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In The Hoop
MAY 2, 2001

Welcome to In The Hoop, Indianz.Com's occasional column about assorted Indian issues.

The Net Wars Continue
Despite warning of increased attacks of Chinese origin, the FBI isn't planning on investigating most of the hacks they termed illegal last week. In fact, spokesperson Debbie Weireman said the FBI isn't talking about these incidents at all.

It turns out that these "illegal" attacks aren't really that illegal, the FBI told In The Hoop. Unless Indianz.Com or other sites report damage of at least $5,000 to their systems, there's very little enforcement authorities will do under existing cyberspace law.

Even so, regional FBI officials said its nearly impossible to bring any of the alleged Chinese hackers to justice. There's not enough funding and not enough resources for that.

(Just don't ask how much money the FBI spent last year creating its pamphlet on the deaths of American Indians in South Dakota during the 1970s. Or how much time they spent marching to the White House last December against Leonard Peltier.)

Nevertheless, Indianz.Com staff members were happy to learn that the chief technologist of Symantec Corp., a top computer security firm who themselves issued their own Chinese advisory, said only a few "high-profile U.S. Web sites had been defaced by apparent Chinese hackers."

Thanks for the inadvertent plug. It will be included in the next press release.

Covering the Wars
Speaking of staff members, the Indianz.Com hack has so far been covered by The Albuquerque Journal, National Native News, and KTNN, the Voice of the Navajo Nation that features good buddies Denise Becenti and Pat Murphy. It was also mentioned in passing on an Albuquerque TV station.

Independent Native News may also run it, but since it can take up to 10 minutes to download their feed, In The Hoop can't be sure what Nellie Moore is up to today.

In The Hoop is holding out for an interview with The Boston Globe.

Going once, going twice...
Okay, the contest is almost over. So you still have a little bit of time to enter the whatchutalkinbout Bruce Babbitt photo caption contest.

And for those readers who are still sending in responses to the first contest, we regret to inform you that former Assistant Secretary Kevin Gover beat you to the punch and won the Indianz.Com t-shirt.

But in case any of you are among the 60 percent of account holders Gover says have less than $25 in their Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust fund, you'll be happy to know the t-shirt can be purchased at our sister site AllNative.Com. So maybe you won't need that silly little full and historical accounting of your funds the court has required the Department of Interior perform.

In Your Hoop
Got a tip? Have some insight? You might be published here. Email In the Hoop.