TELECOM Digest     Wed, 13 Jul 2005 22:43:00 EDT    Volume 24 : Issue 321

Inside This Issue:                             Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    New Microsoft Patches Already Getting Exploited (News Wire)
    Problems With Microsoft Word and Patches (News Wire)
    Microsoft Gives in to China Demands (News Wire)
    A Question About International Country Code Assignments (dawidov)
    Re: Non-Bell ESS? (John Stahl)
    Re: Non-Bell ESS? (Justa Lurker)
    Re: Non-Bell ESS? (Diamond Dave)
    Re: SunRocket VOIP Comments? (AntwainBarbour)
    Re: Don't Let Data Theft Happen to You (Gary Novosielski)
    Re: Last Laugh! Western Union's Comment About Useless Phones (E Bohlman)
    Re: Mixing Blogging With Work Can Lead to Unemployment (bummer) 

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               ===========================

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and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest.  

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: News Wire <reuters@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: New Microsoft Patches Already Getting Exploited
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 19:49:22 -0500


Microsoft warns of software flaws in Word, Windows.

Microsoft Corp. warned users on Tuesday of three new security flaws in
its Windows and Word software and issued patches to fix the flaws,
which could allow attackers to take over a computer system.

All three of the "critical"-rated security patches could potentially
allow an attacker to take control of a personal computer and use it to
steal data or launch other attacks, said Stephen Toulouse, a manager
at Microsoft's Security Response Center.

"The key thing is really that we want to make people understand the
risk with these flaws and that they enable automatic updates," said
Toulouse, referring to a feature in Windows that downloads and
installs the software patches automatically.

Two of the flaws are related to imaging technology used by Windows,
which could potentially allow an attacker to take control of a system
simply by having the user view a digital image that contains software
code that exploits the flaw, which could be installed on a computer
without the user's knowledge.

"Simply by viewing one of these malicious images you can become
infected with anything from adware and spyware to any other suspicious
code," said Oliver Friedrichs, senior manager at Symantec Corp.'s
Security Response Center.

"We've really seen a proliferation of Web sites that exploit these
types of software flaws," said Friedrichs, who recommended users
install the patches from Microsoft and keep their anti-virus and
security software up-to-date.

The Word flaw, which affects various versions of the word-processing
program released in 2000 and 2004, could let an attacker take over a
personal computer if a user opens a document file containing software
code designed to exploit the flaw.

Microsoft issued the patches as part of its monthly security bulletin,
which it adopted in 2003 to make it easier for users and computer
system administrators to install patches and keep track of
vulnerabilities in Microsoft's software.

Users can also download the patches to fix the software flaws at
www.microsoft.com/security.

Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, has been working for the last
three years to improve the security and reliability of its software
under its Trustworthy Computing initiative, as more and more malicious
software targets weaknesses in Windows and other Microsoft software.


Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited.

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily.

------------------------------

From: Elizabeth Millard <cio-today@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: Microsoft Patch Tuesday Has Critical Side
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 19:50:45 -0500


by Elizabeth Millard, cio-today.com

Microsoft's monthly patch release comes with warnings on this
go-round. The company has noted that three of the flaws being fixed
already are being exploited by malicious hackers.

The vulnerabilities are in Windows and Office programs, and have
garnered the company's highest security rating of "critical."

Microsoft has urged users to patch their systems as quickly as
possible, and also to update to the latest version of Windows XP,
which offers more advanced security technology in its Service Pack 2.

Fixer Upper

One of the reported flaws affects the Microsoft Color Management
Module, a part of Windows that handles colors. Another is related to
the JView Profiler, a component of the company's Java Virtual Machine.

Both vulnerabilities could be used to take control of a PC remotely,
Microsoft has noted. Some security firms have seen attackers using the
JView flaw to download and install Trojans on users' machines.

Also updated this month is the Windows Malicious Software Removal
tool, which now removes variants of several viruses, including
Wootbot, Optix, Optixpro, Pacty and Prustiu.

Patch Cycle

The inclusion of patches for flaws that are being exploited actively
is not a new phenomenon, especially for Microsoft and its monthly
patch update, security experts have noted.

"Many times, patches are developed specifically because vulnerabilities
are being exploited, or have the potential to be," said Thomas 
Kristensen, chief technology officer at security firm Secunia.

"The only difference with those is that they tend to speed up the
patching cycle," he added.

Security Minded

In releasing the patch round, Microsoft has emphasized a fresh focus
on security.

At Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference on July 10, security chief
Mike Nash noted that there has been progress made in several security
areas since 2003, when Steve Ballmer made a new commitment to address
security.

Nash unveiled enhancements to the Microsoft Partner Program Security
Solutions Competency, an initiative designed to support a broader set
of security services partnerships.

Although Nash detailed additional technology investment and
prescriptive guidance in the security field, he acknowledged that
there is more work to be done.

Copyright 2005 NewsFactor Network, Inc.

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily.

*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the
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profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the
understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic
issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I
believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material
as provided for in section 107 of the U.S.  Copyright Law. If you wish
to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright
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For more information go to:
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[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: One of the reasons these patches are
occuring with increasing regularity is because the principal 
organization which _could_ bring it all to a quick halt (ICANN) has
no real concern. In fact, I strongly suspect that in their corruption,
ICANN encourages spam and scam. The reason for that is, that ICANN
is _not_ interested in small computer site operators like most of 
you or myself. The quicker Vint Cerf and his cronies at ICANN can
_drive us away_ -- make the net essentially unusable for the rest
of us -- the quicker they can make it available for the exclusive
use of businesses, etc.  And Vint Cerf of course means MCI, one -- 
if not the biggest -- polluter of the net. PAT]

------------------------------

From: News Wire <dowjones@telecom-digest.org> 
Subject: Microsoft Gives in to China's Demands
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 19:52:37 -0500


Microsoft's Kowtow
The software giant agrees to ban "democracy" and "freedom" in China.

"Where do you want to go today?"

That was Microsoft's slogan in the mid-1990s, one that evoked the
unlimited possibilities inherent in the age of the Internet and the
software revolution. The answer to that question today would be,
"hopefully not where they discuss 'freedom,' 'democracy' and 'human
rights,' " at least not if you expect to use Microsoft's new portal in
China.

The software giant has just bowed to the Chinese government by banning
these words. If you type them on Microsoft's new portal, a message
appears telling you to try different ones. If this weren't insulting
enough, the message actually says, according to news reports, "this
item should not contain forbidden speech such as profanity. Please
enter a different word for this item."

To be fair to Microsoft, it is not alone. Yahoo! and Google have also
caved in to China. Google chose last year to omit sources the Chinese
government does not like from its Google News China edition, saying
that it didn't make sense to provide a link to sites that would
probably be blank anyway. All of these Internet companies make the
point that it is better to make a compromise, gain a foothold in
China, and then offer China's masses the smorgasbord of information
that is out there.

That view got backing from none other than Colin Powell, who happened
to be in Hong Kong last week as this story was breaking. Microsoft
figured it is "best for them and better for Chinese citizens to get
95% of the loaf," the former Secretary of State said at a conference
when we asked him what he thought of an American company banning the
word "freedom." While acknowledging that "Microsoft, and Google, and
other information providers, have had to make a compromise that we
wouldn't find acceptable in the United States," Mr. Powell said, "I
think it's probably best for them to make that kind of compromise."
Mr. Powell added that he thought the Chinese government was fighting a
losing battle in thought control over the Internet, at least "if
Chinese teenagers are like the teenagers in my family."

It is admittedly difficult for China's government to block Internet
content from its estimated 87 million users, a number that is
growing. But it is a lot easier if it has the cooperation of the
industry. These corporations might also remember that Beijing needs
their business. The Internet is where demand and supply meet these
days, and China's leaders need economic growth to continue if they are
not to face large-scale upheaval. Certainly the Microsofts and Googles
might try to drive a harder bargain.


Copyright 2005 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily.

*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without
profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the
understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic
issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I
believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material
as provided for in section 107 of the U.S.  Copyright Law. If you wish
to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner, in this instance, Dow Jones & Company.

For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 01:49:44 +0400 MSD
From: dawidov <dawidov@yandex.ru>
Subject: A Question About International Country Code Number Assignments
Reply-To: dawidov@yandex.ru


Dear Mr Townson,

I live in Russia.

So, I can have some problems with my English. Excuse me, please for my
possible mistakes. I've found your site and decided to ask you about
one thing I'm interested in. I will be very grateful to you if you
answer my letter.

My question is about international phone-codes. I always wanted to
know: why appointed regions have appointed phone-codes. I'm sure that
it's sequence isn't accidental. What logic lies in this order of
codes?

I know that my question seems stupid and quite strange (or even
crazy). But I really need your help.

Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely yours,

Davydova Alla


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thank you very much for your letter. I
appreciate knowing that this little digest gets read in Russia and
other far away countries. I do not know what logic, if any, was used
in the assignment of international country codes. It does seem odd to
me that North America gets '1' followed by three digits for the
'area codes' while Russia gets '7', European countries generally
get '3' or '4' followed by a few more digits, etc. Maybe one of our
readers knows the logic behind the numbering scheme, and will share
it with us. Please continue reading this space for a few more days
as I print some of the answers I receive. PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 17:11:22 -0400
From: John Stahl <aljon@stny.rr.com>
Subject: Re: Non-Bell ESS?


hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote about Re: Non-Bell ESS? on Date: 12 Jul
2005  12:11:16 -0700:

> I'm very sure it was a non Western Electric switch.  It was made in
> Plano Tx (forgot the maker's name) and it was used for local calls....

<clip>

> ... The basic pattern was the same-an unexplained deluge of
> electronic messages shutting down a computer built by DSC
> Communications Corp. of Plano, Texas ...
<clip>

To the best of my memory, DSC, whose name was mentioned in the archive
you added (above), never made any type of an ESS switch, which the
original essage questioned a non-Bell switch. DSC, now owned by
Alcatel (France), made a whole line of CPE including multi-line
systems and even some FO based equipment.

Back before all of the acquisitions and mergers of the late 90's when
Alcatel picked them up, DSC had a fairly strong presence at the "Baby
Bells" but not much at the ILEC's. I was working for one of Lucent's
major competitors then calling on the ILEC's and saw very little of
DSC at the ILEC's.

I never directly worked for DSC but I did once interview for a job
with them for which I did a detailed study of their products and
markets so I could talk intelligently with the interviewer. I do not
remember seeing any local Teleco type #5ESS switches in their product
mix.

So I'm pretty sure in relating again that the (only) non-Bell #5ESS
switch back then was made by AGCS which was the creation of GTE and
AT&T to get around the FCC regulations about Bell selling their
equipment into the ILEC market. I do remember something about a couple
of CO fires which were attributed to these switches but seem to recall
there was some lightening connected with the stories.

In later years just before divestiture, Nortel got into the local
Teleco type switch business.


John Stahl
Telecom/Data Consultant
Aljon Enterprises

------------------------------

From: Justa Lurker <JustaLurker@att.net>
Subject: Re: Non-Bell ESS?
Organization: AT&T Worldnet
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 22:01:08 GMT


hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:

> Diamond Dave wrote:

>> The software problem you're referring to was the infamous crash of the
>> AT&T long distance network in 1990 when a software upgrade was applied
>> to the over 100 AT&T/Western Electric #4ESS long-haul tandems in the
>> US. It brought down most if not all the #4ESS switches to a screeching
>> halt for the better part of a day.

> No, that's not the one I'm thinking of.

> I'm very sure it was a non Western Electric switch.  It was made in
> Plano Tx (forgot the maker's name) and it was used for local calls.

DSC = Digital Switch Corporation

I thought they were in Richardson TX, but I guess it was Plano.

------------------------------

From: Diamond Dave <dmine45.NOSPAM@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Non-Bell ESS?
Organization: The BBS Corner / Diamond Mine On-Line
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 19:30:14 -0400


On 12 Jul 2005 12:11:16 -0700, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:

> I found it in the archives.  Here it is:

>   WASHlNGTON - East Coast and West Coast, the pattern has been the
> same: At about 11 a.m., an entire region's telephone system collapses.

> For the past six days, solving the mystery of the failing phones has
> become an obsession for the nation's service-conscious telephone
> companies. Yet despite recurring similarities and clues in the
> half-dozen failures to date, which have struck Washington, Los
> Angeles, Pittsburgh and San Francisco. the detective work remains
> mired in unanswered questions.

This was the subsequent problem on the AT&T network that affected only
some 4ESS tandems in June 1991.

Here's an article you can read about all the "known" crashes in the
early 1990s, including the one mentioned above:

http://www.chriswaltrip.com/sterling/crack1j.html 


Dave Perrussel
Webmaster - Telephone World
http://www.dmine.com/phworld

------------------------------

From: AntwainBarbour <ukcats4218016@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: SunRocket VOIP Comments?
Date: 13 Jul 2005 13:53:45 -0700


jmeissen@aracnet.com wrote:

> Back in November of last year there was an announcement posted here
> about Sunrocket VOIP http://www.sunrocket.com . I don't recall
> seeing anything about them since.

> Does anyone have any opinions, good or bad, about their service?

> John Meissen                                      jmeissen@aracnet.com

I've had SunRocket since December I think and have been very pleased
so far.  The price is pretty much unbeatable and the customer support
is very friendly and helpful.  I'd say i've saved about $350 so far
having switched to them.

------------------------------

From: Gary Novosielski <gpn@suespammers.org>
Subject: Re: Don't Let Data Theft Happen to You
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 21:38:24 GMT


Wesrock@aol.com wrote:

> Apparently you would not be able to use your credit or debit card in a
> restaurant then, since they require you give them the card to swipe at
> a location out of your sight. 

Having recently spent a few weeks in France, I noticed a practice that
would solve this problem completely.  It seems now to be the standard
method of operation at all restaurants from the trendy "gastronomique"
places (with prices astronomique) to the neighborhood "steak/frit"
joints.

When paying with a credit card, the server brings a small wireless
terminal directly to the table.  It looks just like a compact adding
machine, with a paper roll on the back, but with a card slot on the
front, where you insert your card. If it's a debit card, you key your
PIN on the keypad.  The receipts are printed right from the same
device, and the card never leaves your possession.

If devices like this were used in the states, you could presumably
also use the keypad to add a tip amount to the check.  (In France,
where service is included, tips are a rarity, and when offered at all
are invariably in cash.)

------------------------------

From: Eric Bohlman <ebohlman@omsdev.com>
Subject: Re: Last Laugh! Western Union's Comment About Useless Phones
Date: 13 Jul 2005 19:25:53 GMT
Organization: OMS Development


Joe Morris <jcmorris@mitre.org> wrote in news:telecom24.312.11@telecom-
digest.org:

> The Bell system breakup [*] certainly caused problems, but the
> pre-breakup system was not what I would call accommodating to users'
> requirements ... it was instead a follower of Henry Ford's famous line
> that his customers could have any color automobile they wanted as long
> as it was black.

> Case in point -- and one that gave me lots of heartburn at the time --
> was the absurd DAA requirement.  I'm all for protecting a network, but
> neither at the time nor in retrospect can I find any justification for
> the DAA other than protecting AT&T's revenue stream.

But the DAA requirement was dropped as a result of FCC action in the
late 1970s (the enactment of the Part 68 regulations).  It had nothing
to do with the breakup.

------------------------------

From: bummer@iecc.com, [bummer@summer.com]@iecc.com
Subject: Re: Well,Duh Re: Mixing Blogging With Work Can Lead to Unemployment
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 18:55:21 -0700
Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com


On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 10:46:19 -0400, mc <mc_no_spam@uga.edu> wrote:

> Reading a little farther in the news story:

>> "The whole blogging thing was so new back then, I never expected
>> anyone to find it and read it," said Burch, who was fired in May
>> 2004. "I wrote in the blog to let off steam, not stir things up, but
>> they viewed my e-mail signature as some kind of open invitation to
>> read those comments."

> Huh?  She put a link in her e-mail signature but didn't want people to
> view it as an "open invitation to read" things that were published on
> the Web?

> This is *exactly* like the "Don't tell my boss about my cocaine habit"
> type of postings we would occasionally see in the early days of
> newsgroups.

And yet, when a co-worker "outed" himself on the company e-mail
system, nobody raised an eyebrow ...

I suppose it's all right to proclaim your sexuality, as long as you
aren't criticizing the company!

sigh ...

------------------------------


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