Posted on: Friday, May 11, 2001

UH computer systems OK after hacking attempt

Associated Press

University of Hawai'i computer systems were functioning properly yesterday after coming under attack from places around the world.

Word of the problems that began last week came as a self-styled alliance of Chinese computer hackers called a halt to attacks on U.S. Web sites.

The group claimed to have broken into more than 1,000 sites since April 30.

Nolan Oshiro, a computer specialist in the UH information and computer services department, said the department was hit with the "homepage" virus, which also disrupted the city of Honolulu's e-mail system Tuesday.

UH handled the virus quickly, but hack attempts from around the world proved to be a bigger problem, Oshiro said. About a dozen systems were hit, and some were taken out of service so other computers wouldn't be affected, he said.

Chinese hackers declared a weeklong war on U.S. sites, from April 30 to May 7, after a U.S. Navy spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet setting off a diplomatic standoff. The fighter pilot was killed in the April 1 collision.