The Times

The i-SAFE America (760) 603-7911 i-SAFE Times May 2004 Issue 14 www.isafe.org Special Interest Articles: * Cyber Terrorism is an imminent threat. Cyber Terrorism and Steganography – Real Threats in your Virtual World Page 1 * Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) teams up with the Univ. of Montana and i-SAFE. Terror is Real in Cyberspace Cyber terrorism, defined by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, as any "premeditated, politically motivated attack against information, computer systems, computer programs, and data which results in violence against non-combatant targets by sub-national groups or clandestine agents," is an intimidating threat that could affect countless people or the economy in a variety of ways. Extreme examples of cyber terrorism include criminals hacking into air traffic control systems and intentionally crashing planes into each other, or a hacker fouling up the automated filtration systems at a metropolitan sewage treatment plant, contaminating the drinking supply for a region. Less physically destructive examples of cyber terrorism include interfering with financial or stock market computer systems, which undermine consumer confidence in corporate security systems; altering the content or appearance of government websites to convey political opinions; or coordinated “denial of service” attacks against corporate websites which causes loss of revenue and decreased customer confidence. Page 2 * Unveiled: The i-SAFE Page 3 Assembly Experience. Also in this issue: Common Sense in Cyberspace Internet Statistic of the Month Steganography – Covered Writing Nebraska’s Internet Safety Month Internet Safety Tip of the Month Ask i-SAFE April Calendar of Events About i-SAFE page 1 2 2 2 4 4 5 5 5 Cyber Terrorism How real is this threat? Kevin Coleman, former Netscape Chief Strategist, writes in Directions Magazine, “It is not if it will happen, but when. The likelihood of a cyber terrorism attack disrupting the Internet increases every day. The increased reliance on the Internet by business, government and society has made it a prime target for terrorists intent on disrupting our economy and way of life.” (www.directionsmag.com) Adam Savino, in his Cyber-Terrorism essay posted at cybercrimes.net, writes, “Cyber terrorism is a very attractive means of terrorizing a government, a corporation, or the citizenry of a country.” In many ways, a terrorist could inflict just as much, if not more, terror in a society using the Internet. Continued. See Cyber Terrorism, page 4 i-SAFE Contact Information Cyber terrorism – “It is not if it will happen, but when.” -- Kevin Coleman, Directions Magazine Common Sense Measures from Representative Pickering Imagine a city comprised of many red light districts and criminal markets, where citizens’ property is vulnerable to unrestricted theft and legitimate businesses are constantly under threat of terrorists and vandals. Many parents in this city are unaware of these dangers and allow their children to wander the streets. The interstate to this city exists in most American offices, many classrooms and probably in your home just as it is in mine. This city is the Internet. We must learn common sense measures to utilize the benefits and opportunities of the Internet while avoiding the dangerous aspects of the World Wide Web. i-SAFE is a strategic partner in this mission, and I’m proud to have had them launch their work in my district in Mississippi. As citizens, we must learn to protect our families and ourselves from online dangers; while our government does its part to restrain digital evils from our society. Internet safety comprises many issues. Be aware of your children’s activities online. Continued. See Common Sense, page 4 Rep. Pickering (R-MS) Despite the dangers on the Internet, it provides a vast resource of information, positive entertainment, profitable commerce and interpersonal communication. i-SAFE The i-SAFE Times www.isafe.org Page 2 Internet Statistic: Considering the projected eCommerce over the course of 2003, "The Internet being down for just one day could disrupt $6.5 billion dollars worth of transactions." Kevin Coleman "Cyber Terrorism" in Directions Magazine, Oct. 10, 2003. Did al Qaeda use Steganography to Transmit Attack Plans? Digital steganography is a form of cyber terrorism. It is defined by webopedia.com as, “The art and science of hiding information by embedding messages within other, seemingly harmless messages.” There has been some debate that Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda terrorist network may have used steganography to transmit secret messages about terrorist activities across the Internet. The word steganography comes from two Greek words, Steganos meaning ‘covered’ and graptos meaning ‘writing’. Many forms of steganography have been practiced throughout history from putting pinholes in select characters in an otherwise ordinary innocent letter to hiding information and maps behind the canvas in paintings. Steganography differs from cryptography in that it appears as if there isn’t anything hidden to even look for. If you have a code you know you need to break it; if you have a steganographic picture or sound file you might not suspect there was any hidden information in it. Modern day steganography involves hiding one or more data files inside another, in the empty or unused areas of the file. These files can be audio, text or image files. Although there are legitimate uses of steganography, it can be used to steal data, hide evidence, save pornographic images, and communicate secret plans. One of the most serious concerns is that it can be used as covert communication for terrorist purposes. Andy Quayle, President, Tubu Internet Solutions U of MT, Senator Conrad Burns, and i-SAFE Team Together On Saturday, April 24, 2004, the University of Montana Division of Research and Service (DERS) and i-SAFE America co-sponsored a Town Hall Meeting in Missoula, Montana. The meeting was called to discuss the need for Internet safety in the schools and communities throughout Montana. The Panel included Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT), Special Agent Randy Jackson Montana FBI Cyber Crimes Unit, Police Officer and SRO Coordinator Tom Johnson, DERS Outreach Coordinator Ann Minckler, JS Corp./Internet Connect Services CEO Mark Mesenko, i-SAFE President Teri Schroeder, and panel moderator KECI NBC News Anchor Woman Heidi Meili. Information about how FBI and local law enforcement investigate and prosecute perpetrators, what can the federal government do to protect citizens through legislation, what are the concerns of the government with spam, pornography, and cyber terrorism, and what responsibilities do the Internet Service Providers and computer companies have in providing safety education to the people who buy their products, were all a focus of concern. Continued. See Teaming Together, page 3 Sen. Burns (R-MT) and i-SAFE President Teri Schroeder (right) speak at a Town Hall Meeting in Montana. Nebraska designates April as their Internet Safety Month Earlier this year, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office approached i-SAFE to help make April Internet Safety Month for Nebraska schools. i-SAFE agreed and a partnership formed among educators, law enforcement, Nebraska officials and i-SAFE. The kick-off ceremonies for Internet Safety month took place at Pound Middle School in Lincoln, Nebraska. Attorney General Jon Bruning hosted a press conference attended by key Nebraska educators and law enforcement personnel. Bruning then spoke to the student body about the risks of revealing personal information online. Following the presentation, local community leaders held an i-SAFE Community Leaders Call to Action Meeting (CLM) facilitated by i-SAFE. The i-SAFE program received significant exposure across Nebraska throughout the entire month of April. Bob Hays of the Nebraska Educational Service Unit and his ESU counterparts conducted an i-SAFE Professional Development Program for Nebraska teachers and law enforcement and worked with schools to ensure they are teaching the i-SAFE curriculum. The number of schools implementing the i-SAFE curriculum has now swelled past 260. With i-SAFE’s help, i-SAFE Parent Nights presented by numerous community groups have increased parental awareness of key Internet issues, as well. Thanks to the efforts of Nebraska officials, educators and parents, the students of Nebraska will be much safer online. David Leingang, Education “Many children have no idea what kind of dangers are awaiting them online…” -- Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) i-SAFE The i-SAFE Times www.isafe.org Page 3 Teaming Together (continued from page 2) Prior to the meeting, on April 22, 2004, i-SAFE launched its curriculum in Missoula schools at C. S. Porter Middle School. Sixth graders at the school held a poster contest in preparation for the Town Hall Meeting. i-SAFE PDP sessions were held on Thursday and Friday of that week in order to educate parents and teachers. "The events drove home the point that 25% of the FBI's state-wide cyber crime arrests during the past year have occurred in the Missoula area. Three high profile cases in our city since late December helped bring the issue into the public eye,” said Matt Taylor of the University of Montana. “Montana may be known as the ‘Last Best Place’ - but our kids are just as vulnerable as any other kids when it comes to the Internet,” stated Taylor. “We are excited about the partnership we have established with the i-SAFE team, and look forward to working with them to help prepare the children of Montana for their cyber experiences,” added Ms. Minckler. Braden Lay, i-SAFE Community Liaison and Needs Assessment Manager, commented, “The presence of Sen. Conrad Burns helped bring a spotlight to this event and this issue -- his leadership not only to the state of Montana, but to the country as a whole, on technology issues, is greatly appreciated by i-SAFE America." In closing, Senator Conrad Burns remarked about the recent events in Montana, “i-SAFE is a fantastic program that helps empower our kids,” said Burns. “Many children have no idea what kind of dangers are awaiting them online, and getting the information out to them and their families is key to keeping these dangers at bay.” “Continuing this education throughout the state is critical to maintaining the safety of all our communities, and the two events we’ve held are only the beginning of my effort to make sure all our Montana youth have access to this great program,” he said. Jana Malkan, Editor Winning posters from the poster contest to help promote the i-SAFE Town Hall Meeting in Montana. May Poster Art Contest: i-SAFE is proud to announce a National Poster Art Contest to help kick off June as National Internet Safety Month. Do you have a creative idea to help promote Internet safety? Enter the contest and win cool prizes! Learn more at www.isafe.org/postercontest The i-SAFE Assembly Experience i-SAFE has created the “i-SAFE Assembly Experience” to reach students in an edgy, appealing way to convey the importance of Internet safety. The Assembly Experience combines posters, videos, true Internet crime stories, and student interaction to help students connect the cyber world with the real world, so they can become cyber safe citizens. Over a thousand students from the Ladera Vista Jr. High School (LVJHS) in Fullerton, CA were recently the first in the country to participate in the i-SAFE Assembly Experience. The LVJHS cafeteria was transformed into Cyberspace with electronic music and flashing colored lights. This set the stage for the assembly, which focused on the dangers of online predators and how to avoid dangerous online situations. Students played the roles of victims and predators by reading true Internet crime stories. To further drive home the message of the i-SAFE Assembly Experience, guest speaker Det. Andrew Goodrich from the Fullerton Police Department provided valuable Internet safety tips for the students. Internet crime hit close to home for LVJHS. In early 2004, a 13-year-old Fullerton girl was victimized by an Internet predator she met in a chat room. The Fullerton Police Department arrested the 46year-old Arizona man on his way to meet the girl near her school. ”I felt we engaged the students in a way that made the message hit home. We definitely shined a new light on the dangers of the cyber world and the consequences of what can happen if they are not safe online,” noted Steve Godwin, i-SAFE Youth Empowerment Manager. Special thanks to Ladera Vista’s VicePrincipal Cindy Quan for recognizing the need to educate her students on Internet safety and turning a negative into a positive. Bring the i-SAFE Assembly Experience to your school! Contact i-SAFE at outreach@isafe.org to find out how. Jana Malkan, Editor Other schools have gotten involved. St. Juliana Middle School in CA, Catherine McAuley High School in ME, and Prairie Star Middle School in KS have all had the i-SAFE Assembly Experience. i-SAFE The i-SAFE Times www.isafe.org Page 4 Cyber Terrorism (continued from page 1) Cyber terrorism is much cheaper and more anonymous than traditional terrorism methods. All the terrorist needs to incite mayhem is a telephone line and a home computer. He or she can perform his or her activities from anywhere in the world. Savino indicates that when comparing cyber terrorism to traditional terrorism methods, the number of targets increases significantly as the “law of averages dictates that with many computers and networks, there will be a large number of weaknesses and vulnerabilities that can be exploited.” Cyber terrorism also can affect a greater number of people than traditional methods. Malicious code (viruses, worms, Trojan horses) can affect millions of Internet users. A heavily publicized cyber attack means success for the terrorists - even if no one is physically injured – because many terrorists pursue a high degree of media coverage. Large-scale cyber terrorism attacks can be prevented with collective individual proactive action. i-SAFE recommends that individuals and companies establish their risk level and determine their vulnerabilities. For example, a defense contractor would be a more likely target than a clothing manufacturer. Selftesting or hacking into one’s own system, can help identify vulnerabilities. A layered security system can be very effective as a firewall but monitoring the transfer of data through the firewall may not be enough to prevent a sophisticated cyber attack. Back up data as frequently as possible and store it in an off-site location. Make passwords unusual and difficult to guess. Change passwords frequently, and do not use the same password to control access to different areas of computers or personal documents. Erik Jorgensen, Editor Internet Safety Tip of the Month Requests to forward emails to unknown persons could potentially be aiding a cyber terrorist organization. Beware of forwarding chain e-mails, especially to or from people you don’t know. Common Sense Measures (continued from page 1) The digital age has changed the nature of global conflict from the terrestrial to the virtual; anyone can go into a local computer store and buy an immensely powerful weapon: the computer. Education and awareness of the consequences of hacking, net vandalism, virus proliferation, and becoming the unwitting accessory to covert activities by terrorists is key to our national security. Our government, businesses and individuals now reevaluate the extent of information provided to the public online. We guard the computer networks of our military, utility, government, and financial institutions against enemy hacking. Virus and firewall protection software can be purchased to protect your personal computer and help insure that terrorists do not use it as a conduit for their illegal deeds. Meanwhile, government and private sector researchers are using advanced technologies to meet the enemy on the digital battlefield. The Internet should not be feared, but common sense measures must be taken to insure we all use this tool safely. Representative “Chip” Pickering is currently serving his fourth term as a Republican member of the United States Congress. He represents the 3rd District of Mississippi. Do you have a question about Internet safety? Ask i-SAFE! Answers to one or more questions will be posted in each issue of the Times. Ask i-SAFE Dear Ask i-SAFE: ”Can people intercept emails and after that add a virus and then email it to where it was supposed to go?” David, 11, California Michael Daily, former Systems Administrator for i-SAFE, answered this question for Ask iSAFE. The quick answer to this question would be "yes". E-mail is definitely susceptible to these types of issues; however, it would usually be a deliberate attack against one person, not an attack against random people like a virus. These occurrences are not all that frequent. There is also an e-mail "spoofing" phenomenon that many viruses use today. With spoofing, you can receive e-mail that contains a virus from a person you know, however, that person may or may not be the actual originating sender. Also, a worm could cause damage like this as well. After infecting itself, the worm will attempt to send itself to as many other people as possible. The worm can do this in a variety of different ways, such as using the infected computer's e-mail address book to send itself to everyone in the list. Send your questions to ask@isafe.org i-SAFE The i-SAFE Times www.isafe.org Page 5 News Flash: Webcast #5: “Cyber Citizenship” Now Available i-SAFE’s new webcast, “Cyber Citizenship” addresses encryption, steganography, hacking, and cyber terrorism, and encourages the viewer to debate the rights and responsibilities of being a Net citizen. “Cyber Citizenship” was videotaped in early March at Lloyd Memorial High School in Erlanger, KY, and is now available to stream off the Internet and through the materials store on the i-SAFE website (see www.isafe.org) Many thanks go to Karen Boyle, Library Media Specialist and her students: Mike, Chase, Chad, Rachel, Felicia, and David and to all the other Lloyd Memorial High students who appear in the webcast. Upcoming i-SAFE Events—Where the Action Is!!! MAY EVENTS ON OUR CALENDAR th May 1st: OUT in Nashville, May 12 : PDP in Chicago, IL TN May 3rd: PDP, THM in Highland, IN th May 12th: PDP in East Providence, RI th th i-SAFE TERMS FOR EVENTS CLM: Community Leaders Meeting May 4 : PDP in Alabaster, May 13 and 14 : PDP and CLM in Albany, NY AL May 4th: LAUNCH in Highland, IN May 4 : PDP in Milwaukee, WI May 5 : PDP in Raleigh, NC th th May 15th: OUT in Fullerton, CA May 15 : OUT in Los Angeles, CA May 17 : OUT in Buffalo, NY th th THM: Town Hall Meeting EDU: Education Event, Meeting, or Conference OUT: Outreach Event, Meeting, or Conference LAUNCH: i-SAFE curriculum in classrooms or school assembly May 19th: PDP in May 6th: PTG, CLM, Doylestown, PA LAUNCH in Raleigh, NC May 10th: THM in Grand Forks, ND May 11th: OUT, PTG in Essex, VT May 20th: PDP in Payson, UT May 21st: EDU in Colchester, VT May 27th: PDP in Smyrna, DE PDP: Professional Development Program PTG: Parent Teacher Group Meeting/ Parent Night We welcome your input! If you would like to submit an article for the newsletter or tell us your story, please contact us at: About Our Organization… MISSION: i-SAFE is a non-profit foundation whose mission is to educate and empower youth to safely and responsibly take control of their Internet experience. GOAL: The i-SAFE program provides students with the awareness and knowledge they need in order to recognize and avoid dangerous, destructive, or unlawful online behavior and to respond appropriately. i-SAFE Times Editor 5963 La Place Court Suite # 309 Carlsbad, CA 92008 (760) 603-7911 Editor@isafe.org i-SAFE is dedicated to: 1) implementing a standardized Internet safety education program throughout the nation that provides kids and teens with essential tools to reduce the risk of their being victimized while engaged in activities via the Internet; and 2) launching an Outreach Campaign that empowers students to take control of their online experiences and make educated, informed, and knowledgeable decisions as they actively engage in cyber activities. A Special Thanks from The i-SAFE Times Staff We’re on the Web! See us at: www. isafe.org i-SAFE AMERICA Bronwen Matthews, Editor-in-chief; Erik Jorgensen, Editor; Jana Malkan, Editor; Teri Schroeder, i-SAFE President; Jonathan King, Outreach Director; Laura McIntosh, Education Director; Paul Olson, Graphic Design, and contributing writers: Rep. Chip Pickering, Andy Quayle, Michael Daily and David Leingang. 5963 LA PLACE COURT, SUITE #309 CARLSBAD, CA 92008 (760) 603-7911