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For the past two years, the sight of a certain pink bunny rabbit has been enough to strike terror into the heart of any corporation with a web site. No longer. On Tuesday, officers from Scotland Yard's Computer Crime Unit arrested the man they believe to be the perpetrator of the Fluffi Bunni attacks. Lynn Htun, a 24-year-old British citizen, is accused of hacking the web sites of companies including McDonald's and Symantec. Hacked pages were altered with digital graffiti reading "this site is now controlled by Fluffi Bunni" and an image of a stuffed rabbit. Htun was arrested while attending InfoSecurity Europe 2003, a cybersecurity convention.
States to Congress: Leave spam problem to us
You’d think that the states would welcome help from the federal government in their efforts to beat back the spam epidemic. But yesterday, on the first day of the Federal Trade Commission's three-day forum on unsolicited bulk email, attorneys general representing 44 states and the District of Columbia asked Congress not to pass several anti-spam bills now under consideration. The states' representatives say that the proposed federal laws would preempt their own anti-spam legislation, even in cases where the state law is more stringent. America Online and the Direct Marketing Association, meanwhile, support the CAN-SPAM Act, a law, sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana, which would carry penalties of up to a year in jail and a $500,000 fine for marketers who disregard consumer requests to "opt out" of spam.
AOL offers members protection from viruses
In its latest bid to wring some more cash out of subscribers, America Online launched a new virus protection service yesterday. For $2.95 a month, AOL members get a desktop application that guards against current viruses and worms as well as the 250 or so new ones that pop up each month. It also quarantines files that may be infected. The virus service is part of a broader scheme unveiled in December by AOL chief Jonathan Miller, to turn around the ailing online giant’s fortunes. Other recent initiatives have included voice mail and MusicNet, a digital music service. AOL is also offering a premium content package for those who subscribe to rival broadband services.
Man busted selling 'stolen' car on auction site
A German man has found himself under police investigation after attempting to use an internet auction site as part of an insurance fraud scheme. The 33-year-old man reported his BMW stolen and then, several months later, proceeded to sell it, bit by bit, in internet auctions. He sold the engine on the auction site, but couldn’t remove it from the car. So he gave the body of the car to the engine buyer and towed the happy customer home. The scam was uncovered when police pulled them over because the car was being towed illegally. The two are now being investigated for insurance fraud, trying to pervert the course of justice and receiving stolen goods.
May 1, 2003© 2003 Media Life
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