Comments on: Congress: P2P networks harm national security

House of Representatives panel chairman says peer-to-peer networks pose a "national security threat," new laws needed.

[wbenton]

Problem and Solution VERY Simple

PROBLEM: Lax Security

SOLUTION: Access Control Lists and Security Compliance Directives!

Problem Solved.

So why are they mungling about implementing it?

Walt

[R. U. Sirius]

Because Waxman is Owned by the MPAA

he's from LA. Guess who else is from LA and hates P2P? Oh, right, that would be the movie industry. Funny how that works.

[glencain]

Where are their brains???

nah...copyrights issues are too hard to plug and shut P2P down...the constitution keeps getting in the way....and putting the same best practices in place that public companies use (some even in their beloved Sarbanes/Oxley rules) makes too much sense because that is for the peasants outside the government...I know...let's scare them and tell them it threatens the homeland, they'll scream for us to shut it down....more of the same...and it is embarrassing

[D.A.W.]

It's not party, it's age

While I'm generally vote for Republicans, I can't agree with you on this. This has nothing to do with party lines and everything with age. Congress members are old. They don't understand how these things work. I mean think about how often you have to do relatively simple computer tasks for your parents? Yes, Congress is right that it is easy to accidentally share sensitive files on P2P networks. It is also easy to look down the barrel of a gun while it's still loaded with your finger on the trigger if you don't know how a gun works.

Come 20 years, the generation now currently under-40 are going to have a mess undoing the damage the current over-40 generation in Congress to our internet and technology laws. This is happening out of sheer incompetence and lack of knowledge among our law makers.

[R. U. Sirius]

It isn't party

In the article, it's clear that both Democrats and Republicans (especially those from southern California) are gleefully stomping the Limewire guy. It's digusting.

As for age, I don't know about that. I'd say it has more to do with greed, power, and money.

[gefitz]

Gibberish from a politician with staff that don't pay attention

I've got an idea...how about if we start spending money on congressional staffers that actually know enough about technology to advise their bosses about it? How about if we start spending money on training federal IT staffs on how to set up a firewall/netowrk monitoring to eliminate the possibility of a problem?

Oh, wait...we've spent it all!

THAT's harming national security...NOT companies like Limewire. Just like an American..."It's not our fault..."

[crazynexus]

no worries

Yea, I hear you, but when I look at the oversight once your budget hits that $1B mark, I can kind of see that. Actually, in my agency, we don't have many direct line supervisors. There's a lot of support staff, but what do you expect when you have so many rules and laws coming from congress. For me, it's my immediate boss, then the area boss, then the state boss. That's it. The regional chiefs never do any of the supervisor type stuff except to the state supervisor, and tyhen they report directly to the chief of the agency.

[KiraiAnca]

Too Obvious, Guys

Anyone who can install limewire and configure it to share anything not in the share folder should be intelligent enough NOT to.

I'm not believing this 'accidentally' part. I say those files were either never shared or were uploaded intentionally to get a convenient excuse to shut a big P2P network down. And if they get one this big, it's guaranteed to at least frighten some.

What's next? Going after Yahoo, AIM or Skype file transfers?

[Michael00360]

The Limeware Guy

I actually feel sorry for the Limeware guy. Why didn't anyone else step up and defend themselves?

[Informed Citizen]

Actually

Actually, LimeWire's Mark Gorton said he was unaware of the enormity of the problem and he told the Congressmen that he would work to fix problems with LimeWire that were brought up by the other witnesses.

According to the Committee's website, The CEO of StreamCast, maker of Morpheus, was invited to sit on the panel but he refused to show up.

[GrandpaN1947]

Internet Security Threat

Soon, in the interest of national security, the congress will pass legislation to outlaw the Internet. It poses a very real threat to our country by teaching terrorism and spreading theocracy.


Are cellphones next?

[marccooper]

Kim Il Sung could not have said it better

There are no p2p networks in North Korea. No internet either. Finally, our congress is realizing everything it has in common with unreformed Stalinism. Now if we can just push a few more mergers through and develop that state-sponsored-monopoly dominated economy we will be set.

Heck, maybe we should even ban peer to peer communications that dont involve computers. If government officials socialize with groups of citizens, they could also be duped into giving out information an unwittingly assisting in a plot.

So, we really need to keep people in their houses, watching Fox News and CNN, and we should put those on a 20 minute tape delay. If people want to assemble in public, they should have to get permits and have an fbi chaperone.

[michaelo1966]

Free speech is a threat to national security

Not long until the Demorepublicans suggest it should be banned.

[lUan_08]

Wow idiots

Wow idiots

[nbitinfo]

Freaking Legistalive Idiots

What if somebody uses a car to rob a bank are you gonna fine the car manufacturer ?

How about the freakin' federal/government employees NOT using p2p programs while working, being paid off the taxpayers' money ?

A bunch of old farts who never got an idea of what technology is

[ddbpack]

p2p

maybe the idiots in congress should look at our WIDE open border with millions ofillegals crossing with the al queda operatives and so on. really shows the very low iq of our senators and congressman!

[Dr_Zinj]

Bait & Switch Tactic

The government themselves are causing the problem and Congressman "Waxhead" is trying to blame ordinary citizens for the problem.

I'd venture an educated guess that the government workers are using P2P software on government systems either without authorization, or without going through proper procedures for installation and use. If so, they should be either fired, or convicted and sent to spend time in the crowbar hotel.

The more our government pushes for secrecy and restrictions on freedom of communication, the more I'm tempted to just chuck the whole deal out the window and start over. Maybe I should run for office on a platform of rescinding all legislation that restricts speech and freedom? (not to mention outdated laws that are still on the books and used for general harassment by the executive branch)

[wbenton]

Looking at the wrong angle

Employees should NOT have the ability to install programs on their PC. That's LAX Security Problem #1.

Employees should NOT be able to decide what other employees they can send/share information with. ONLY the IT department should decide who gets what privileges to which sensitive data and what level of access they have (Read Only, Read Write, Delete, etc.) That's LAX Security Problem #2.

Such sensitive/classified information should NEVER be stored on a local PC. Only on servers where access to it can be strictly controlled. That's LAX Security Problem #3.

And finally, the IT Security Department has their heads up a dark smelly place for allowing even just one... let alone all three of the above to happen on Government related networks!

Finally, P2P is a protocol and thus blocking ports 1234 & 1235, one can successfully STOP ANY/ALL P2P traffic from floating across the network.

Triggers set up to alert IT Staff can also be set up easily.

The only problem is: One has to be security concious to think of these things.

Sadly, that's something I find lacking in most government networks.

Walt

[ampdoc110]

Obvious isnt it?

California, MPAA. Tennessee, rep from Nashville - RIAA. We know who's been paid off.

[Red.Heron]

Take Back Your Government

The Pirate Party of the USA is looking for feedback on this issue in order to assist with an upcoming lobby effort.

www.pirate-party.us

Additionally, I am told by my reps in Congress that the biggest issue they have is information. They are told one thing by entertainment industry reps, but nobody else steps up to tell them anything. If they're told one thing, that's the information they have to work on. If the industries lie to them, misrepresent information, or simply prevaricate, then that's what they're told. They have neither the time nor the knowhow to check things out otherwise.

So, if you really want to have an impact, notify the reps in Congress for your area, and keep the internet freedoms we already have!

Additionally, there seems to be a bit of a meltdown in Europe over this issue, mainly because one German court has said that the IFPI (RIAA's international counterpart in Europe) has not substantiated its claims of damage, and thus file-sharing is considered a 'petty' crime (on par with jaywalking or spitting on the sidewalks).

If these industries really and honestly thought that what was being done was criminal, then why hasn't it pressed criminal charges under the DMCA? The only answer I can come up with is that they're not really worried about the criminal side of it, they just want to be able to make money on it.

[garryking]

Congress' ignorance is a greater threat

If Congress as a body thinks it will be easier to secure government networks by outlawing or regulating P2P, then THEY are the greatest threat to national security by failing to comprehend the nature of what they are trying to regulate. It's probably time to fire the entire bunch and start over!

Government IT needs to take measures to secure their networks and keep P2P clients OFF of government computers PERIOD. Even a poorly run and funded corporate IT department can show them how it is done.

[Kings X Rocks!]

Appeals to the common man...

This story will definitely appeal to the "***-is-a-p2p" constituents. Which is also the point. In addition to watching out for the holders of the pocketbooks, the technology-innocent will look on this as a GREAT step in the right direction.

The damned Internet.

[cybervigilante]

as if any isp can't do it

My isp seems to be blocking all ports but the net and a few others. I can't even get p2p using the NetMeeting port. But somehow these multibillion dollar govt agencies can't figure out how to do it. Sure.

Henry Waxman, MPAA *****. Bend over, Henry, while they shove dollar bills in your rear. Or maybe you'll just wipe your bum with the Constitution as you scream "Nashunal Suckurity" to fool us into giving up our liberties so the MPAA and other corporations can totally control the net and free speech, keeping us all in the dark - like they already do the lying mainstream media.

[Waxman_4_Big_Music]

This has nothing to do with National Security!!! Henry Waxman represents all the Big Money Entertainment Interests in Hollywood!! That is all this is about. Now which party is trying to wrap itself inside the flag, Waxman????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!