From editor@telecom-digest.org Sat Aug 14 01:37:22 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.3) id i7E5bMu26962; Sat, 14 Aug 2004 01:37:22 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2004 01:37:22 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200408140537.i7E5bMu26962@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V23 #380 TELECOM Digest Sat, 14 Aug 2004 01:37:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 380 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Mosquito Trojan: Copy Protection Gone Wrong (Monty Solomon) Mosquito Software Bites Smart Phones (Monty Solomon) Cell Phone Porn Magazine (Lloyd Fonvielle) Re: DoubleClick Announces Compliance With Sender ID Email (Steven Sobol) Re: Wardriving Guilty Plea in Lowe's Wi-Fi Case (Nick Landsberg) Vonage Will Drive You Crazy - Beware Vonage (Levi) California Urged to Use Open Source, VoIP (Jack Decker - VOIP News) All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 21:53:25 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Mosquito Trojan: Copy Protection Gone Wrong [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If you liked that Porn Machine I put here for you to download several months ago you may enjoy this latest trojan horse variation which loads onto your cell phone when you are not watching. The next three messages, from Monty Solomon and Lloyd Fonvielle explain how it can happen to Nokia series 60 Smart Phones. Like most of that stuff, there can be a high price tag attached if you are not careful. PAT] Mosquito Trojan: Copy Protection Gone Wrong By Erika Morphy Wireless NewsFactor A new smartphone Trojan, which is disguised as a cracked version of a game called "Mosquitos," delivers a nasty sting in the form of a very expensive phone bill. The Trojan was not originally a Trojan at all but a copy-prevention mechanism placed by Ojum, the developer of the Mosquito game. Antivirus firms are reporting a new twist to the recent Trojan dialer for the Nokia Series 60 smartphones. As it turns out, security experts are saying, the Trojan was not originally a Trojan at all but a copy-prevention mechanism placed by Ojum, the developer of the Mosquito game. The only problem is, it went awry and began calling premium numbers. It is an unexpected plot twist to what has become a depressingly routine story of malware infecting an operating system. http://wireless.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=26310 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 21:49:23 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Mosquito Software Bites Smart Phones By Ben Charny Staff Writer, CNET News.com A new possible Trojan horse making the rounds forces some cell phones based on the Symbian operating system to generate pricey text messages. The software resides in an illegal version of the cell phone game "Mosquito" that is now available at no cost on the Internet and peer-to-peer networks, according to a statement from Symbian, the company that licenses the operating system of the same name. Symbian, which has identified the problem as a Trojan horse, said the software did not seem to have been created with malicious intent. Rather, the feature was incorporated in early versions of the game by the legitimate manufacturer, Ojom, as an experimental licensing and copy protection mechanism. The illegal copies are based on an early version of the game and still include the message feature, Symbian said. But others, including security company F-Secure, have called into question whether the software is a Trojan horse at all. Some reports describe it as an antipiracy feature that forces phones that illegally download the Mosquito software to make a costly call. Once installed, the game may cause phones to send text messages to premium rate numbers in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland without the user's approval or knowledge, Symbian said. Deleting the game rids users of the problem, the company said. http://news.com.com/2100-1039-5308164.html ------------------------------ From: Lloyd Fonvielle Subject: Cell Phone Porn Magazine Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 23:58:11 GMT Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net Just announced: http://www.symbiosgroup.co.uk/pr-bendover2.html?flash=true The magazine represents a partnership with the content creator and the Symbiosis Group, which creates web platforms for businesses. Does anyone know how video cell phone content is hosted -- does it work like a web site which is just routed to the cell phone? And does a platform partner like Symbiosis simply create the web site? [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In any event, our European readers in particular -- and who knows, maybe our USA readers as well, with Nokia Smart Phones best take caution with the Mosquito game. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Steven J Sobol Subject: Re: DoubleClick Announces Compliance With Sender ID for Email Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 18:30:09 -0500 Monty Solomon wrote: > -- Company Embraces Authenticated Email Solution to Help Counter > Spam, Email Spoofing and Phishing -- > NEW YORK, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DoubleClick Inc. (Nasdaq: > DCLK), the leading provider of technology solutions for marketers, > advertising agencies and web publishers, today announced that its > DARTmail email management system is fully compliant with Microsoft's > Sender ID framework. Good - they're a bunch of thieves and anything that makes them easier to ID also makes them easier to block. JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/ Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / sjsobol@JustThe.net PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED) Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids. ------------------------------ From: Nick Landsberg Reply-To: SPAMhukolautTRAP@SPAMattTRAP.net Subject: Re: Wardriving Guilty Plea in Lowe's Wi-Fi Case (NOTSPAM) Organization: AT&T Worldnet Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 23:31:42 GMT Gordon S. Hlavenka wrote: > Jack wrote: >> Personally, I like the security of wired networks, and wonder why any >> retail establishment would ever use wireless in the first place -- are >> they just too lazy/cheap to run networking cable to their cash >> registers? > Yesterday I bought a TV set at the local Target store. There was a > demo unit on the shelf, and the salesguy "shot" the tag with his > handheld wireless barcode scanner and immediately knew that there was > another one in stock, and exactly where it was in the back room. > Could he do this without wireless? Sure -- several ways I can think > of, but none as convenient and efficient as using a handheld scanner > with a wireless link to the store database. > Using a wireless LAN for cash registers allows the store to set up > kiosks, do sidewalk sales, and so on without having to run cables or > settle for non-realtime data. > I do feel a store is responsible for securing their data, however it's > being slopped around the premises. Legally there are different > "levels of care" that a business is required to observe when in > custody of a customer's property. For example, they have little > responsibility to guard your wallet if you leave it on a display case > and drive home. But they are held to a higher standard if you've left > the wallet with them for monogramming. Seems to me (IANAL, of course) > that your credit information should be treated as "property" that > requires a fairly high standard of care while in the custody of the > merchant. On a similar note and to use an analogy. If one were to (intentionally or unintentionally) leave their front door unlocked and got burglarized, would that absolve the burglars of guilt? The burglar probably could not be charged with "breaking and entering" but he sure as hell could be charged with "criminal trespass" and theft. (And probably "spitting on the sidewalk" just in case the cops wanted to have a longer list of charges.) I believe there is a similarity here. The store was probably negligent in not securing its wireless network (leaving the door unlocked), but it does not condone the electronic equivalent of the above. Just my $0.02. NPL > Gordon S. Hlavenka http://www.crashelectronics.com > "If we imagined he could _find_ the car, > we could pretend it might be fixed." - Calvin "It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious" - A. Bloch ------------------------------ From: lee317@yahoo.com (Levi) Subject: Vonage Will Drive You Crazy - Beware Vonage Date: 13 Aug 2004 20:02:03 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Just registering my complaint so others will consider my experience before choosing Vonage. I had huge problems with technical support at Vonage. I faxed my number transfer form 4 times and was still told that it was not processed correctly. As a result I lost my old number. After hours on the phone with incompetant and often unfriendly agents at support I have decided to cancel the service. You get what you pay for. I am not willing to devote hours of my weeks to troubleshooting and developing contingency plans for dealing with outages just to save a few bucks a month. Look at other VOIP providers before considering Vonage. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I'm sorry to hear about the problems you have had with a company that has generally done okay for me. Anyone who wants to try Vonage and get an e-coupon good for a month of free service can ask me. This is NOT for people who get a Vonage telephone adapter from a store; you need to use the link in the email coupon I send to you sign up, but if you want to do it that way by email and get the adapter a few days later by Fed Express you can do it through me, get the number assigned, etc and whatever kind of service you sign up for, you get the second month free. Write and ask for your e-coupon. ptownson@massis.csail.mit.edu PAT] ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 19:08:19 -0400 Subject: California Urged to Use Open Source, VoIP Reply-To: VoIPnews@yahoogroups.com http://news.com.com/California+urged+to+use+open+source,+VoIP/2100-7344_3-5309476.html By Robert Lemos Staff Writer, CNET News.com The Governator may terminate California's reliance on proprietary software and traditional telephone systems, if a recently published state report is heeded. A body of independent auditors and experts recommended last week that the state consider open-source software and voice over Internet Protocol telephony as two measures to cut costs. The suggested measures are a small part of the voluminous California Performance Review, released Aug. 2. "If all of these recommendations are implemented, they have the potential to save more than $32 billion over the next five years," the directors of the group of appointees told California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in an letter introducing the report. The savings from using the two technologies would make up a small fraction of that total. Moving to VoIP could reduce the state's phone bill by between $20 million and $75 million a year, the report said. While there were too many variables to estimate the savings from a switch to open-source software on California's systems, the report's authors did cite two state pilot projects that cut costs by $300,000 each by using the community-developed software. The report said VoIP technology has competitive features that would benefit the state. Internet-based phone calling has built-in benefits such as integrated caller ID, flexibility and network management tools that provide real-time monitoring of bandwidth. Departments and agencies currently use a variety of digital and analog networks and technologies from different manufacturers. Full story at: http://news.com.com/California+urged+to+use+open+source,+VoIP/2100-7344_3-5309476.html How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. If you donate at least fifty dollars per year we will send you our two-CD set of the entire Telecom Archives; this is every word published in this Digest since our beginning in 1981. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V23 #380 ******************************