SingNet, one of Singapore's leading Internet Service Providers, has revealed that it has been scanning its customers' computers to check for virus vulnerability.
Some time in April 1999, more than 200,000 SingNet and SingTel Magix subscribers' computers were scanned without their knowledge. The reason given by SingNet via an email apology to those whose systems had been scanned, was that it was concerned that its customers' computers may have been infected with what is called the Trojan horse virus.
The said virus allows a hacker to capture passwords of users which would give him access to their computer systems. As such, SingNet's position was that its actions were justified as it sought only to prevent its customers' privacy from being invaded or trespassed upon. Following news on March 6 that two boys had been arrested for hacking into 17 SingNet accounts, the Internet Service Provider had asked the Home Affairs' Ministry IT security unit to do the scan.
According to SingNet, unlike the virus, the scanning programme used could not enter computer systems. It was like "knocking on the door of a PC", explained SingTel's CEO for Multimedia, Mr. Paul Chong. To quote from his statement, "there is no invasion of privacy at all. We are merely protecting the interest of our customers. Basically, what we did was to check if the systems had open windows through which hackers can exploit."
Other justifications given for the secrecy was that SingNet did not want to alarm its customers and that "real hackers" might lie low if the scan was made known.
In reply to public response, SingNet issued an email message which said, "We apologise unreservedly if we have caused you any undue alarm and also regret not having informed you before we embarked on our virus-detection scanning. On hindsight, we should have considered the impact of this exercise on you and been more sensitive to your needs".
It would seem that the scan will continue till all customers' accounts are covered.
