[dvd-discuss] Hack Back

["Michael A Rolenz" <Michael.A.Rolenz(at)aero.org>]

"Computers Under Attack Can Hack Back, Expert Says"
This would be good for chuckles...except for Berman


Reuters (08/03/02)

AnchorIS CIO and SecurityFocus.com columnist Timothy Mullen
told attendees at the annual DefCon hacker conference that
an even more devastating computer-worm attack is inevitable,
and noted that simply notifying administrators of such
attacks is not enough to forestall them. He disclosed a
technique he has developed that enables computers that have
been attacked but not infected to trace the source of the
assault and launch a counterattack that paralyzes the
offending machine without damaging it. However, such a
measure is currently illegal, and Mullen wants the law
altered to accommodate it. Several U.S. officials criticized
such a strategy--Mark Eckenwiler of the Justice Department
claimed "There are more legally acceptable ways to deal with
the problem than what is essentially hacking into their
system." Meanwhile, C.H. "Chuck" Chassot of the Defense
Department's Command, Control, Communications & Intelligence
office warned that such vigilantism carries the danger of
targeting and shutting down innocent computer systems.
Still, some members of Congress are backing a "strike back"
defensive strategy, as demonstrated with their support of
Rep. Howard Berman's (D-Calif.) proposal to grant movie and
music studios the right to hack peer-to-peer networks as a
way to prevent online piracy.

http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/3795332.htm