Posts tagged "Case"

Bingo corruption case judge threatens sanctions against prosecutors

Corruption (Anti)


Image by Zebra Pares
First guard: Do you think Zhang Aiguo´s jet-set lifestyle is threatened now, with the opening of the corruption prevention bureau?
Second guard: Wouldn´t think so, after all he´s the head of the bureau.

Bingo corruption case judge threatens sanctions against prosecutors
A federal judge says he’s considering sanctions against federal prosecutors for repeated delays in turning over FBI documents to defense attorneys in Alabama gambling corruption cases.
Read more on NBC 13 Birmingham

Now every crook can fight corruption
by Tunku Aziz Corruption is not just about money changing hands. That is common bribery. Corruption is about abusing entrusted power for private gain. The latest to join the serried ranks of the country’s star-studded corruption fighters’ gallery is Daim Zainuddin, who, in my humble view, is the last person to lecture us about probity and rectitude. In late 2006 as I was completing my term of …
Read more on Malaysia Today

NYPD Officer Acquitted In Corruption Case

Ugandan anti-corruption sign


Image by futureatlas.com
Corruption greatly undermines government effectiveness.

Usable with attribution and link to: www.futureatlas.com

NYPD Officer Acquitted In Corruption Case
A New York City police officer has been acquitted of corruption charges linked to drug busts. NYPD Officer Julio Alvarez was cleared Friday by a judge in Brooklyn.
Read more on CBS New York

Progress Needed On Corruption And Crime – Schengen Members Delayed For Bulgaria And Romania
Failure to address corruption issues and make judicial reforms means Bulgaria and Romania must wait until October 2011 at the earliest before they can join the passport-free Schengen zone. While Bulgaria appears to have accepted the situation, Romania has reacted with resentment.
Read more on Free Internet Press

Amir questioned by ICC anti-corruption tribunal
Suspended Pakistan pacer Muhammad Amir was questioned and cross-examined on the fourth day of the International Cricket Council anti-corruption tribunal hearing in Doha on Sunday.
Read more on rediff.com

Kenya: Activists Launch Campaign to Fight Corruption and Support Constitution
A new campaign was on Sunday launched to pressure the government to act on corruption and step up efforts to implement the Constitution.
Read more on AllAfrica.com

Alex Jones Tv {Sunday Edition} 1/8:The Case For Killing Granny!!!

http://prisonplanet.tv/

Duration : 0:10:52

Read more…

Personal Property Taxes – Dealing The Indispensable Tax

Property taxes – this word id not new to anyone. We not only pay it on our house but also for the property it is located on. These taxes are usually very heavy, yet they depend on the size of your house and the value of the property it is located on. These funds are diversified to support your local government’s budget.

Coming to personal property taxes in the varied states, these are levied on the varied large items that you own like boats, automobiles, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, utility trailers, aircrafts, etc.

As paying the property taxes are indispensable, they are also important to you’re your Governments at large. But you must know as to how much you must pay and where the money paid by you being used.

Here are some points that would help you understand the personal property taxes better:

1. The personal property tax is assessed by the state in which your vehicle and/or the other items are registered.

2. All the states have different methods for calculating and collection of the tax.

3. For instance, at some states you have to pay property tax worth one year against the value of the vehicle as from the date of registration. There onwards you have to pay the property tax whenever you get your license plate renewed.

4. Another example states that the license plates are only renewed in January. In other cases, that is the other states consider the renewal date on the birthday of the person on whose name the vehicle has been registered. In such cases the personal property taxes are collected all round the year.

5. There are also instances when the states collect the personal property taxes only once each year. They send the tax bills to the residents inclusive of all the personal property they own at one time only.

6. The rates at which the personal property taxes are charged vary form state to state. One common factor is that they are all based on the values of the items registered.

7. In case of cars & trucks, the value on which the taxes are charged is calculated on the basis of the values given in the NADA blue book.

8. Generally in many states, the personal property tax is further used to fund the Department of Motor Vehicles’ budget, and also possibly the other local and state governments.

9. These taxes might also be diversified to pay the salaries of DMV workers along with the building space, other supplies, etc.

10. Unlike the above examples, in some states, personal property taxes –this term denominates the real estate property tax.

11. However, irrespective of the term or denomination, these taxes are quite different form each other and different in each state as well. Also, all these states diversify these funds quite differently.

12. The property taxes charged against the house and the other properties you own generally cater to the county and/or city government. These spend this money for the betterment of the society in the form of roads, schools, police support, local government, fire support, etc.

13. However, the individual needs to pay both the taxes that are city & county property taxes.

14. The property taxes paid against the boats, vehicles, etc. listed above, are used to fund the local government more often, not the state government.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/taxes-articles/personal-property-taxes-dealing-the-indispensable-tax-708494.html

50 Things you Didn’t Know About Disney World

Think you know everything about Walt Disney World Resort and its four world-class theme parks – Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Think again! Even the biggest Disney fanatic will be amused, intrigued or surprised by some of the 50 fascinating Disney World facts listed below . . .

1. Walt Disney World encompasses 30,500 acres, making it approximately the same size as San Francisco.

2. When Disney’s Magic Kingdom first opened its doors on October 1, 1971, adult admission cost $3.50.

3. The opening day crowd at Disney’s Magic Kingdom was approximately 10,000 guests.

4. The eight “E ticket” attractions at Disney’s Magic Kingdom were Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents, Jungle Cruise, It’s a Small World and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea.

5. The estimated annual attendance at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is 16.2 million, followed by Epcot with 9.9 million, Disney-MGM Studios with 8.6 million and Disney’s Animal Kingdom with 8.2 million.

6. Cinderella Castle is Disney’s tallest structure at 189 feet, followed by Space Mountain at 183 feet.

7. Both the Carousel of Progress and It’s A Small World made their debut at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.

8. The 180-foot-tall Spaceship Earth at the entrance to Epcot weighs approximately 16 million pounds.

9. The Haunted Mansion uses state-of-the-art Omnimover vehicles called “Doom Buggies.”

10. The jolly headhunter who shows up near the end of the Jungle Cruise is known as “Trader Sam.”

11. In conjunction with the 2006 release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men’s Chest, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney’s Magic Kingdom was renovated to add several characters from the movie such as Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa.

12. The icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, The Tree of Life, stands 14 stories, features more than 300 animal carvings and is 50 feet wide.

13. Built in 1917, Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel in Fantasyland was once located at Olympic Park in Maplewood, New Jersey.

14. The Great Movie Ride at Disney-MGM Studios is housed in a replica of Mann’s Chinese Theater.

15. Astro Orbiter first opened in Tomorrowland in 1974 as Star Jets.

16. The Hall of Presidents had its origins as an audio-animatronic exhibition called “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” which premiered at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.

17. Originally known as the “Tropical Serenade,” the Tiki Room in Adventureland was once sponsored by Florida Citrus Growers.

18. The 60-foot-tall Swiss Family Treehouse in Adventureland weighs approximately 200 tons and is made of concrete and thousands of polyethylene leaves.

19. Cinderella Castle, the centerpiece of Disney’s Magic Kingdom, features 18 towers and 13 gargoyles.

20. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at Fantasyland is located on the site of the former Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

21. The “Spirits of America” statues in The American Adventure at Epcot represent Adventure, Compassion, Discovery, Freedom, Heritage, Independence, Individualism, Innovation, Knowledge, Pioneering, Self-Reliance and Tomorrow.

22. Towering four stories over DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Dino-Sue is an exact replica of the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered.

23. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland features six trains: I.B. Hearty, I.M. Brave, I.M. Fearless, U.B. Bold, U.R. Daring and U.R. Courageous.

24. The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – Starring Aerosmith at Disney-MGM Studios launches you at a speed of 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds.

25. A swinging suspension bridge leads from Tom Sawyer Island to Fort Langhorne, which was named after Samuel Langhorne Clemens (better known as Mark Twain).

26. The replica of the Liberty Bell that can be found in the center of Liberty Square was built from the same authentic cast as the original in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

27. The exit to Haunted Mansion features crypts with humorous names inscribed such as I.M. Ready, Rustin Peese, Pearl E. Gates, Manny Festation, Dustin T. Dust and Asher T. Ashes.

28. The Walt Disney World Railroad, which serves approximately 1.5-million passengers annually, is an authentic 1928 steam-powered train.

29. The Mission: SPACE thrill ride at Epcot is so authentic that motion sickness bags are available just in case of emergency.

30. Mickey’s Toontown Fair was once known as both Mickey’s Birthdayland and Mickey’s Starland.

31. Sonny Eclipse, an “intergalactic lounge singer,” performs daily at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café in Tomorrowland.

32. In order to rank as a “Galactic Hero” at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, you must score 900,000 to 999,999 points.

33. The audio-animatronic dog in the Carousel of Progress is named “Rover.”

34. Astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper and Jim Irwin were present at the grand opening of Space Mountain in 1975.

35. Stitch’s Great Escape in Tomorrowland lies at the former site of ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, which closed in 2003.

36. One of the original attractions at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Tomorrowland Indy Speedway was once known as Grand Prix Raceway.

37. Recently renamed The Seas with Nemo & Friends, The Living Seas pavilion opened at Epcot in 1986 and was originally sponsored by United Technologies.

38. “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience,” a 3-D film at Epcot, is located in Future World at the former site of “Captain EO,” another 3-D adventure that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starred Michael Jackson and Anjelica Huston.

39. Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus was the first champion at the Walt Disney World Open Invitational, which made its debut in 1971.

40. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority was originally called the WEDway People Mover (WED standing for Walter Elias Disney).

41. Disney’s Magic Kingdom, which encompasses approximately 107 acres, is itself larger than Disneyland, which only covers 80 acres in Anaheim, California.

42. The design of Main Street U.S.A. was loosely based on Walt Disney’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri.

43. The Swiss Family Treehouse is of the species Disneyodendron eximus or “Out-of-the-Ordinary Disney Tree.”

44. The 189-foot-tall water tower icon at Disney-MGM Studios is known as the “Earffel Tower.”

45. Jungle Cruise riverboats include Amazon Annie, Bomokandi Bertha, Congo Connie, Ganges Gertie, Irrawaddy Irma, Kwango Kate, Mongala Millie, Nile Nelly, Orinoco Ida, Rutshuru Ruby, Sankuru Sadie, Senegel Sal, Ucvali Lolly, Volta Val, Wamba Wanda and Zambesi Zelda.

46. Splash Mountain in Adventureland features a five-story, free-fall plunge at a 45-degree angle into a splash pool at a speed of 40 miles per hour.

47. The 8,500-acre Disney Wilderness Preserve, which lies 15 miles South of Disney World, features a Conservation Learning Center and hiking trails.

48. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is located at the former site of If You Had Wings in Tomorrowland.

49. The three “talking heads” who introduce the Country Bears Jamboree are named Buff, Max and Melvin.

50. Approximately 46 million people visit Walt Disney World – including Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney – annually.

Ryan Wiseman
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/50-things-you-didnt-know-about-disney-world-110072.html

Dui? Sometimes, Bad Things Happen to Good People

As long as there are human police officers, injustices always will occur. A

great many police officers feel they have done their job when they arrest a

person for “mere suspicion” of DUI. In some instances, the arrest may be

warranted, but sometimes it isn’t.

Although you may think that just because your Blood Alcohol Level is below

the state limit, usually 0.08%, that you’ll not be arrested for DUI. Wrong!

Actually, you can be arrested for DUI no matter what level of alcohol is in

your bloodstream. Even if you haven’t been drinking at all, if the police

officer observes anything about you that leads him to believe you may have

been drinking, he can arrest you. And then, it’s up to you to prove your

innocence.

For example, let’s say that you just finished a fine meal at your favorite

restaurant and you had a small glass of wine. An overzealous police officer

stops you for a minor traffic violation and smells alcohol on your breath.

He immediately arrests you for DUI, slaps on a set of handcuffs and hauls

you off to jail.

Once you arrive at the jail, you’re photographed and fingerprinted, then

you’re placed in a holding cell, probably along with some pretty unsavory

characters. You’ll wait there for what seems like an eternity and eventually

you’ll go before a local magistrate who will decide what happens next. He

may just assign you a court date and release you, or he may keep you locked

up until you post a cash bail. If you don’t post bail, you’ll sit in jail

until your court date.

Even when you do get out of jail, it will seem like your troubles are just

starting. As a result of your arrest, your car was towed to an impound lot

and when you go to retrieve it, you’ll be faced with paying hundreds of

dollars in towing, storage and administrative fees.

When your court date finally arrives a few weeks later, you need to be

prepared to fight your case by being knowledgeable about the DUI laws of

your state. If everything concerning your arrest wasn’t done properly,

there’s a good chance you can get the case dismissed and all charges

dropped, thereby keeping your record clean. Even if your case does proceed

to trial, your guilt must be proven beyond reasonable doubt. Again, this is

where you need to be aware of the law and what’s legally required for a

conviction.

Keep in mind that the police officer is not your friend. The judge is not

your friend. This is a money-making enterprise for them and they would

prefer to punish you as much as possible, as quickly as possible so they can

move on to the next poor soul who they’ve managed to catch in their snare.

If you don’t know your rights and speak up, they’ll just dish out your

punishment and move on to the next victim. You will have now been

rubber-stamped as a criminal and you’ll have to live with the consequences.

Carson Danfield
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-and-safety-articles/dui-sometimes-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-146015.html

State Police Powers on the Environment and the Supreme Court?

While I understand that the federal government has Commerce Clause powers and through administrations, can carry Congress’ will when dealing with the environment (Chevron, EPA v. Mass), I was wondering how states deal with this. They have police powers in this area, but are there Supreme Court cases where petitioners argue against the state’s power to regulate the environment?
I understand that the case dealt with CO2. However, it does enforce that the federal government has the power to regulate state environment.
How federalism and the environment? Like state statues against federal statutes? I’m assuming the federal government supersedes.

The "Reserved and Delegated Powers" clauses allow the states to have regulatory authority on those things not reserved for the federal government. Thus, states can regulate individually those things which the federal government does not regulate, and can additionally refine the federal regulations if they are not specific. Further, state police agencies have full powers to enforce all federal laws, including environmental laws, and then turn cases over to the federal government for prosecution.

Voices Can Change the World

Voice talent Dave Christi runs an organization comprising of professional voice talent working towards bringing awareness and an end to one of the worlds most evil atrocities, genocide, particularly, the genocide in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

A genocide literally means that an entire group of people, or, in many cases, the majority of a population, is annihilated without just cause. The motives behind these genocides often revolve around religion, politics and ethnicity with hate as the catalyst.

Genocide is defined as: The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group

You may recall the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. At the time, Canadian Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire was in the then war-torn Rwanda with a UN peacekeeping mission. While he was there, he heard that there was going to be a genocide. In this country, there are two distinct groups of people, the Hutu people and the Tutsi people, the latter being the minority and also considered the aristocracy.

To give you an extremely brief summary of what happened, the Tutsi people suffered a genocide at the hands of the Hutu while the world turned a blind eye. Between April 6th and July 16th 1994, over 800,000 Tutsi men, women, and children along with moderate Hutus were slaughtered over a period of 100 days – a massacre which has been likened to a modern Reign of Terror.

I happened to have the opportunity to attend a moving presentation a couple of years ago that screened a documentary about the Rwandan genocide in London. Major Brent Beardsley, who served as the personal staff officer to LGen Romeo Dallaire in Rwanda, was there to share what he saw of the massacre first hand and how if the UN had only continued to provide support to their peacekeepers, the genocide may have been stopped.

Several survivors from the genocide were there and spoke that evening, many of whom were the only living members of their family, letting us as Canadians know how much it meant to them that Romeo Dallaire and his troops did not pull out or abandon them when the United Nations and the rest of the world did.

Romeo Dallaire and his troops defied the UN in order to defend the people of Rwanda, and the battle they fought has made the term genocide very real.

The question Romeo Dallaire asks is “Are all humans human? Or… are some humans more human than others?”

What is going on in Darfur is eerily familiar… it is a genocide.

In our human history, we have seen genocides before Darfur and Rwanda, although, sometimes they are known by other names. Remember what happened to the Jewish people during World War II? The Holocaust, as termed by the British government, is a genocide. Millions of Jewish people were brutally murdered by the Nazi regime.

History repeats itself, but as we also know of history, we can learn from it to change the world. While it is true that not everyone can be at ground zero, there are things that you can still do from home.

When I heard about what Dave Christi had started, my heart broke for the people of Darfur and I wanted to see his purpose and the mission of his colleagues uplifted and shared with you.

I was fortunate to have an interview with Dave earlier this week.

Stephanie: What inspired you to start this project?

Dave Christi: A while ago, I happened upon an article online about a recent trip that a celebrity had taken to Darfur. Then another person on another trip. Then another and another. I wondered, “What’s going on in Darfur?” I always knew that there were problems in Africa, but I never knew to what extent. A quick Internet search later, I found more information.

I was horrified. Not just by the atrocities happening there, but by my own ignorance of the gravity of the situation. I couldn’t figure out why I hadn’t heard more about this on mainstream national news outlets.

I petitioned my congressman and signed the petition to the president and so on, but I didn’t feel like I was doing enough. I don’t have sacks of cash lying around, so I decided to donate my talents as a voiceover artist and copywriter. Then, I figured there may be one or two other voiceover talents that would like to contribute in the same way.

Stephanie: Do you offer services to charitable organizations directly, or do they need to find you first and ask?

Dave: The website and concept are both still in their infancy. My vision is to offer voiceover services to non-profits that may need a PSA read, or a presentation narrated.

Also, since I am a writer, I am putting together a series of PSAs for radio. As far as I can tell, there is a serious LACK of media coverage of this genocide. I’ll be contacting human rights organizations to ask them what we can do to help.

Stephanie: How many people are involved with the project?

Dave: This is the truly amazing part. I made this project public when I had the first PSA script written. That was on Monday, December 11. Just a few days later and I have over 20 voiceover talents who have helped on the PSA and many more that have expressed an interest in donating their voices for future projects.

I am now looking for others that can help with administration.

Stephanie: Do you have a mission statement?

Dave: Not an official statement, but the mission is 3-fold:

1. Donating voiceover work to non-profits who raise money/awareness for the crisis in Darfur.

2. Drive website traffic through our website to sites that accept donations.

3. Creating effective PSA’s to distribute to radio stations to help raise public awareness of the crisis in Darfur.

Stephanie: Do you have a blog to promote your project?

Dave: The entire website is setup on blogging software. I found this the easiest way to organize the fluid content of the site. So, yes, a blog is in place.

Stephanie: What is the demand for a service like yours?

Dave: I feel the demand could be quite great. Like any “for-profit” business, charities need to market themselves. This means they need voice work. UNLIKE a “for-profit” business, charities don’t have large marketing budgets. Every penny they have to spend is one less penny that goes toward their cause. If an organization like ours can lower their bottom line just a bit, I feel like we’ve been successful.

Stephanie: What does a typical client of your service look like?

Dave: Right now there is just one focus. Darfur. I am running the organization as a one man show right now. If I’m successful with charities that help Darfur, then I’d like to expand to domestic children’s charities.

Stephanie: Do you have a case study on hand that people could relate to?

Dave: The only case study I have right now is my own. The abuse of human rights in Darfur as been going on since 2003. Why was I unaware until the end of 2006? Why is it that my local and national media saw fit to educate me on every tedious detail of TomKat’s relationship, yet the stories of the suffering of the Darfuri people go unaired and unpublished?

Stephanie: How would someone go about getting a talent to record their message? Can clients pick their preferred voice from your base of volunteer talent or do talent view opportunities and respond if interested?

Dave: Right now I am collecting names of those interested in donating and I’m still researching charities that would need work done. Come to think of it, Voices.com has a lot of experience in getting voices and people who need voices together.

Stephanie: What qualifies to be recorded for free through your service? Are there any restrictions?

Dave: I want to ensure that the charities that use Voices for a Change are legitimate. In the US, that would simply mean faxing a copy of their 501(c)(3) to us before they would be given access to our services. The other requirement is that their charitable efforts go toward delivering relief to, raising public awareness for, and encouraging media and government response for the genocide in Darfur.

Stephanie: How can people get involved?

Dave: Even those who do not wish to donate their voices may still help the people of Darfur. Talk to your congressman. Talk to your local media. Talk to your friends. Be A Witness said it very well; “You can’t stop a genocide if you don’t know about it.”

Stephanie: Thank you Dave for your time and for sharing this mission with us at Voices.

Dave: Thank you for the opportunity.

Stephanie Ciccarelli
http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/voices-can-change-the-world-97280.html

Basic Idea About the Data Recovery Methods

The computer hard drive crash is the gravest nightmare which may occur to anyone who is totally dependent upon computers for his/her day to day activities. When anybody talks about the hard drive crash, it usually implies problems into the computer system. The extent of hard drive crash could be ascertained only when data is retrieved.

Basically there are two types of hard drive damage could take place- the physical damage and the logical damage. These both types of hard drive crash are totally different from each other and have varying impacts on the hard drive and your data.

Physical hard drive crash

As the name implies, physical hard drive damage refers to the actual damage to physical components of your hard drive. After physical damage the hard drive becomes unrecognizable by the BIOS and it requires repairing or replacement of components for smooth running.

Logical hard drive crash

On the other hand, logical hard drive crash occurs due to file system corruption, operating system corruption, hard drive formatting, incorrect registry entries, damaged system files, virus attack and so forth. In case of logical damage, the physical hard drive components remain intact.

Most of your data could be easily recovered if you have a proper backup of your important data. Data backup is extremely significant and all of the computer users should implement it regularly.

Though, backup can save your life savings- data in grave situations, but most of the users do not understand it worth to make backup. When the data loss occurs, they do not have any way to perform data recovery and may fall in disastrous situations.

At this point of time, data recovery comes into action and helps you in salvaging your most critical business data. Data recovery is the life saver for all the data loss victims.

According to the reasons of hard drive crash, the  data recovery solutions are also varying. In case of physical hard drive damage, the data recovery service will work. However in case of logical crash, you can perform Do It Yourself data recovery using data recovery software.

Stellar Information Systems Ltd is the leading provider of both data recovery solutions i.e. data recovery software and data recovery service. Best quality  data recovery software  of Stellar are available for all computer operating systems. The personalized data recovery service of Stellar is the best of data recovery industry and is offered in Class 100 Clean Rooms by highly qualified and experienced data recovery professionals.

shally spears
http://www.articlesbase.com/data-recovery-articles/basic-idea-about-the-data-recovery-methods-702451.html

It’s All About People, Process, and Technology. Technology is Dead Last in the Order of Importance When it Comes to Security

The recent and explosive growth of the Internet and technology has brought many good things such as e-commerce, collaborative computing, online markets and new avenues of sharing and distributing information. But each side has its counterpart, and with the technological advances came hackers. With this dark side and the many security breaches that are associated with it, companies, governments and individuals are afraid of hackers breaking into their servers or networks, stealing valuable data, collecting passwords and intercepting financial and credit card information.

And many times this can become reality. Recently, there has been a flurry of security breaches among large organizations such as Western Union, that reported a security breach on their Web site that let loose the credit-and debit-card information for 15,700 customers. Another recent hacker case is a 16-year-old youth, who admitted hacking into military and NASA computer networks. His activities caused a three-week shutdown of NASA’s systems and a security breach of a military computer network which protects against conventional, biological, chemical and nuclear-weapon attacks. That’s just a small sampling of actual hacks. Most industry watchers agree that only a handful of security breaches are ever reported.

For a long time, most computer network crackers hacked a system for the same reason: “Because it’s there.” But that’s no longer the only reason or even the dominant one. More hackers now do it because “It’s where the money is.” In the past decade, hackers have changed from script kiddies who hacked websites and spread worms to professionals sponsored by foreign governments and organized crime. Modern hackers want more than infamy. They exploit new technologies to crack systems or hack into computer systems and hold data for ransom. Hackers today commit real crimes, sometimes for significant financial gain.

To safeguard themselves from the modern hackers, most companies and government agencies that want to uncover network and system security vulnerabilities have two choices: they can hire a team of penetration experts to scan and probe their systems and uncover their vulnerabilities, or they can wait for a malicious hacker to come by and exploit them. Unfortunately, many times it is the latter. A security analysis or penetration test, performed by a security consultant, would produce a report or security posture assessment, detailing all vulnerabilities found and the actions needed to remedy them and minimize the risk of being the victim of a successful hack attack.

The security consultant or penetration expert can be a “white hacker”, someone who uses ethical hacking to discover vulnerabilities within a network or a reformed “black hacker”, who once was an active part of the dark side and used to exploit the identified security holes. The subject of whether it is ethical to use former hackers to evaluate a network’s security is a topic that is often hotly debated – and for many reasons.

Ethical hackers or security consultants typically have very strong programming and computer networking skills and have been in the computer and networking business for several years. Their base knowledge and expertise is augmented with detailed knowledge of the hardware and software, project management skills and methodology which are necessary for the actual vulnerability testing, as well as when reporting after the test was performed. In addition to that, ethical hacking seminars, courses and certifications are being offered to IT professional to broaden their horizon and skills in these fields. But many times these hacking courses and seminars only provide a very limited insight, outdated hacking or only basic hacking techniques. Their main purpose is to educate professionals but not to create a new generation of hackers. The goal is to fill security holes, not exploit them.

A disadvantage that white hackers or security consultants have over hackers is the real world experience and the insight knowledge. There are many things that cannot be taught in a seminar or learned from a book. The most obvious advantage former hackers have, is the real world hacking experience. As each network system differs based on various network defenses and configurations, the hack approach will be unique and only someone with plenty of real world hacking experience can efficiently go from using one technique to another as required by the present situation.

Another positive aspect of hiring reformed hackers as security consultants is that staying up on the latest security exploits, vulnerabilities and countermeasures is part of their job. A good hacker has a level of security knowledge that goes far beyond that of most other IT professionals. Keeping up with the latest exploits and countermeasures is a full time job and although the IT professional has an acceptable level of security knowledge, they must focus most of their attention on the day to day responsibilities of keeping the network up and running. To make up these “deficiencies” many white hackers and security consultants rely on automated and commercial vulnerability and penetration software, that can provide needed security reports, but their functions are limited. The huge differences can be seen when comparing the results from an automated scan and a hacker assessment or professional penetration test.

But before a company makes the decision to hire a reformed hacker, one needs to evaluate the negative sides. Certainly there are several types of hackers that can be found. One kind oft them are the “gray hats” – the unpaid tinkerers who find flaws to improve security for everyone. They are the best hackers, because their passion for tinkering drives their excellence and they do not break the laws. The black hat hackers – the criminals – break the law and feel justified doing it. They are the kind of hackers who seek to increase their fame in the hacker community, while others want to prove at any cost that their targets’ security is vulnerable. Black hats wreak havoc not only by their own actions but also by drawing attention to weaknesses that they and cybercriminals can exploit. The last and worst kinds of hackers are the cybercriminals, who perpetrate the worst crimes. They are paid to use existing tools and techniques to steal confidential personal, government or industry information, and particularly financial data. Cybercriminals usually work for foreign governments, organized crime or independently.

The probably biggest negative in the decision making process is trust. Which hacker will you hire and how much can you trust them? The main premise of security is deciding who you trust and then locking out everyone else. When hiring a hacker as a security consultant, because of network’s security concerns, paradoxically the trust goes to the criminal. Not only is it the trust factor that plays a major role in the decision making process but also the impact the decision might have on customers and shareholder. How will the customers react, if they knew a former criminal was hired to test the security of a system or database that contains all personal and financial information? Someone with a questionable morale and judgment, is not someone who should have control of a corporate network with sensitive data. In most cases hackers, and that is what makes them hackers, do not appreciate or respect standard business processes and structures. A disgruntled hacker with inside knowledge of a company’s networks could create a nightmare scenario.

Hackers are like adventurers, motivated by intellectual curiosity. “The more secure you make your systems, the more you attract them. The hacker mind-set is like exploring space, except they’re exploring the network. If that essential curiosity on finding out how things work, which is what causes people to be hackers, goes away, then you don’t necessarily want that person as a hacker or security consultant. However, just because a hacker has the desire and capabilities to explore a network, does not necessarily make them prepared to build a secure network and fix identified vulnerabilities. Breaking into things, does not always mean knowing how to fix them. These are two different skill sets. Once security threats have been identified, these need to be communicated including the potential business processes affected by the vulnerability, along with a list of impact assessments and countermeasures. Besides technical knowledge, the hacker will need to have experience in business processes and management, to relay his findings to the company.

Another hey factor to consider before making a decision who to hire as a security consultant, is to know that no computer system is ever completely secure, especially when considering the human factor. Spending astronomical amounts of money pursuing total security, by hiring security consultants and eventually becoming dependent on them, is not going to help. Some corporations in some industries must guard against intrusions from tech-hungry foreign governments – in particular China, France, Israel, Japan, Germany and Russia – that converted their cold-war spy machinery into “economic espionage” units, but that does not apply to all businesses. A realistic set of goals of what to expect from a security consultant need to be set first.

But no matter what the decision is and if the company hires a professional security consultant or a reformed hacker, the real threat will be still there. Any hacker, who wants to exploit a system will always try to use the path of least resistance. This path of least resistance is often through the front door. The front to door can be “identified” as the area over which businesses may have the least control: people. People are the weakest but first link when it comes to security. With good social engineering skills and not very well trained employees, disgruntled workers and ex-employees, a hacker can get enough information to access a system, insert malicious codes that contain keystroke and network sniffers and other means to collect information. The hacker just “exchanged” his keyboard with social engineering. And this is a part of security where a highly educated security consultant or a reformed hacker will not be able to help you.

Dasha Deckwerth
http://www.articlesbase.com/security-articles/its-all-about-people-process-and-technology-technology-is-dead-last-in-the-order-of-importance-when-it-comes-to-security-703665.html