Re: New Infowarfare Panel

[tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May)]

At 8:01 PM 7/17/96, Dave Banisar wrote:
>If y'all have heard, Clinton signed an executive order 2 days ago creating a
>new panel to examine how to "protect" "critical" computer systems. The panel
>will be made of of the usual suspects with a non-govt person ($5.00 says it
>will be someone from one of those wonderfully independant companies like SAIC,
>MITRETEC, EDS, E-Systems).
>
>Needless to say, it looks an awful lot like NSDD-145 all over again with the
>panel recommending changes to the law to allo for greater coordination of LE,
>intell for govt computers and god knows what for non-govt computers.
>
>Anyway, the directive is now up on our site at
>http://www.epic.org/security/infowar/eo_cip.html

Thanks.

It's certainly beginning to look like "infowar" is the new
funding/legislation fount....I suggest it be given honorary status as a
"Horseman."

Winn Schwartau is running conferences, is talking about the imminent danger
of the nation's computer networks being knocked out (paraphrasing his
latest "Wired" item: "imagine your ATM network being knocked out and people
being unable to gain access to their money").

Schwartau is predicting/advocating a "fifth branch" of the military to deal
with the this threat. A cyberforce, as it were.

Color me skeptical, but I see this all as a lot of hype and fear-mongering.
Folks in the Pentagon, FBI, and NSA probably see it as a way to get more
funding, Folks in the consulting business probably see it as a way to crank
up the seminar prices and increase the number and frequency of "Information
Warfare" workshops and seminars.

And the anti-terrorism folks will use it to tighten up.

(Of course, tonight's explosion of the TWA 800 looks to be a bomb, from all
indications...this _could_ be the "Oklahoma II" incident that will trigger
more draconian surveillance legislation. Just a concern I have.)

--Tim May

Boycott "Big Brother Inside" software!
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, we know that that ain't allowed.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Licensed Ontologist         | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."