/4; and Amazon, down $1.87 1/2 at $81.25.
While the timing of the attacks
WEB SITES UNDER ATTACK
remains a mystery, some security experts said that they occurred around a three-day meeting of Internet service providers in San Jose, Calif., which ended Tuesday. The keynote speech at the North American Network Operators' Group focused on denial-of-service attacks.
Federal officials urge businesses to
install protective software and to take other precautions. Meanwhile, sensitive government systems are being secured against attacks.
"Right now there is no sure-fire defense, but we are trying to take some steps," Commerce Secretary William Daley said in a teleconference with reporters.
Some security experts said the flood of publicity for the incidents could actually encourage notoriety-hungry pranksters to become more aggressive.
"It's what these guys go after — to be known as the person or group of people who have pulled these attacks off," said Simon Perry, security business manager at Computer Associates International.
85 hostages released from hijacked plane
The Associated Press
STANSTED, England — Eighty-five hostages, including women and children, walked out the back staircase of a hijacked Afghan plane early today, raising hopes that the crisis may be nearing an end.
The largest release of hostages came about 3:30 a.m., nearly four days after the plane was hijacked. Police said dozens of hostages and their captors were still aboard the plane, parked at Stansted airport near London.
Police vehicles were parked at the foot of the stairs and bright lights shone up the staircase as a steady stream of people walked down the stairs of the Ariana airlines Boeing 727.
Some of those leaving the plane appeared to be holding their hands in the air. During earlier releases, passengers were not seen leaving with their arms raised.
Police were hopeful earlier this evening that a resolution to the four-day crisis was close.
Before the release, officials said 151 people, including 21 children, were believed on board the aircraft, which was hijacked early Sunday 20 minutes into a domestic flight leaving Kabul, Afghanistan's capital. It then began a meandering journey across the former Soviet Union, stopping in Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and Russia.
Among them were 39 members of one family who were traveling to a wedding in the northern Afghan city of Mazare-e-Sharif — including the would-be bride, said Mohammed Daoud Sharisi, who sells tickets at the Ariana office in Kabul.
Early in the day, the hijackers ejected a flight attendant, who was seen being sent forcibly down a set of stairs at the rear of the $ ^{+} $ plane. His departure came four hours after four crew members — the captain, second captain, first officer and flight engineer — escaped by using a rope to lower themselves from the cockpit and jumping onto the tarmac.
Four men, presumed to be hijackers, appeared briefly on the ground at the rear of the plane Wednesday morning to collect fresh supplies. That evening, two men descended the jet's rear steps and collected an evening meal — a result of the continuing negotiations. They appeared to carry out an inspection of the aircraft.
In Kabul, an Ariana employee said Wednesday that several airline officials responsible for security checks on the hijacked flight had been arrested. An Interior Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said several employees were questioned but allowed to go back to work.
Forbes to announce withdrawal from race
The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. — After spending more than $66 million of his own money in a relentless six-year bid for political viability, Republican Steve Forbes abandoned his second presidential campaign yesterday with little to show for his investment.
The shy, bookish conservative called it quits after third-place finishes in the New Hampshire and Delaware primaries, according to advisers who said Forbes would announce the decision today in Washington.
His departure triggered a scramble among the remaining contenders for his anti-abortion, anti-tax supporters on the conservative right. It also set the stage for a two-way race between national front-runner George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
"I'm going to be working hard to appeal to his voters," Bush said, as he prepared for a clash
with McCain in this state's Feb. 19 primary.
Fresh off a landslide victory in New Hampshire, McCain made his own bid for Forbes' supporters.
"Most Republicans think my tax cut ... is far more conservative than Governor Bush's tax plan. I think they'll be headed in my direction," he said between campaign stops.
The appeals underscored that Forbes, more than the previous six GOP candidates who dropped out of the race, left his mark on the political scene he failed to conquer. His flat income tax plan became a national issue in his failed 1996 presidential race, and
Forbes: Has more than $66 million in his two bids
this year he helped popularize GOP economic themes such as health care savings accounts.
2000 Race for President
He also is one of the GOP's top fund-raising attractions.
Exit polls in the first three contests showed that Forbes fared best among voters whose top priority was taxes. He also did well with people looking for a candidate who stands up for what he believes.
In the end, Forbes failed to convince Republicans that he could win in Newham.
"His candidacy failed to connect with Republicans outside of social conservatives in Iowa. All the money in the world isn't going to change that," said GOP strategist Scott Reed, who managed Bob Dole's 1996 campaign which was damaged by an onslaught of critical Forbes ads.
Pollsters say McCain's popularity could wane
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — From coast to coast, the overwhelming support for George W. Bush proved paper-thin as polls in key states swung John McCain's way after his big New Hampshire win.
Bush is still ahead by 20 points or more nationally.
The Vietnam War hero emerged with his victory just as people were starting to pay attention to the presidential campaign, experts say. That meant a quick boost but also could mean his newfound popularity will be equally fleeting.
State polls in South Carolina, Michigan and New York in recent days have shown a close race after Bush had an overwhelming lead for months. McCain has pulled 18 points ahead of Bush in McCain's home state of Arizona, which had been close, in a poll out yesterday. And he has moved up in several national polls, though
Bush had a significant name ID advantage and the whole aura of inevitability, said unaligned Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, who gauged public opinion for former GOP candidate Elizabeth Dole.
"Now the rush of media attention [for McCain] is overcoming the name ID lead," he said.
Now that voters are paying more attention, the Bush campaign is trying to take advantage by flooding
McCain: Won big in New Hampshire, but Bush leads lead
the airwaves with less than flattering information about McCain. McCain has been fighting
back to keep his supporters.
"He needs three things: to win New Hampshire, which he did; shift public sentiment in his direction, which he appears to be doing, and maintain his momentum between now and March 7," said David Rohde, a Michigan State political scientist, referring to the cluster of primaries including California and New York.
Analysts warn that some primaries down the road are open only to Republicans and will play to Bush's strength among party regulars and conservatives.
Bush campaign spokesman Ari Fleischer says McCain's strength is coming from Democrats who want to influence Republican events. And polls do indicate McCain has been helped by his appeal with independents and some Democrats.
"McCain's bounce might disappear," political pollster Warren Mitfsky said.
SUMMER STAFF
POSITIONS
Come to our Kansas University Video Presentation:
Thursday, February 10, 2000
8:00 p.m.
Kansas Union - Mallot Room
A Christian sports and adventure camp for boys and girls ages 7-17, located in the heart of the Onachita Lake and Mountain Region in Arkansas, is now accepting applications for summer staff positions.
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Height Weight Height Weight
5'11" 107-178 9'0" 171-217
6'24" 140-184 8'9" 129-228
8'37" 166-189 8'10" 161-227
9'4" 161-194 8'11" 186-236
9'6" 156-220 6'0" 191-241
9'6" 161-206 6'1" 197-247
9'17" 166-211 6'2" 202-253
*Based on survey responses from 1,621 KU students. Survey administered by the KU Office of Institutional Research & Planning (1999)