Chicken Little or Terrorist Threat?

[BrainyBeauty]

Is this a case of someone running around warning the sky is falling or is it really something to be concerned about?
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DailyNews/email_snoop010205.html

http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/02/06/terrorists.internet.ap/index.html

Two scary stories in the news today. The first article deals with "email wiretapping" where someone can embed code and then track the letter. This allows them to see who opens it and who the recipient forwards it to as well. (collecting addresses) Additionally, it captures the comments you and everyone else who sees it attach to it and sends that back to the originator.

Scary enough for personal invasion of privacy but what about the impact on companies- industrial espionage, stealing company secrets, business plans, legal/personnel matters etc.; and government.

Second article suggests that terrorists are now using the net (specifically sports chat and porn website BBs!!!) to send hidden (encrypted and scrambled) messages, pictures and instructions to their operatives worldwide.

Does this scare anyone? How do you counteract and stop this misuse of technology? Is it even possible? I have always believed that where there's a will, there's a way. But that goes both ways I suppose.

No matter what you do, it seems the 'bad guys' will find a way around it. If someone REALLY wants to break into your house, for example, all the burglar alarms and locks in the world aren't gonna stop him. Or can they?

 

[Dillinger]

I don't know if its "sky is falling stuff" - but I would be a little concerned. Depends what your activities are...

The first story - it can be done. But only, to my knowledge, with html email messages. Some email programs give you the option not to receive html email - but that's a problem too since the rage these days seems to be to use html email.

The fix - even if using html email is to turn of ********** in email (this ability to track is dependent on **********) - the article you refer to gives some links to directions on how to do so in various programs.

I'm guessing there will be yet other options coming down the line to disable this kind of thing. I'm not sure but I'm guessing that being behind a firewall would protect you - and possibly using some encryption, like pgp, would help.

The second article... well, it was only a matter of time. They used to do it in classified ads, etc... why not the net now? Yes, its scary.

"How do you counteract and stop this misuse of technology? Is it even possible? I have always believed that where there's a will, there's a way. But that goes both ways I suppose.

ts just like viruses - they make 'em and companies like Symantec find ways to stop them. It is both ways. And people/companies ARE working on ways to counteract. Its an on-going struggle. By the way - there are other pre-emptive efforts going on - to stop problems before they can occur - kind of like a vaccine...

No matter what you do, it seems the 'bad guys' will find a way around it. If someone REALLY wants to break into your house, for example, all the burglar alarms and locks in the world aren't gonna stop him. Or can they

You're probably right there. You do the best you can. Real world and cyber world. Its a shame, it sucks... it's scary. But again - for every action an equal and opposite reaction? An ongoing struggle.

 

[Andra_Jenny]

I am always reminding myself that this is not a secure line. Of course it can be gotten to by terrorists. I am however much more concerned with current [ongoing for what, a guzzillion years] Mideast tensions and reports that Saddam has developed warheads and that some of the other players may have some nasty surprises in store indeed. And just what keeps Pakistan and India from lobbing at each other is simply beyond me. And what if China and North Korea move in joint ventures back by the Soviet missle umbrella on Taiwan and S. Korea. And what if the new Chinese and Soviet alliance decides to boot the US out of their traditional spheres of influence. Yeah I worry, but just not as much about shennanigans on the Internet. But I may add it to my list.