Obama to Attack Tax Havens

By: Roger Munns

America and Europe face a pretty bleak 2009 as the world starts to feel the recession biting, and millions of people could be made unemployed.

And as unemployment rises and politicians see their poll ratings slip, part of the blame for the economic downturn will be put on tax havens, with astronomical sums being banded around of how much each country would benefit if tax havens didn't exist.

Tax havens are an easy target for politicians - voters who take up residency in tax havens often legally are no longer able to contribute to political parties in their home country, and politicians have nothing to lose, but quite a few votes to gain by bashing the wealthy who have opted to move abroad.

And with a new President in the White House, and the next election campaign starting all over again in just a couple of years time, America as well as Europe will be putting tax havens such as Monaco under the spotlight in the months to come.

Obama campaigned in the Senate to reduce the effectiveness of tax havens, and it's thought that the US Treasury Department will be given more manpower to investigate what can be done to stop American citizens money leaving the US for tax havens, with new legislation likely for 2009.

In Europe, it's Germany leading the attacks on tax havens. Having already secured stolen data from Liechtenstein which identified German citizens with accounts there, Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel, is thought to have Switzerland in her sights for the year ahead.

Monaco Hotels

But one British company who specialise in tax haven properties, and are the only company to have fully staffed associate offices in both Monaco and Andorra, thinks the politicians would be hard pressed to convince the public that tax havens were a major cause of the world's economic problems if the facts were known.

'The public perception of Monaco is often that it's a glamourous country which is home to multi millionaires, the Monte Carlo casino and the Monaco Grand Prix - and that's it', say Tribune, who through their online presence try to show a more complete picture of Monaco.

'The reality of the situation is that Monaco is much more than just a casino, fast cars and James Bond lifestyles led by millionaires and multi-millionaires in a tax haven. More people are employed in the Monaco manufacturing sector than the finance sector including the Monaco banks for example.'

As well as a misconception of the reality of Monaco, the company feels that the Principality is poorly portrayed by commentators when it comes to her taxes - income tax is famously zero - and points out that while Monaco might be small at just a square mile in size, it's an independent country and a member of the United Nations.

'Politicians in the US and Western Europe always beat the drum for freedom of choice', Tribune say, 'But when it comes to taxes they don't want their citizens to have the choice of where to reside if it involves taxes lower than their own country. Monaco for example is able to subsidise public transport and do her bit for the environment as well as have minimal taxation - the truth is big government doesn't like the competition.'

If the economy doesn't show any sign of improvement in 2009, tax havens might be in the news quite a bit more.

Coolest room on the block: have a bedroom that's way drab and boring? Hang on for the excitement plan…

Girls' Life, August-Sept, 2004 by Kelly White

Ever hear of color-blocking? It's a technique that uses squares of color to pack some punch. It can be a cheap and easy way to give your room a whole lotta WOW!

The Wall

Head on out to the home improvement store because you're on the prowl for paint. But no need to mull over a million mind-boggling tiny color swatches. Most paint departments, like at The Home Depot, have "Oops" racks stocked with cans of already-mixed paint that picky people rejected. And they're practically giving them away: $5 per gallon, $1 per liter. The colors can be funky, but that's what you're going for here. Pick out half a dozen or so contrasting colors--just go for the luck of the draw. As long as it's an interior flat latex, you're good to go. Our color combo? We went for a pumpkin orange, sage green, lovely lavender, pretty pink and periwinkle blue. Five colors, five liters ... five dollars. That's a five-spot to paint the whole room!

Next up? Mark off the areas you're going to paint. Grab a pencil and a yardstick, and draw away. Rather than going for uniformity, make blocks of varying sizes--squares, rectangles and L shapes. Figure out which colors you want where, put on your coveralls, and break out the rollers. Dropcloth, please!

The Door

We confess--we're not perfect-circle creators. That's where Wall Candy comes in. The company makes easy-to-apply decorative adhesives (eyespyteen.com), and the beauty is that if you don't like where you've stuck 'em, they peel right off. Yep, peel and stick! And while we love the Dotti-Licious line, we won't be held responsible for flashbacks to your Colorforms days!

The blue-floral squares to the right of the door? More Wall Candy. The shiny pink-meal squares to the left of the door? Vinyl placemats! We hit the discount store, picked up a couple two-packs at $2.50 a pop and stuck them to the wall with double-backed adhesive squares.

The Decor

After you're done devouring your box of vitamin-fortified whole grain, save the box. You're turning it into a super-inexpensive wall-hanging! We filled eight empty cereal boxes with styrofoam peanuts for sturdiness, then covered the boxes in colorful fabrics (from a clearance rack at only $1 per yard). To make your own, just lay the box on a piece of fabric large enough to cover the box, then wrap it up like a birthday present. Carefully secure the edges with a hot-glue gun (don't bother with Scotch tape--it won't hold!). Stick your creations to the wall with more squares of double-backed adhesive (one to each corner and one centered), and walls are a bore no more.

We also needed to hide some unsightly shelving. So we simply stitched a hunch of bandannas together, folded them over in pleats and tacked them to the wall above the shelf. Fast, colorful and easy!

The Floor

Keeping in line with the color-blocking theme, we went with colorful carpet tiles. It's called Toy Poodle, and you can get it at interfaceflor.com. What we love about it? It's peel-and-stick, and might as well be called floor candy. It's not cheap ($14 per square), but it's a total do-it-yourself project. If you don't have the cash to do a whole floor, just order a few tiles for an area-rug effect.

And More

Going for the splurge? We love, love, love Pottery Barn Teen's locker-look pieces (pbteen.com) for back-to-school cool. That's where we got our bedding, too, and the everyone-loves-it lime phone. We filled the rest of the room with accessories from Wal-Mart. For around $50, we scored lamps, a clock, a bouncy ball and a bright-red mascot. He's pretty happy in his new home....

COPYRIGHT 2004 Monarch Avalon, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

OcUK puts £10K bounty on DDoS varmints

OcUK puts £10K bounty on DDoS varmints

Wild West response to week-long hack attack

By John Leyden

22nd January 2009

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/22/ocuk_ddos_reward/

Overclockers.co.uk is offering a £10,000 ($13,830) reward for information leading to the conviction of attackers who have targeted the technology enthusiast site in a DDoS lasting over a week.

In a forum posting on Wednesday, Overclockers.co.uk (OcUK) placed a bounty of the head of cybercrooks who have mounted an attack that has left its online store and forum servers running at a crawl for the last ten days.

The money will be payable to anyone whose information leads to an arrest and conviction against the perpetrators of the attack. Tips can be submitted anonymously, by email.

OcUK stressed that the attacks are simply affecting the availability of servers, which are been flooded with a torrent of junk data as a result of the assault, and not the security of data held by or processed through the site. The site has likely suspects in mind, but needs more evidence to take to the police.

Over the last 10 days OcUK servers have been subject to sustained DDoS attacks that have disrupted our on-line store and forums servers. Instigating these kind of attacks is a serious criminal offence and whilst we have strong suspicions who is behind them we need more evidence.

I am offering £10,000 to anyone who can provide evidence that leads to a conviction. You can provide this information anonymously if you want to via jobs@overclockers.co.uk but the evidence must be something

Obama Admin Outlines Cyber Security Strategy By Brian Krebs

Obama Admin Outlines Cyber Security Strategy

By Brian Krebs

January 22, 2009

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/01/obama_administration_outlines.html?hpid=news-col-blog

President Barack Obama's administration has sketched out a broad new strategy to protect the nation's most vital information networks from cyber attack and to boost investment and research on cyber security.

The key points of the plan closely mirror recommendations offered late last year by a bipartisan commission of computer security experts, which urged then president-elect Obama to set up a high-level post to tackle cyber security, consider new regulations to combat cyber crime and shore up the security of the nation's most sensitive computer networks.

The strategy, as outlined in a broader policy document on homeland security priorities posted on the Whitehouse.gov Web site Wednesday, states the following goals:

v Strengthen Federal Leadership on Cyber Security: Declare the cyber infrastructure a strategic asset and establish the position of national cyber advisor who will report directly to the president and will be responsible for coordinating federal agency efforts and development of national cyber policy.

v Initiate a Safe Computing R&D Effort and Harden our Nation's Cyber Infrastructure: Support an initiative to develop next-generation secure computers and networking for national security applications. Work with industry and academia to develop and deploy a new generation of secure hardware and software for our critical cyber infrastructure.

v Protect the IT Infrastructure That Keeps America's Economy Safe: Work with the private sector to establish tough new standards for cyber security and physical resilience.

v Prevent Corporate Cyber-Espionage: Work with industry to develop the systems necessary to protect our nation's trade secrets and our research and development. Innovations in software, engineering, pharmaceuticals and other fields are being stolen online from U.S. businesses at an alarming rate.

v Develop a Cyber Crime Strategy to Minimize the Opportunities for Criminal Profit: Shut down the mechanisms used to transmit criminal profits by shutting down untraceable Internet payment schemes. Initiate a grant and training program to provide federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies the tools they need to detect and prosecute cyber crime.

v Mandate Standards for Securing Personal Data and Require Companies to Disclose Personal Information Data Breaches: Partner with industry and our citizens to secure personal data stored on government and private systems. Institute a common standard for securing such data across industries and protect the rights of individuals in the information age.

While it remains to be seen what resources the Obama administration may devote to these goals, it is an encouraging sign to see the new White House give the vital challenges of cyber security such prominence so soon.

Movie Inspired Hackers to Keylogger Bank

Movie Inspired Hackers to Keylogger Bank

Hackers accused of plot to swindle Japanese Bank

ByMegan Murphy, Law Courts Correspondent

January 22 2009

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e3b0adb2-e811-11dd-b2a5-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

Computer hackers used sophisticated password-detection software in an attempt to swindle £229m ($317m) from one of Japan’s largest banking groups, a court heard on Wednesday.

In a plot seemingly cribbed from a Hollywood film, a “dishonest, bold” gang of cyber-crooks raided the City premises of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking at night to install “keylogger” programmes to record employees’ log-in details, prosecutors allege.

Assisted by an “inside man” who worked as a security supervisor at the bank, the thieves then attempted to make more than 20 electronic transfers involving multi-million pound sums from the accounts of big Sumitomo customers, including Nomura Asset Management and Toshiba, it is alleged.

The money was intended for accounts set up in locations such as Dubai and Singapore, but the men failed to realise that the keylogging software had inadvertently captured an error, jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London were told.

Several members of the gang, including two computer experts and the Sumitomo security guard, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal.

The Crown is now pursuing three other people suspected of serving as “fronts” for the companies and bank accounts set up to receive the stolen funds in September and October 2004.

“The attempt was made by surreptitiously entering the bank at night, by corrupting its computer system and by attempting to electronically transfer money,” said prosecutor Simon Farrell, QC. “A number of people were involved in different ways to steal the money and some were closely connected to its distribution around the world.”

Hugh Rodley, David Nash and Inger Malmros deny the charges in what is expected to be a six-week trial. Bernard Davies, another defendant, died last weekend.

Jurors were told how the keylogger software could capture staff passwords and log-in details surreptitiously by taking frequent pictures of their computer screens. The fraudsters would then return to the bank to retrieve the screen shots and plug the information into electronic transfer requests.

“Fortunately for the bank, those transfers failed,” said Mr Farrell. Staff discovered the plot after realising their computers had been tampered with.

Payment System Security Breached

Payment System Security Breached

Heartland Payment Systems, Forcht Bank Discover Data Breaches

Both Companies Might be Victims of Larger Fraud Schemes

January 21, 2009

Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=1168&rf=012109eb

Heartland Payment Systems, the sixth-largest payments processor in the U.S., announced Monday that its processing systems were breached in 2008, exposing an undetermined number of consumers to potential fraud.

Meanwhile, Forcht Bank, one of the 10 largest banks in Kentucky, told its customers it would begin reissuing 8,500 debit cards after being informed by its own card processor of a possible breach.

In the case of Heartland, while the company continues to assess the damages inflicted by the attack, Robert Baldwin, the company's president and CFO, says law enforcement has already noted that the attack against his company is part of a wider cyber fraud operation.

"The indication that it is tied to wider cyber fraud operation comes directly from conversations with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Secret Service," Baldwin says. The company says it believes the breach has been contained.

Heartland, headquartered in Princeton, NJ, handles approximately 100 million transactions per month, although the number of unique cardholders is much lower. "It is still a question as to the percentage of the data flow they were able to get," Baldwin says, adding he would not speculate on the number of cards potentially exposed.

Specifics surrounding when the breach occurred are still being analyzed. But Baldwin says two forensic auditing teams have been working on the breach analysis and investigation since late 2008, after Heartland received the notification from Visa and MasterCard. The investigation began immediately after the credit card companies told Heartland they saw suspicious activity surrounding processed card transactions. Described by Baldwin as "quite a sophisticated attack," he says it has been challenging to discover exactly how it happened.

The forensic teams found that hackers "were grabbing numbers with sniffer malware as it went over our processing platform," Baldwin says. "Unfortunately, we are confident that card holder names and numbers were exposed."

Data, including card transactions sent over Heartland's internal processing platform, is sent unencrypted, he explains, "As the transaction is being processed, it has to be in unencrypted form to get the authorization request out."

No merchant data or cardholder Social Security numbers, unencrypted personal identification numbers (PIN), addresses or telephone numbers were involved in the breach. Nor were any of Heartland's check management systems. The company delivers credit/debit/prepaid card processing, payroll, check management and payments solutions to more than 250,000 business locations nationwide Baldwin says the company moved quickly to announce the breach. "It is important to get it out, but leaves us with incomplete information for our customers until the investigation is complete," he says. For more information on the breach, the company has set up a website: www.2008breach.com. Heartland advises cardholders to examine their monthly statements closely and report any suspicious activity to their card issuers.

Forcht Bank: "Not Isolated"

In a statement to Forcht Bank's customers, COO Tyronica Crutcher says that the bank's debit card processor, STAR, informed the bank that a retail merchant processor's information may have been compromised, and that some unknown persons are possibly creating duplicate debit cards.

"According to STAR, there are several other banks affected, and this is not isolated to Forcht Bank customers," says Crutcher.

Forcht Bank has 34 branches in 11 counties, with more than $1 billion in assets.

Also see-

Payment Processor Breach May Be Largest Ever

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/01/payment_processor_breach_may_b.html?hpid=topnews

Online Data Entry Workers Needed Worldwide!

YANUR

Earn $4,000 or More per Month Working from Home!

If you are interested in working part-time from home for some extra
income or whether you're looking for a full-time career making $200 -
$400 per day, DataEntryPortal.com can help!

For more details please log on to

http://www.ezinfocenter.com/10509500/CB

DataEntryPortal.com will help you avoid the scams and find real
online
data entry opportunities.

Earn $4,000 or More per Month!
Thousands of Satisfied Members!
Worldwide Access - Work from Any Country!
24 Hour Support!
Real Legitimate Data Entry Opportunities!
No Experience Needed!
Start Earning the Same Day!

DataEntryPortal.com is a legitimate data entry referral service that
provides its' members with 24x7x365 access to our confidential Members
Only Portal where you will find many legitimate data entry
opportunities and FREE unlimited e-mail support. Work whenever and
wherever you want. All that is needed is access to the Internet and a
DataEntryPortal.com lifetime membership. Simply login to the Members
Only Portal and select the data entry companies that you want to work
with. It's that simple and anyone can join.......

How it Works
Once you become a DataEntryPortal.com member, you will have exclusive
access to legitimate data entry opportunities via the Members Only
Portal. You will be in control of which companies you want to work
with and they will pay you directly via direct deposit, PayPal, Check,
or AlertPay. Earnings are paid weekly and can be sent anywhere in the
world. All that is required is a computer and access to the Internet
and you can start making a significant income. We update the Members
Only Portal regularly with new information and send email
notifications to all members with important updates. This will allow
you to continue making money for as long as you like.

All data is provided!
Most forms are 1 - 3 pages and take only minutes to complete! see
samples You do not need any special software or hardware!

Start earning immediately!
Work whenever and wherever you want. Full time and part time workers
are needed worldwide and you can work as much or as little as you
like. There are no minimum or maximum restrictions so you can work 1
day per month or every day. The more data you enter, the more money
you make! See sample data forms HERE And, you'll have a lifetime
partner to help you get started and continue making money online!

Don't Get Scammed!

Let us help you find legitimate data entry opportunities. Do not
waste your time or money with those data entry companies promising
instant riches...they're usually scams and do not care about your
success.

Benefits:

Earn $200 - $400 per Day

Work Anytime Work From Anywhere in the World Access Legitimate
Data Entry Companies 24 Hours per Day Experience not Required Payment
GuaranteeFlexible Payment Options
We currently have over 31,000 members in over 200 countries worldwide.
There are absolutely no restrictions on how much or how little you
work. Of course the more data you enter, the more money you can make.
Our average member earns over $4,000 per month. Your earnings will be
paid weekly by direct deposit, PayPal, check or AlertPay. You decide
which payment method works best for you. We work only with legitimate
data entry companies who pay on time and accurately. We understand
the importance of being paid in a timely matter so we back it up.