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RE: Vulnerabilites in new laws on computer hacking



In response to "But if there really *was* a hole that allowed an actual 
break-in they
would have to do that anyway, because they wouldn't know if anyone had
broken in before and just wiped his tracks, would they?"
 
There is a world of difference to knowing that you have a vulnerability and 
knowing you have been attacked and worse compromised.
 
Each time that a vulnerability is patched you do not rebuild the host. You can 
not think deteministically that a vulnerability equals a rebuild. At the same 
time when a systems is compromised you need to start again.
 
There are always tracks. The best attacker who can cover their tracks using all 
the best known techniques still leaves tracks - the difference is how 
effectively they may be tracked back after the event. A drive with files wiped 
crypographically and with no slack space is still covered with tracks - more so 
than the simple hacker who does not clear a log file.
 
None of the above will be generally completed, as I have stated in prior posts 
- the skills are not widely available. Again I will also state that this is a 
probabilistic risk function we are talking about. Having a vulnerability 
equates to a low risk that you have actually been compomised. Being compromised 
is determinsitic.
 
Regards
Craig
 
 

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