Arrest made in Evans
Data Theft Case

HOUSTON -- Houston police sergeant Raymond Edwards announced in a press conference yesterday evening that an arrest has been made in the data theft case currently under investigation at local software company Evans Business Solutions. Edwards did stress, however, that it is not known yet whether the suspect—a hacker known as Slash—was directly involved in the theft and transfer of research data to Santa Clara-based Extar Systems.

Slash reportedly was picked up on charges related to hacking attempts against several Texas corporations. There are indications that he has broken into Evans systems several times over the past year. Police promise additional reports following further investigation of Slash's possible involvement.

The arrest highlights the vulnerability of corporate systems to infiltration and theft by outsiders. Most companies rely on firewalls to keep trespassers out, and do not realize that protection should not stop there. Experts recommend putting additional security measures into place to prevent outsiders from accessing files and folders, even if they are able to gain access to the system.

Break-in attempts are reportedly on the rise, up significantly each year since 2001. For the first half of 2003 alone, CERT tracked 76,404 intrusion incidents. That’s compared to 53,000 for all of 2002 as reported by the FBI. Even more troubling, the FBI found in a survey of more than 500 US IT professionals that only 30% of break-ins are ever reported. In 2001, the FBI found that 86% of surveyed companies reported break-ins with total quantifiable losses of more than $377 million.

More details will be forthcoming on the Evans case as investigators question Slash.

On-Access Virus Scanning Enabled for OS/400 V5R3

HOUSTON, TX -- Local news affiliates report that Bytware, Inc., the Reno-based iSeries software vendor, announced today that to fill the growing demand for virus protection on the iSeries, On-Access scanning for viruses is now an enabled feature within OS/400 and fully supported by Bytware’s StandGuard Anti-Virus security solution..

Beginning with V5R3, IBM has enabled the operating system to support virus scanning, including On-Access scanning. The On-Access scanning enablement will allow third-party native anti-virus solutions to scan files dynamically, as they are accessed and changed. The enablement itself does not scan, detect, or clean viruses, but instead provides the necessary enhancements to allow a third-party native anti-virus solution to scan files upon open and close (On-Access). The enablement feature, which is shipped with a default of ON, is designed to tie into a native anti-virus solution to scan for, detect, and clean viruses. The addition of a native anti-virus solution is required in order to use this new functionality of V5R3.

To ensure iSeries customers are realizing the maximum security potential, Bytware has worked very closely with IBM’s Security and Integrated File System team to re-engineer StandGuard Anti-Virus to take advantage of the new V5R3 enablement. The result is a seamless integration of StandGuard Anti-Virus with OS/400 V5R3, and the closure of the virus threat to iSeries servers.

StandGuard Anti-Virus is an award-winning, native anti-virus solution for the iSeries. Developed with the unique features of the iSeries in mind, StandGuard Anti-Virus offers all of the power and protection of the industry-leading McAfee scanning engine found on other platforms while meeting the specific needs of OS/400. You'll find StandGuard Anti-Virus easy to use in either graphical or green screen modes, and a breeze to keep current with the latest .DATs directly from McAfee and software updates from Bytware. With StandGuard Anti-Virus you have the essential tools to ensure that your iSeries is protected from the threats of viruses, worms, and malware.

StandGuard Anti-Virus for V5R3 will be available for OS/400 V5R3 upon IBM’s announcement of general availability. Bytware, Inc., an industry innovator and leader since 1986, offers security, user and system monitoring, and notification solutions for the IBM iSeries server. Customers with V5R3 systems can request full-featured trials of StandGuard Anti-Virus v5r3, and Bytware’s other security solutions, by contacting Bytware directly at http://www.bytware.com or call 775.851.2900

For more information about iSeries anti-virus protection, visit the main StandGuard Anti-Virus page at Bytware's website.

Local Coffee House Sets New Price High

BELLAIRE -- Customers at JavaWava Coffee House were shocked Monday morning when they ordered their morning Joe and were asked to dish out double the previous price.



"I walked in weary-eyed around 7 a.m. and ordered my usual grande double latte with non-fat milk, reduced calorie cream, and a low-carb biscotti," explained Cindy Donaldson, a longtime patron of JavaWava. "I just can't get going without that combination. But to say that I was wide awake after they asked for $14.50 would be an understatement. I've been paying only $7.25 for my morning fix every day for the past two years. $14.50 is getting a little ridiculous."

Cindy is not alone. Fellow patrons also felt jilted. "I've taken out a second mortgage on my house to support this place," said Derek Lohka. "At $9.00 for my grande Cafe Valencia with soy milk, reprocessed toffee sprinkles, and organic banana bread, I spend nearly $300 a month in this joint—and that's just on my way to work. Now that they are asking for $18.00 for the same thing, I may have to consider selling my plasma just to keep the fix going."

JavaWava owner Tracy Ralfalanno insists that the price hike is necessary to pay for upgrades to the coffee house that customers have and have not requested. "We've recently added wireless Internet access, music kiosks, and tax preparation to our offerings. We want people to feel at home here, and to feel like they can get everything they need under one roof. You might say that we are like Wal-Mart on an extreme caffeine trip... only 190,000 square feet smaller."

"If I want to have my taxes done, I'll go to Hewlett Jackson," exclaimed an irate Robert Ungerslid. "I come here to get coffee... and that's it. I don't want to fund wireless Internet or music kiosks or those cock fights they hold in the back room."

"Leave the chickens out of this," rebutted Ralfalanno. "If Robert doesn't want to fund those fights then he needs to stop coming to them."

Sandra Williams, a real estate agent who frequents JavaWava, is considering moving on to more economical pastures. "I'm considering heading over to Starbucks from now on. Ironically, it is a much more affordable coffee fix," explained Williams. "Plus, they've got wireless Internet, too."

Thus far indications are that the move may not have been the best one for JavaWava, but Ralfalanno is not giving in to complaints. "Our job is to anticipate our customers needs. They may not realize right now that they want tax preparation in their coffee shop, but we know that deep down they really do. And they're going to love the hair stylists we're bringing in to groom customers while they sip their Joe."

Other Local Stories

Be sure to uncover all the clues...

Issue 1

Mysterious Briefcase Found Outside Houston Area Post Office
Police this morning found a black briefcase near the outside dropboxes at the Brookside Village post office. The locked briefcase was examined by bomb squads for more than three hours before it was determined to be non-explosive. :: View full story.

Holiday Donations Down for Third Consecutive Year
Officials report that for the third year running, holiday donations were down. Most agree that the long-running economic slump is most likely responsible for the less generous nature of the community. :: View full story.

CGI Fights Viruses with StandGuard Anti-Virus
CGI Group Inc., an international corporation for which data integrity is of highest priority, has fortified its security by installing the world’s first and only server-based virus detection product designed for the IBM iSeries computers. :: View full story.

Issue 2

Area Security Executive Probed in Theft Case
Officers from the Houston police department along with federal agents seized documents this morning from the office of Evans Business Solutions Chief Security Officer, Peter Evans. The seizure comes several weeks after the reported theft of company trade secrets. :: View full story.

Penguins Converge on Texas as COMMON
User Conference Comes to San Antonio
COMMON, the popular semiannual user conference for midrange server professionals, is coming to San Antonio with the latest information on OS/400 V5R3 and a focus on Linux. :: View full story.

Area Educators Gear Up for Local Reality Contest: "The Substitute"
Men and women from all over the Houston area are lining up to put their names in the hat for a local reality contest sponsored by the Board of Education. :: View full story.

Issue 3

Arrest made in Evans Data Theft Case
Houston police sergeant Raymond Edwards announced that an arrest has been made in the data theft case currently under investigation at local software company Evans Business Solutions. :: View full story.

On-Access Virus Scanning Enabled for OS/400 V5R3
Local news affiliates report that Bytware, Inc., the Reno-based iSeries software vendor, announced today that to fill the growing demand for virus protection on the iSeries, On-Access scanning for viruses is now an enabled feature within OS/400 and fully supported by Bytware’s StandGuard Anti-Virus security solution. :: View full story.

Local Coffee House Sets New Price High
Customers at JavaWava Coffee House were shocked Monday morning when they ordered their morning Joe and were asked to dish out double the previous price.
View full story.

Issue 4

Kate Hoffman: IT Superwoman Saves the Day at Evans
It was a hot Texas Saturday just two weekends ago when a computer malfunction at local software developer Evans Business Solutions threatened to create chaos across the company's international network. :: View the full story.

Police Investigate Evidence Found at Evans Offices
Local law enforcement officials are investigating a piece of evidence uncovered earlier this week in the main computer facilities of Evans Business Solutions that could be a turning point in the Evans/Extar case. :: View the full story.

Slash Cleared in Evans Case... For Now Anyway
Hacker and suspect in the Evans data theft case, Slash, has been cleared of involvment in the case said Police Sgt. Raymond Edwards in a statement released yesterday.
View the full story.