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http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/0607/web-oracle-06-10-04.asp

Thursday, June 10, 2004

DHS Issues Oracle Warning
BY Florence Olsen

Homeland Security Department officials used the National Cyber Alert System this week to warn users of critical security vulnerabilities discovered in Oracle Corp.'s E-Business Suite 11i and Oracle 11 applications.

The DHS alert warned that unauthorized but knowledgeable persons with Web browser access to unpatched versions of the Oracle software can exploit the vulnerabilities to execute destructive structured query language procedures inside the applications.

Oracle has provided a patch that users can download to close the security holes for the software versions named in the alert. Earlier versions have not been tested for the vulnerability because Oracle is no longer providing patches for the older versions.

Applications making the vulnerability list include Oracle E-Business Suite 11i and 11.5.1 through 11.5.8 and all releases of Oracle 11 applications. Oracle E-Business Suite Release 11.5.9 and later versions are not vulnerable.

According to Integrigy Corp.'s Stephen Kost, a security expert who discovered the vulnerabilities, the unpatched Oracle database applications are open to malicious exploits known technically as SQL injection attacks.

The DHS alert warns that "exploitation may lead to compromise of the database application, data integrity or underlying operating system." No operating system is immune.

Oracle databases and applications are widely used throughout the federal government. The Energy Department's Sandia National Laboratories and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, among others, use the Oracle E-Business Suite for managing their business operations.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1151495/posts

Brothers Charged With Sending Computers to Syria, Libya Overwhelmed by Export Rules, Lawyers Say
AP ^ | june10, 2004

Posted on 06/10/2004 10:00:01 PM EDT by nuconvert

Brothers Charged With Sending Computers to Syria, Libya Overwhelmed by Export Rules, Lawyers Say

David Koenig/Associated Press

Jun 10, 2004

DALLAS (AP) - Attorneys for five Middle Eastern brothers accused of shipping computers to countries that help terrorists said Thursday their clients were small businessmen who were overwhelmed by complicated export regulations. Defense lawyers also suggested the men were singled out for criminal prosecution because they are Muslims. One asked for a mistrial when a federal prosecutor mentioned nationality and religion in his opening statement, but the judge denied the request.

Ghassan Elashi, Bayan Elashi, Basman Elashi, Hazim Elashi and Ihsan Elashyi are being tried on 25 felony counts, including money laundering and making illegal shipments of computers to Libya and Syria in the 1990s.

This fall the men are expected to be tried on separate charges that they used their computer business, InfoCom Corp., to help funnel money to a top leader of the militant group Hamas. The Hamas leader is married to a cousin of the men - she was also a defendant in the terrorism-funding case - and is believed to be living in Syria.

Authorities allege the men also helped run a Muslim charity that gave money to the wives and children of Palestinian suicide bombers. The government shut down the group in December 2001.

In the prosecution's opening statement Thursday, Justice Department attorney Barry Jonas told jurors that the men and their company violated laws designed to prevent products with possible military uses from being sent to countries that support terrorism.

Jonas said the men shipped computers to Malta and Italy, knowing they were headed to customers in Libya, and also made shipments to Syria without proper licenses. He said they also lied about the destinations and contents of the shipments on documents required by U.S. authorities.

Richard Anderson, attorney for Basman Elashi, said other U.S. companies shipped to both countries and that export regulations were too complex for a small business to understand.

Before the 2001 terror attacks, Anderson said, one of the required export documents at the heart of the government's case "was just another piece of paper to fill out."

Marlo Cadeddu, representing Ihsan Elashyi, said one of the brothers' Libyan customers lied by telling them he was from Malta.

The trial was scheduled to resume Monday. Lawyers estimated it would last two to three weeks.