RIAA blocks attacks with TST-Secure-OS

The Register (UK) ^ | July 25, 2003 | Ashley Vance

[Paladin2]

It's time for would be RIAA attackers to run for the hills. The pigopolists have installed TST-Secure-OS on their Web servers.

This Web server brand is not well know to hacker neophytes. Those in-the-know, however, tremble in fear when TST's rock-solid software rears its ugly head. The code was developed as part of a ten-year, government funded engineering effort to block hackers from unpopular Web sites.

Well, not really.

More likely, the TST-Secure-OS is a disguised version of Microsoft IIS 6.0. The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has remodeled its "Hide the Web site" game into a "Hide the Web server" contest.

Hackers have largely had their way with the music label-backed mob's Web site. There were times this year and last when the homepage was down for weeks. Then there was that embarrassing snafu when a hacker managed to put copyrighted tunes up for free download on the site. If the RIAA had real class, it would subpoena itself for that episode.

To try and stem the hacking abuse, the RIAA turned to security pioneers TST. The site map on TST's Web site provides a fine example of how ingenious these folks are.

A look through Netcraft's logs of the RIAA's Web site shows that the organization - no doubt upon recommendation from TST - decided to upgrade to Windows 2003 Server and IIS 6.0 in June. This move came as part of an RIAA site redesign and, by all accounts, has helped curb the hacking abuse.

While the RIAA was proud to show its support for Microsoft's new OS and Web server as of mid-June, it has since turned its back on Redmond and now relies on software subterfuge. The operating system is currently marked as "unknown" and TST-Secure-OS is listed as the Web server.

Given TST's stunning records in uptime performance, it will be interesting to see how long the TST-Secure-OS holds up. The big, bad scary name is sure to keep the naughties away. ®

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[Ronin]

Since there is nothing hackers enjoy more than a challenge, I can imagine them just quivering with delight as they prepare to slice, dice, shred, mutilate and otherwise mangle this latest tidbit.

Warhead vs. Armor is always a losing game for armor.

[Astronaut]

If the morons at the RIAA are relying on a Microsoft OS to keep hackers out, they are even dumber than I previously imagined.

[Michael Barnes]

This will hit /. (if it hasn't already), and the servers in mention will be down withing days.

[Michael Barnes]

might even have to modify the days thing..It's on the newsgroups and spattering across IRC already...