From - Fri Feb 14 09:30:28 1997 Path: db1.datablast.net!news-in.tiac.net!news.gte.com!cam-news-feed1.bbnplanet.com!cam-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!feed1.news.erols.com!howland.erols.net!newspump.sol.net!posts.execpc.com!earth.execpc.com!not-for-mail From: rick Newsgroups: alt.conspiracy.jfk.moderated Subject: Networking with spooks Date: 13 Feb 1997 19:47:33 -0600 Organization: I'm trying to think but my brain hurts! Lines: 209 Sender: jmcadams@earth.execpc.com Approved: aja@thuntek.net Message-ID: <3303991E.2BF4@prcn.org> References: <5dl478$s23@nnrp1.news.primenet.com> <19970211221300.RAA15399@ladder01.news.aol.com> <5drk5t$l5j@lana.zippo.com> Reply-To: rick@prcn.org NNTP-Posting-Host: earth.execpc.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Mozilla 2.0 (Macintosh; I; 68K) Status: O Xref: db1.datablast.net alt.conspiracy.jfk.moderated:5550 [Networking_With_Spooks] [Networking_With_Spooks:_Headline] by John Dillon THE INTERNET IS CHANGING FROM A PUBLIC RESOURCE TO A LUCRATIVE OPERATION INFLUENCED BY SPOOKS AND FORMER PENTAGON OFFICIALS. OPEN ACCESS AND INFORMATION ARE INCREASINGLY CONTROLLED. The Internet, the NSI's spook questions of who mother of all connections and its controls and regulates networks, is a lead role in the the Internet. Although sprawling congregation privatization of the physically of connected Internet have raised decentralized with computers; almost alarms. Net millions of computers anyone is welcome, activists were linked around the globe almost anything goes. outraged by the the Net is in fact Now, one private firm's September hierarchically company with strong 1995 decision to organized. Anyone on ties to the defense charge $100 a year the planet who wants an and intelligence to register new Internet address ending agencies has become addresses and $50 a with one of the popular the prime gatekeeper year to renew old suffixes .com, .edu, and toll-taker for the ones. Later, NSI .org, .net, or .gov millions navigating stirred up even more must register the the maze. Network anger when it began domain name with the Solutions Inc. (NSI) removing the Internet Network of Herndon, Va., has addresses of the Information Center, or the government-granted thousands who InterNIC, a US monopoly to issue refused to pay. The government-created "domain names'' company also has central registry. In electronic addresses been sued half a 1993, NSI took over the like used to route dozen times over its administration of that e-mail and steer policy to give listing. traffic through the trademark holders increasingly priority when a This domain name system commercialized World domain name is in allows people to Wide Web. dispute. substitute user -friendly names such as WHO'S IN CHARGE The furor over NSI raises basic ------------------- "ibm.com" for the real user-friendly domain in the six months Internet Protocol (IP) names. But NSI has a from September 1995 addresses: great reason: By to March 1996 from hard-to-remember controlling the keys annual registration numerical strings like to prime Internet fees, with an "198.106.242.7". When real estate, it has additional $40 you enter an address in staked out a million projected for your web browser like phenomenally the next six months. "mediafilter.org/caq" to lucrative business. get this magazine's site Although the company "I would think your computer first does not release they're making an accesses a "name financial figures, obscene profit,'' server.'' The server the Internet's said Karl Denniger, then returns the unique astronomical growth head of Macro numeric IP address which fueled by the tens of Computer Solutions your browser uses to thousands of Inc., a Chicago-based find the appropriate businesses coming on Internet provider place on the Web. line each month has that wants to enter triggered an the domain name Critics say there is no explosion in domain business. "Their good reason why Network name registrations. monopoly of this Solutions should have a In March alone, about isn't really legally monopoly franchise on 45,000 names were defensible," said registering the registered, a 25 Stanton McCandlish, percent increase over an activist with the February. NSI made an Electronic Frontier estimated $20 million Foundation ------------------- < in San Francisco. A few months comes from government earlier, it had been contracts, including CONTROLLING bought out by defense, intelligence, and INFORMATION Science Applications law enforcement contracts. NSI's national International Corp. It is designing new security pedigree (SAIC). This information systems for the is even more privately held Pentagon, helping to troubling to some company with 20,000 automate the FBI's than its employees and 450 computerized fingerprint monopoly-derived offices around the identification system, and profits. When the globe has close ties last year won a $200 government to the Defense million contract to provide administered the Department and "information support'' to InterNIC, the intelligence the Internal Revenue service was agencies. Its Service. subsidized by tax current board of dollars and was directors includes Some of these contracts, free to users who former National along with the company's simply registered Security Agency strong intelligence and their names. In May chief Bobby Inman, defense links, raise fears 1993, the National former Defense that SAIC will abuse the Science Foundation Secretary Melvin information it controls privatized the name Laird, and the through its key "I don't registry and is former head of want a spook paying Network research and corporation,particularly a Solutions $5.9 development for the private spook corporation, million to Pentagon, Donald administer it. Hicks. Ex-CIA Director Robert In September 1995, Gates, Secretary of NSI instituted the Defense William fee system. Perry, and CIA Director John Deutch have been past members. Eighty-three percent of the company's $2 billion annual revenue ------------------- to be anywhere near a NSI's policy on domain the issue is settled. control point on the name disputes. For a global cooperative long time, names were The company's dispute Internet,'' said registered on a first policy has swung too James Warren, a come, first served far to protect writer and Internet basis. But then some trademark owners at civil liberties quick-buck artists the expense of activist. But realized they could legitimate domain name McCandlish of the register domain names holders, critics say. Electronic Frontier related to famous They note that Foundation described trademarks and sell trademark law allows SAIC's ownership of the name back to the different companies to Network Solution as a owner, a process known share the same name "non issue.'' "The as trademark McDonald's hamburgers Internet itself was a hijacking. In and McDonald's Defense Advanced response, NSI widgets, for example. Research Project instituted a policy And they say NSI is Agency project. It's that gives trademark ruling on legal been true for a long owners priority in questions, such as who time. It's not some claiming a domain name owns the name and what big secret.'' over someone who has it can be used for, already registered it. without legal PUTTING A HOLD ON While the domain names authority. NAMES are in dispute, the Another bone of company can put the "They are serving as contention is disputed name "on legislators, hold," so that it administrators, can't be used until judges, juries, ------------------- and executioners,'' name on hold. established around the said Kathryn Kleiman, world, you could locate a lawyer and CHALLENGING THE web sites listed by any organizer of the MONOPOLY chosen name. The system Domain Name Rights But NSI's monopoly does not yet work for Coalition, a may soon crumble. e-mail. non-profit Dozens of new organization that top-level domains "We would no longer be lobbies Congress on (the .com or .edu restricted to top-level domain name issues. portion of the domain, such as .com or names) are being .edu," Garrin said. The company's policy considered, and "Under the existing created major they will be system, there's an headaches for a New administered by new artificial shortage of Mexico Internet registration domain names driven by service named services. InterNIC's desire to Roadrunner Computer control. By adding new Systems, for example, Paul Garrin, a New suffixes such as .mag, which used the York media artist, .inc, .press, for address for itself has plans to strike example, numerous and for its an even more companies could use their customers' e-mail. decisive blow for own names." They could But last year Warner competition and also eliminate NSI's Bros., which produces Internet monopoly control. "We're Road Runner cartoons democratization. He de-territorializing the and holds a trademark and his colleagues Internet and bringing it by the same name, have designed an back to the real ideal of tried to establish alternative network virtual space with no exclusive rights. of name servers. By national borders of Roadrunner Computer changing your hierarchies,'' he said. Systems obtained a browser's default court order barring settings to find Network Solutions one of the servers from putting its Garrin has ---------------------------------------------------------------------[_E ND_] CAQ COVERT ACTION QUARTERLY