10th Anniversary of Bombing; Probe Finds Overspending for TSA; PHP Security Holes Found

10th Anniversary of Bombing Observed

More than 1,600 survivors, relatives of victims and rescue workers met Tuesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people. “All humanity can see you experienced bottomless cruelty and responded with heroism,” Vice President Cheney told those gathered for a ceremony at First United Methodist Church, which served as a morgue during the bombing’s aftermath. “Your strength was challenged, and you held firm. Your faith was tested, and it has not wavered.” At 9:02 a.m., the customary 168 seconds of silence was observed. Former President Bill Clinton and former Oklahoma governor Frank Keating also spoke, the Washington Post reported. “It’s always difficult as each year comes because I come to know more families and understand their loss,” said Diane Leonard, who lost her husband in the blast.

For more details, read the full report in the Washington Post. (Registration required.)

Probe Finds Overspending for TSA Center

A Department of Homeland Security report sharply criticizes the Transportation Security Administration for what it considered excessing spending by employees for a new communications facility in Herndon, Va. According to the Washington Post, the report blamed TSA management for allowing $500,000 of the $19 million spent on the facility to be used for artwork and silk plants. The report suggested that TSA employees ignored federal contracting rules and tried to cover up their spending. The Transportation Security Operations Center, which opened in September 2003, included a 4,200 square foot gym for its 79 employees, seven kitchens and offices equipped with cable television. The facility monitors all transportation security incidents from across the country. “TSA has already put in place a new management structure to strengthen its acquisition program to ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” TSA spokesman Mark O. Hatfield Jr. said in a written statement.

For more details, read the full article in the Washington Post. (Registration required.)

PHP Security Holes Found

PHP, the open-source programming language, can expose servers running it to many serious exploits that could allow activation of malicious code and denial-of-service attacks, according to PHP Group. Techworld reports that the bugs can be fixed through updates via the PHP website and various operating system vendors. “All users of PHP are strongly encouraged to upgrade to this release,” the PHP Group said in an advisory.

For more details, read the full Techworld report in Computerworld.