Facebook Twitter Email
Judge holds closed security hearing
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2001

A federal judge this morning held a closed hearing regarding the Department of Interior's virtual Internet and Internet-related shutdown.

An order U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth signed at the conclusion of the meeting allows the Interior to reconnect certain emergency systems to the Internet. These include services for U.S. Fish and Wildlife and fire safety information.

No Bureau of Indian Affairs systems are included or would appear to be among those affected. Regional officials have worried that payroll, contacts and general assistance payments to tribes may be delayed unless those systems are reconnected.

The Interior yesterday had requested an emergency hearing sometime last night around 9 p.m. The request came after attorneys for Secretary of Interior Gale Norton offered a plan to correct "significant deficiencies" in its protection of individual Indian trust data.

The plan includes installing firewalls and intrusion detection devices. These two areas were deemed critical by Predictive Systems Inc., a computer security firm that broke into the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust with permission from Lamberth.

Norton has subsequently hired Predictive to help fix her numerous problems.

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://indiantrust.doi.gov
Office of the Special Trustee - http://www.ost.doi.gov
Trust Management Improvement Project - http://www.doi.gov/bia/trust/tmip.htm
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com

Related Stories:
DOI Shutdown: 'We're Hurting Tribes' (12/7)
From the top, a gamble in trust (12/7)
Norton acknowledges Internet problems (12/7)
'We're in the Dark' (12/7)
Norton 'offers' to meet with tribes (12/7)
Gale Norton, You're not in Kansas anymore (12/7)
Norton's remarks at energy meeting (12/7)
Judge orders Interior to cut Internet access (12/6)
Norton delaying trust fund report (12/6)
Security contempt charge added (12/6)
Norton cleared for tribal consultation (12/6)
Judge holding hearing today (12/6)
Transcript of Dec. 5 trust fund hearing (12/6)
Interior doesn't understand court order (12/6)
Judge cuts trust fund access(12/5)
Report reveals attacks on tribal, Indian trust (12/5)
No Trust: Hacking the Department of Interior (12/5)
House to hold hearings on BIA overhaul (12/5)
McCaleb doubts tribal opposition (12/4)
Interior extends comment period (12/4)
Trust fund report still can't be found (12/4)
Tribal leaders worried about consultation (12/4)
Judge holding secret hearings (12/4)
New: Security report released (12/4)
GOP push may be tied to Indian preference (12/4)
Indian leader happy for contempt trial (12/4)
Norton set for 'worst nightmare' (12/3)
Judge holding secret trust fund hearing(12/3)
McCaleb to discuss trust fund on radio (12/3)
Okla. leaders question Norton's plan (12/3)
Tribal leaders clamor for trust report (12/3)
Editorial: Hold Norton in contempt (12/3)
Judicial role in Norton's fate recognized (11/30)
Interior slammed on trust fund progress (11/30)
New NCAI president vows BIA fight (11/30)
Interior will send 'someone' to hearing (11/30)
Interior says tribal leaders can have report (11/30)
Norton ordered to trial for 'fraud' (11/29)
Tribal leaders reject BIA overhaul (11/29)
Indian Country deserves answers (11/29)
McCaleb suffers leg injury (11/29)
Report: Interior can't be trusted (11/29)
Norton to attend consultation session (11/29)
Big showing expected at Norton meeting (11/29)
Griles: Receiver ends sovereign relationship (11/29)
Swimmer: No clue on historical funds (11/29)
Contempt trial important somewhere (11/29)
Developing: Norton, McCaleb ordered to contempt trial (11/28)
Norton sees GOP support on overhaul (11/28)
Trust fund settlement talks fail (11/28)
NCAI shoring up Norton opposition (11/28)
Tribal leaders challenging Norton (11/28)
Norton wants to cut Interior jobs (11/28)
Norton failing on trust fund backup (11/27)
Interior schedules first consultation (11/27)
Interior cutting off tribal comments (11/27)
BIA collecting Indian preference info (11/27)
Norton's BIA overhaul blasted (11/26)
Interior changes mind on consultation (11/26)
Indian Country opposition gains momentum(11/26)
Norton faces big week on trust (11/26)
Editorial: Give Norton plan a chance (11/26)
Norton's attorney decries unfairness (11/26)
Norton's choice raises questions (11/26)
Judge holds secret hearing (11/23)
Indian Country slams 'sham' consultation (11/21)
Top trust fund official questioned (11/21)
No Thanksgiving for Indian Country (11/21)
Domenici praises Norton's 'bold move' (11/21)
BIA reorganization a focus of NCAI (11/21)
Reagan's Indian chief is back (11/20)
McCaleb faces Indian preference question (11/20)
Norton defends overhaul of BIA (11/20)
Norton promises fast start (11/20)
Developing: Swimmer tapped by Bush administration (11/19)
Few answers on BIA overhaul (11/19)
Norton challenges trust fund receiver (11/19)
Gover: Indian Country had it coming (11/19)
BIA reorganization focus of radio show (11/19)
Norton defends quarterly reports (11/19)
Norton's 'runaway train' denounced (11/17)
Norton stripping BIA of trust duties (11/16)
Tribal leaders in uproar over proposal (11/16)
Top Democrat calls for hearings (11/16)
Bush officials to speak at NCAI (11/16)
Norton files contempt defense (11/16)
Q&A on BIA Reorganization (11/16)
Developing: BIA stripped of trust duties (11/15)
Interior might need year on new agency (11/15)
Gover: Indian Country now 'weaker' (11/15)