FBI site a casualty in Web attacks

By News.com staff
February 25, 2000, 4:35 p.m. PT

FBI site struck by Web attack
The agency says electronic vandals shut down its Web site for hours last week in the same type of attack that disrupted some of the Internet's major commercial sites.

Canadian police search ISP for hacker
Canadian law officials are investigating a Montreal-based Internet service provider in search of an anonymous hacker called "mafiaboy."

Hacker discloses new attack software
A programmer familiar with the malicious software describes three new programs of the type believed to have taken down major Internet sites last week.

"Mixter" addresses cyberattacks
Q&A In an interview with CNET News.com about last week's Web site shutdowns, the anonymous German programmer explains his actions and philosophy on technological security.

Report: FBI seeks German programmer
update Federal investigators are reportedly seeking an anonymous computer expert in Germany in connection with this week's wave of attacks.

Leads point to California universities
update Authorities probing the attacks on Yahoo, eBay, CNN and other Web sites are pursuing new leads that point to California universities, including the University of California at Santa Barbara, Stanford, and UCLA.

White House calls for security summit
update President Clinton will convene a meeting Tuesday of government officials and leaders in the Internet business community to respond to this week's attacks on popular Web sites.

FBI offers software to combat attacks
The FBI and other groups post software on the Internet to help sites neutralize the sort of denial of service attacks that shut down some of the leading Web sites.

Despite doomsaying, Net will survive
This week's "denial of service" attacks on major sites have inspired a level of doomsaying not heard since the peak of Y2K mania. But many say the Web will suffer no lasting damage.

Making weapons underground
The weapons used in the assaults bear the markings of a small circle of anonymous programmers who create hostile technologies in the name of research.

Leading Web sites fall prey
update The list of victims continues to grow, with online trading sites E*Trade and Datak joining eBay, Amazon.com, Buy.com, Yahoo and others.

Crackdown vowed in Washington
update Attorney General Janet Reno promises that federal law enforcement authorities will do all in their power to track down the perpetrators.

Cyberspace is difficult terrain for FBI
Although the FBI has vowed to track down those responsible for this week's cyber attacks, security experts say they will have a tough time.

How "denial of service" attacks work
infographic CNET News.com illustrates how the programs behind such assaults work--and how companies can prevent them.

New assault weapons pose threat
A combination of new technologies and the rising stakes of online business may help explain this week's rash of outages at some of the Web's largest companies.