Microsoft said it will release a software patch later today to fix a hole in its Windows 2000 operating system that could leak usernames and passwords to unauthorized individuals. The problem involves the Windows 2000 Telnet client, a program that lets someone connect a PC to a network server and execute commands on a second machine remotely. The security hole stems from Microsoft's convenient single sign-on feature that saves people the hassle of logging in for each Telnet session by automatically providing the required user ID and encrypted password. The U.S. Congress must set minimum guidelines to protect consumers' privacy on the Internet, two key legislators said, while acknowledging that industry has made substantial progress to guard personal data.
Progress is a relative term.
Given a scale from 1 to 10. They have probably gone from a zero to a one. Now they tell you that they are going to sell your data instead of just doing it without notice. Legislation should require that every Web site post privacy policies, let users prohibit companies from collecting information, supersede any state laws and give U.S. regulators the power to enforce and review policies, said Representative Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat. And the safe harbor deal isn't unanimously supported in Europe, he said.