<nettime> Hackers Bombard Italy's Top Online Trading Site - reports

["ricardo dominguez" <rdom@thing.net>]

Hackers Bombard Italy's Top Online Trading Site
 March 15, 2001 2:13 pm EST

 MILAN (Reuters) - University hackers attacked Italy's largest online
trading Web site to protest against plans to boost the role of the
Internet in government on Thursday -- but the site's owners said they had
limited disruption.

 Protesters at three Italian universities said they had bombarded Fineco
Online, part of Brescian bank Bipop-Carire (BIP.MI), with simultaneous
connections to try to crash the site near the end of another volatile day
on European bourses.

 The protest coincided with an international meeting in Naples aimed at
expanding the role of so-called e-government.

 "The action went very well. We blocked the site for the last 20 minutes
(of trading)," said one of the protestors in Naples, asking not to be
identified.

 Fineco acknowledged the attack but denied any problems for investors
enjoying a recovery in battered global markets.

 "Activity was absolutely normal all day. We made up 16 percent of Milan
bourse volume, which is our average," a spokesman said.

 "In the last 20 minutes we saw interference from the University of Naples
and then we limited the connection."

 The protesters' spokesman said Fineco had been singled out as a symbol
for Italians of the financial power of the Internet.

http://www.iwon.com/home/technology/tech_article/0,2109,108460|internet|03-1
5-2001::14:11|reuters,00.html



Students hack into Net trading site
By Reuters
March 15, 2001, 11:50 a.m. PT

University hackers attacked Italy's largest online trading Web site
Thursday to protest against plans to boost the role of the Internet in
government. But the site's owners said they had limited disruption.
Protesters at three Italian universities said they had bombarded Fineco
Online, part of Brescian bank Bipop-Carire, with simultaneous connections
to try to crash the site. The protest coincided with an international
meeting in Naples aimed at expanding the role of so-called e-government.

Fineco acknowledged the attack but denied any problems for investors
enjoying a recovery in battered global markets. "Activity was absolutely
normal all day. We made up 16 percent of Milan bourse volume, which is our
average," a representative said. The protesters' representative said
Fineco had been singled out as a symbol for Italians of the financial
power of the Internet.

      Story Copyright � 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1007-200-5149122.html




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