lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein) (08/16/83)
Many media reports concerning the decidedly UN-exciting recent "penetration" of the "nuclear weapons lab" have been slightly more accurate than I would normally expect. Possibly because of the "investigations" done after the release of "Wargames", many papers are now making it clear that the computer in question was on a public network (TELENET) and had nothing to do with classified data. There are dozens of companies involved in the "secret" aspects of the defense industries who have "general purpose" computers on public networks and with dialup lines for general employee access. Without exception, these are machines which do not handle classified information -- some of the newspaper accounts are finally starting to make this point clear to the public. There are various organizations involved in classified (yes, even nuclear weapons) research who have non-classified computers on the Arpanet -- the machines that handle classified information are not reachable from the net or via conventional dialup facilities. The government rules regarding all computers that handle classified data are very strict and involve *physical* disconnection from non-secure facilities. Where computer interconnection for secure systems is required, secure, encrypted communications are used, sometimes with special equipment to immediately signal any attempt at physical penetration of those communications channels. The sort of "penetration" being currently publicized is nothing new and has been going on from time to time for many years at various locations. It just gets more attention now. There are clear cost/benefit tradeoffs in computer security. It isn't desirable nor practical for *all* systems to meet the *very* highest levels of security unless there is a real need for such security. --Lauren-- P.S. While *much* of the media has been fairly accurate in their reporting on this recent matter, CBS had a "computer expert" on their Friday morning "Nightwatch" program who managed to completely obscure most of the issues involved, and spouted forth a pile of totally nonsensical comments. I have already spoken to CBS News NY about this, but, as is typical in the news biz -- once the program is over they really don't want to dredge the issue up again. --LW--