* subscribe at http://techPolice.com Ashcroft Targets U.S. Cybercrime By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, Associated Press Writer MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) - Calling computer security one of the nation's top problems, Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) said Friday that the government is forming nine special units to prosecute hacking and copyright violations. Ashcroft said the new specialists will bring to 48 the number of prosecutors working on cybercrime in U.S. attorneys' offices. ``There are many people of poor and evil motivations who are seeking to disrupt business and government and exploit any vulnerabilities in the digital universe,'' Ashcroft said after meeting with Silicon Valley executives and venture capitalists. When computer crimes go unpunished, he said, ``It impairs the ability of the United States of America to remain in its position of priority in leading the world in the digital age.'' The new prosecutors will work in cities with relatively high levels of cybercrime: Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Seattle, New York, Brooklyn, N.Y., and Alexandria, Va. The units will be modeled on the nation's first Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property squad, which began working out of the U.S. Attorney's office in San Francisco several years ago. That unit was created by U.S. Attorney Robert Mueller, who President Bush (news - web sites) has nominated for FBI (news - web sites) director. Mueller attended Friday's news conference at the headquarters of VeriSign Inc., but did not comment. Ashcroft cited a study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLC that said businesses spent $300 billion fighting hackers and computer viruses last year. He said the government must be careful to help secure the Internet without hindering its development. ``There is perhaps nothing quite as distressing as the unintended consequences of well-intentioned government,'' Ashcroft said. Ashcroft would not comment on the case of Dmitry Sklyarov, a 26-year-old Russian arrested this week in Las Vegas and charged with writing a program that unlocked encrypted software designed by Adobe Systems Inc. (NasdaqNM:ADBE - news) to protect electronic books. The FBI contends that is a violation of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (news - web sites). Critics of the case say Sklyarov works for a legitimate company in Moscow that merely has a business dispute with Adobe. ``Taxpayer dollars are basically being used to do Adobe's dirty work,'' said Richard Smith, chief technology officer for the Privacy Foundation at the University of Denver. ``Frankly, I think they should be spending their time fixing the security problems he pointed out.'' ============================================================ Get FREE business cards for your business or personal use! VistaPrint.com is giving away 250 full color business cards - an $85 value. Claim this unique FREE gift now! http://click.topica.com/caaacASb1dhr0b2EDp2f/VistaPrint ============================================================ --via http://techPolice.com archive: http://theMezz.com/cybercrime/archive subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --via http://theMezz.com ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1dhr0.b2EDp2 Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
