Computer underground Digest Sun Jun 25, 1995 Volume 7 : Issue 53 ISSN 1004-042X Editors: Jim Thomas and Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@MVS.CSO.NIU.EDU Archivist: Brendan Kehoe Shadow Master: Stanton McCandlish Field Agent Extraordinaire: David Smith Shadow-Archivists: Dan Carosone / Paul Southworth Ralph Sims / Jyrki Kuoppala Ian Dickinson la Triviata: Which wine goes best with Unix? CONTENTS, #7.53 (Sun, Jun 25, 1995) File 1--Commentary and Background on CCC (Cincinatti) BBS Bust File 2--Message From Bubba IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! (fwd) File 3--german police only seizes computers with pgp File 4--GovAccess.145: Newt opposes censors File 5--GovAccess.143: Cybersex! What to do? What to do? File 6--File 1--Against Intellectual Property File 7-- FBI to search 30,000+ US homes/businesses File 8--Cu Digest Header Info (unchanged since 19 Apr, 1995) CuD ADMINISTRATIVE, EDITORIAL, AND SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION APPEARS IN THE CONCLUDING FILE AT THE END OF EACH ISSUE. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 23:01:43 PDT From: Paul J. Ste. Marie Subject: File 1--Commentary and Background on CCC (Cincinatti) BBS Bust ((MODERATORS' NOTE: The follow post reports on a meeting of users of the Cincinnati Computer Connection, and includes a comment by the CCC Sysop, reprinted with permission)). I attended the meeting held tonight by the users of the Cincinnati Computer Connection. About 100 users were in attendance. Here's what I found out: On Friday 6/16/95 5 BBS's in the Cincinnati area were seized by the "Regional Electronic Computer Intelligence" task force organized by Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis (of Mapplethorpe fame). All materials were seized and held under sealed search warrants, but no charges have been filed so far. Two of the BBS's are back on-line to a limited extent. The BBS's involved are: Cincinnati Computer Connection Data: 513-752-1055 Sysop Bob Emerson, bob.emerson@cccbbs.cincinnati.oh.us Up All Night Sysop Steve Brown Love Land Data: 513-683-8814 Fox Palace (no info) Inner State BBS (no info) The only comment to date by Leis is that things other than computer porn are being investigated. He declined to attend the meeting. The Cincinnati Computer Connection is a large BBS, with about 25 nodes. There is an adult area on the board, but access is quite limited and the files are screened fairly carefully. (I previously mentioned in email that I got the general impression that there were no adult areas on the board, but that was not correct.) Sysop Bob Emerson has retained Lou Serkin (spelling?) as his attorney, who has been trying to reach . Many users expressed support for Emerson at the meeting, which was taped by crews from all the major Cincinnati television stations. I'm still researching to see what coverage I can find in the Cincinnati newspapers. Ann Hartman from WNKU taped a few sound bites from me on the Exon bill, and will air a show about this on WNKU (NPR affiliate in Northern Kentucky) Thurs 6/29 @ 4 pm. Her number is (606)572-6564. ============================= Here's the statement from the Sysop about what happened: Date: 06-17-95 (09:03) Number: 27 of 1384 (Refer# NONE) To: ALL From: SYSOP Subj: C.C.C. BBS Read: (N/A) Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE Conf: Main Board (0) Read Type: GENERAL (+) HAS REPLIES Well boys and girles it seems the GOD of Hamilton County has spoken! On Friday at about 10:00am the Hamilton County Sheriff department showed up at the C.C.C BBS and took all of our computers and related items. Seems they where looking for X-Rated pictures. They had NO idea what they where doing so some of the stuff may be worthless. The best thing anyone can do right now is to let them know you have rights and call, and or write everyone you can think of. Since they knew what they where looking fo all they needed to take was the hard drive or the server, no one they sent knew anything about computers other that the very basics. They just took everything to show they could do it and to make it hard on you and me. We have around 5000 people that use this system (NOT all subscribers) and I think if we spread the word to other systems and make a LOT of phone calls someone will have to start to hear us. So please call the TV news stations the Papers and for sure the Hamilton County Shefiff's offices and ask for Simon if you want but make sure you let them know how you feel. Thats the only way there gonna know how much your ticked off. Anyone that does this please leave a message and let us know what there responce to you was. The Cincinnati Computer Connection will be back on-line in a few days. I'm gonna have to buy a ton of computer in the next few days so please hang in there with me. Thanks Bob... PS I'm realy bad at getting things like this rolling if anyone has numbers and addresses they can post please do so and we can make a difference. ============================= Here's a letter from a user to Sheriff Simon Leis about this incident: The Cincinnati Computer Connection Node 15 06-23-95 01:09 Name: PAUL STE.MARIE Date: 06-20-95 (20:11) Number: 787 of 1391 (Refer# NONE) To: ALL From: BOB HEIGES Subj: THURSDAY'S MEETING Read: (N/A) Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE Conf: Main Board (0) Read Type: GENERAL (+) HAS REPLIES This is a copy of a letter I sent AS YOUR SPOKESPERSON to Sheriff Leis. The sheriff was on Channel 5 saying that he had not gotten his invitation yet (no doubt true!), so I FAXed him a copy to back up the one he will get in the mail. A copy went to Chs 5, 9, 12, 19. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Sheriff Leis, I am writing this letter as a spokesperson for the users of one of the computer bulletin board systems (BBS) "raided" last Friday by the Regional Electronics Computer Intelligence (RECI) task force. I do not speak for or represent any BBS operator, nor do I operate a BBS myself. You and others from your department or RECI task force are invited to attend a "town hall" meeting on Thursday, the 22nd of June. This meeting will be held at the Tom A. Moore Building, 3457 Montgomery Road, at 7:30 PM. There are two purposes for this meeting. First, many of the people affected by the BBS shut down want to know what happened. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the rumors are not complimentary to either the Sheriff's Department or the task force, but most of us understand that there may be two very different sides to this issue. You and/or a spokesperson for you will be welcome to speak to the group. We anticipate some media coverage, so both sides of the issue will be on the record. If you require special arrangements to attend, please let me know what they are. Sheriff Leis, I look forward to meeting you Thursday evening. I hope, if nothing else, you leave the meeting knowing that BBSers - both operators and users - are not a bunch of dirty old men drooling over porn. As a matter of fact, we anticipate that there will numerous families at the meeting. I am providing a copy of this invitation to a few media organizations. If you cannot attend the meeting and choose instead to give us a written statement, we will read that at the meeting and provide complete, unedited copies to the media. Sincerely, s/bob heiges <<<>>> ============================= Here's another statement from a BBS user: As many of you know, the Computer Task Force, or perhaps better named The Smut Gestapo , raided Bob Emerson, sysop of Cincinnati Computer Connection and removed over $100,000 in computer equipment. This is one of the better BBS's in our area. Out of over 81,000 files only 40 could be classified, in their opinion, as adult and pornographic in nature. Note, we did say, "Their Opinion!" Without going into long comments about all the Rights we are losing on what seems to be a daily basis, What's Next? Are we going to be told on what side of the street we have to walk? If you go to Church, are we going to be told, where we have to go? Censorship, now there's a word for you to consider. Webster's New World Dictionary, of the American Language, College Edition, defines it, in part, as follows: 1. A censoring 2. A system of censoring 3. The work or position of a censor. Now, if you look at Censor: You'll find some of the following: 1. To supervise public morals or better yet: 2. A person who tells people how to behave or perhaps: A person whose task is to examine literature, motion pictures, etc., and remove or prohibit anything considered unsuitable. Now here are just a few more thing to consider. Isn't Censorship illegal? And, what in the world has happened to our Freedom of Choice, Speech and who knows how many more? Are we going back in time? Perhaps we're all living in Germany, second world war. The GESTAPO would come crashing through anyone's door, for any reason, confiscate whatever, and perhaps drag you off to a Concentration Camp! Where are we now? In the U.S.A.? All this could make you really wonder? Enough of the soap box. Bob is not the type of person, Thank GOD, who puts his head in the sand or runs like a frightened child. His system, CCC, is back on line! THAT'S RIGHT! He bought NEW EQUIPMENT and is back! However, he could use you help. ANYTHING, you can send, Dimes or Dollars. Just drop something in the mail and send it to: Bob Emerson 4466 Dogwood Drive Batavia, Ohio 45103 Even if you don't call his system, you will be helping other sysops keep their BBS's up and running and give yourself some place to call. Of course, you can elect not to become involved and keep the money in your pocket. However, in a short time you maybe trying to sell you modem, since there will be NO local systems to call. What will to be worth? Not much, since it will be a worthless piece of equipment. #12 of 12: Paul J. Ste. Marie (pstemari) Thu Jun 22 '95 (23:04) 16 lines In general, the users in Cincinnati are furious. There's about 5,000 users on the CCC BBS (I have little info on the other boards raided). Aparently Leis has harassed the sysop, Bob Emerson, in the past in regards to his video store. There are also some strange quirks in this. The BBS was operated out of Clarement County, outside Leis's jurisdiction of Hamilton County, and Leis did not brief the Clarement County representative on his RECI task force about this raid in advance. Some of the other 4 boards are located in Kentucky, not Cincinnati. Finally, there is apparently some sort of FBI operation going on IRT AOL and kiddie porn. Emerson's case is not involved in this, and both he and the users of this BBS emphatically denied and denounced kiddie porn. I'll post more news as it becomes available. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 09:45:38 -0600 From: Gordon R. Meyer Subject: File 6--File 1--Against Intellectual Property In comp.society.cu-digest you write: >AGAINST INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY >There is a strong case for opposing intellectual property. There are a number >of negative consequences of the ownership of information, such as retarding >of innovation and exploitation of poor countries. ... I have a great deal of sympathy for Martin's argument. However, I suspect that it is unworkable. Let me first make two points in support of the proposal. 1: It is impossible to account for the origin of intellectual property. If I create something valuable -- a book or a computer program -- then my creativity owes something to my teachers and to all of the other reading I have done. My ability to create is a consequence of what I was given by my forebears. I owe it to them to likewise pass on my own inventions. 2: Intellectual property is contrary to human nature. You can see this by looking at young children. They seem to have a natural sense of physical property. But when it comes to ideas they always want to share. But there is another side, and the other side exists because of the nature of our economies, and the nature of businesses. Martin makes the case that a creator often feels rewarded adequately if people use her intellectual creation. I agree. But imagine someone has created a great new computer program. She hears that it is being widely used. She may feel elated. But then she hears that the users have purchased it from Microhard corporation, which is selling it as its own creation, and is making $$millions. I think her elation will quickly turn to anger. Perhaps she would not be upset if Microhard corporation made it clear that this was her invention, was available free, and purchasers were only buying the setup and support to make the product easily available to them. But Microhard corporation has done enough in creative packaging that it wants to consider this its own product. Martin suggests that such plagiarism will not be a serious problem, because there are social pressures. I think he is largely correct when it comes to individuals. But the only pressure corporations feel is the pressure of the "bottom line," so they will not be so easily dissuaded from plagiarizing. Moreover, as rich corporations, they can spend some of their profits on TV advertizing so as to maintain an image. I have suggested that intellectual property is contrary to human nature. Under the law a corporation is a virtual person, but corporations are not responsive to the drives of human nature. In a sense corporations are themselves contrary to human nature. Perhaps a problem with current law is that it fails to distinguish adequately between private individual use of intellectual property, and corporate and business use of intellectual property. There is a de facto distinction, in that it is rarely useful to file a lawsuit against individuals on these issues. Maybe the law should be moved in a direction more consistent with current practice. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 23 Jun 95 14:09:15 EDT From: "W. K. (Bill) Gorman" <34AEJ7D@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU> Subject: File 7-- FBI to search 30,000+ US homes/businesses FBI plans to search upwards of 30,000 American homes and businesses were "leaked" in a VERY BRIEF mention on the Rush Limbaugh show 6/21/95. Mr. Limbaugh referred to a USA Today article, presumably of the same date, which referenced a newspaper in CT as the original source. According to the article, the FBI, apparently in anticipation of the passage of the Constitution-aborting Anti-Terrorism bill AND the equally totalitarian Exon "Communications 'Decency' Act" which has been attached to the Telecom Reform Act, has leaked plans to conduct SEARCHES OF THE HOMES AND BUSINESSES OF 30,000+ AMERICANS. Their rationale for this is the claim that these persons - now get this - MAY HAVE VIEWED some form of "child pornography", real or morphed, on their PC screens sometime in the past. Articles describing this totalitarian lunacy have also appeared in the Fort Wayne newspaperson 6/21/95. No mention of it that I am aware of from TV journalists. No guts, guys? Will the feds find it expedient to seize every single piece of computer equipment found in these homes, along with any firearms, cash, jewelry, other valuables or financial records, regardless of whether or not anything actually ILLEGAL is found? Past performance indicates that this is likely to be the case. How many innocent Americans will be killed in these raids? How many children? How many pets will be tortured to death for the amusement of those conducting the raid, as was the kitten which was stomped to death by a rogue BATF agent during the infamous Lamplugh raid, as revealed during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Terrorism Subcommittee? Why is anyone who would perform such a psychotic act permitted to hold a position of responsibility in government service or law enforcement? Has Congress lost all touch with reality? Are they TRYING to see how many ways they can find to force Americans into the burgeoning militias? Are they TRYING to make the appellation "jack-booted thugs" actually synonimous with all federal law enforcement personnel? W. K. Gorman Copyright (C) 1995 by W. K. Gorman. With explicit reservation of all rights, exclusively and without prejudice, per UCC 1-207. Any commercial or for-profit use of all or any part of this message, in any form, is expressly forbidden. Opinions are my own. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1995 22:51:01 CDT From: CuD Moderators Subject: File 8--Cu Digest Header Info (unchanged since 19 Apr, 1995) Cu-Digest is a weekly electronic journal/newsletter. Subscriptions are available at no cost electronically. 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