[WSIS CS-Plenary] GNU is only one approach!!

[Nabil El-Khodari]

In relation to Richard Stallman article, I suggest we
make the WSIS 2005 in Tunis as anti-Microsoft
movement.

I would also suggest that we should request the ITU to
boycott Microsoft even at the exhibition, whatever
money they would pay to support the event.

I have no doubt in my mind that Microsoft is using
illegal and unethical techniques to harass those who
are unfortunate enough to have to run pirated
operating system, mostly from developing countries.

Furthermore, I suggest changing copyright laws for
software patents should have a limited time of maximum
3 years. Every patent (like in industry and
pharmaceuticals) does have a time-limit, why not
software?

Even nowadays, the patents for Anti-retroviral
(AIDS/HIV) have been broken by developing countries.
We should call for the same - regarding operating
systems at least. This is 'essential technology 
without which the developing world get more backwards.
The technology gap increases by leaps.

Recently, downloading of songs through the Internet in
Canada has been deemed legal, in spite of the best
efforts of the recording industry.

Microsoft is resorting to illegal techniques to
enforce its homogony over the operating system
industry (at least). For example, Windows XP comes
with the  3 spyware programs included (use Spyware
Doctor - available from download.com - to diagnose and
remove them). If you have the right license key, may
be you do not need to, unless you have pirated
software installed. 

Now, for the average developing country user, who
usually have paid most of his/her salary to have a
second-hand computer and to afford the extremely
prohibitive internet access fees, buying software is a
luxury. Furthermore, most probably the computer comes
with pirated operating system from the supplier. This
unfortunate person will be subjected to the following:
1.	Changes to the operating system, most probably even
denying access to their own computer. These changes
include destruction to all installed software with
un-repairable loss of data like e-mails. This is done
through the Wireless Zero Configuration Service (if
you do not use it, disable it!!), from a server in
Czechoslovakia (most probably to avoid law suits in
the USA).  (See note 1).
2.	Active installation of virus and Trojan horses
(please note that 2 of the Spyware included in Windows
XP are actually hacker software allowing up to full
control of your computer.
3.	Sending of virus-containing software to all your
contacts and to others (most probably also users of MS
pirated software) in your own name!!!
4.	Changes to “Windows Setup” so as you cannot install
(or actually defective installation of) new software.
5.	If you are unfortunate enough to have any password
protected services on the Internet, for example if you
are a webmaster, they will be hacked destroying the
usability of the websites and driving you to paranoia.
Frequent changes to the password does not help either.
changing firewalls and/or Spyware detectors (unless
applied directly after installation and before
accessing the Internet and provided that you disabled
the Zero Wireless Configuration Service directly after
installation). This is not a lasting solution however,
once you use the “automatic update” or even if you
download some updates from Microsoft, these changes
are reversed and MS gets a full report of all
anti-spyware and firewalls installed on your computer.

Please note that the XP SP2 seems to ‘address this
issue’ by the windowsxp-kb826942-x86-enu patch. I
believe that the ‘authentication process’ of the
Wireless service does more than just authenticating
the user.  This is intentional, otherwise why include
as an “essential/enabled” part of the OS rather than
as an option that can be installed ‘on demand’ or
installed ‘disabled’ to be enabled by the user? Of
course Windows XP (as well as Windows 2003, based on
same Windows 2000 technology) also is installed with
telnet service ‘enabled’?!! 

In short, if you are a poor person from a developing
country that would like to use computer technology
beyond Windows 98, you are doomed. No wonder there is
no sufficient human ICT infrastructure in developing
countries. All the countries that have advanced ICT
human infrastructure like Korea, India or Japan does
have an active pirate software movement. However, even
well-known ‘english’ hack (warez, appz, selialz, etc.)
sites seems to have succumbed to financial
temptations. Almost all these sites use ‘invasive
techniques’ to identify users and keep track of them
and/or at least make their life ‘hell’ through pop-up
ads.  Downloads from these sites include executable
programs named ‘run’ as a first layer (usually the
real hack is in a subfolder) which either destroys
your operating system or installs Trojans.

Yes, GNU OS/programs is a solution, but if ICT is
about creating economic opportunities, do not you
believe that experience with Windows environment is an
important asset in employment? How can such an
experience be gained in developing countries?

We should employ two-tier solution to the problem. In
fact, I am calling on the NGO partners in the WSIS
process to announce the formation of a coalition of
experienced hackers that provide true service to
whoever want it. May be they have to be anonymous and
may be the server has to be in a country that have ‘no
problem’ with hacking/pirated software. 

Actions speak louder than words. Let us act to serve
ICT development in developing countries. If we all act
together, even big financial rewards paid by Microsoft
to the police forces in developing countries to
enforce the software copyrights (of course they also
supply then with exact credentials of at least
businesses using/distributing pirated software.

Above all, let us push developing countries
governments to announce that they will not enforce
software copy write laws in their present state with
no time limit. Let us also provide them with the
know-how.

Note 1:  Back-trace record of firewall:

inetnum:      217.31.48.0 - 217.31.52.255
netname:      IGNUM-CZ
descr:        Ignum s.r.o
country:      CZ
admin-c:      RP6279-RIPE
tech-c:       PK7410-RIPE
status:       ASSIGNED PA
notify:       tech at ignum.cz
mnt-by:       IGNUM-MNT
changed:      petr.kohout at ignum.cz 20031113
source:       RIPE

route:        217.31.48.0/20
descr:        Network of Ignum s.r.o.
descr:        http://www.ignum.cz/
origin:       AS29134
mnt-by:       IGNUM-MNT
notify:       tech at ignum.cz
changed:      petr.kohout at ignum.cz 20031113
source:       RIPE

person:       Robert Prokes
address:      IGNUM s.r.o.
address:      Novotneho lavka 5
address:      Praha 1
address:      11668
address:      Czech republic
phone:        +420 2 22220412
fax-no:       +420 2 21082314
e-mail:       root at ignum.cz
notify:       root at ignum.cz
nic-hdl:      RP6279-RIPE
changed:      root at ignum.cz 20030613
source:       RIPE

person:       Petr Kohout
address:      Zarubova 506/4
address:      Praha 4
address:      142 00
address:      Czech Republic
phone:        +420.605215347
e-mail:       petr.kohout at kyberdigi.cz
nic-hdl:      PK7410-RIPE
notify:       petr.kohout at kyberdigi.cz
changed:      petr.kohout at kyberdigi.cz 20030617
source:       RIPE

Note 2: Response

From: IAIP Watch & Warning Unit
[mailto:nipc.watch at fbi.gov] 
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2003 4:03 PM
To: webmaster at nilebasin.com
Subject: RE: Cyber Incident Report Form

Thank you for contacting the Department of Homeland
Security’s Information Analysis and Infrastructure
Protection Center Watch and Warning Unit (DHS/IAIP).
Our mission is dedicated to cyber/infrastructure
protection and we appreciate your taking the time to
report this important information.

The Incident Report form you submitted has been found
not to warrant an investigation by the DHS/IAIP's
Computer Investigations Unit.

Our mission is dedicated to cyber/infrastructure
protection and we appreciate your taking the time to
report this important information. We suggest you
contact State law enforcement authorities and continue
contact with your Internet Service Provider for
assistance with this matter.

Regards,

crl
Department of Homeland Security
Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection
Center
Watch and Warning Unit


=====
Nabil M. El-Khodari
Founder,
Nile Basin Society, Canada

http://nilebasin.com/
http://nile.ca/ 

"If the people will lead, the leaders will follow" D. Suzuki