Internet attacks not solely targeting Newport

S.J. Cahn

It appears that the suspected attack/hijacking of the Web site and

e-mail of Newport Beach City Council District 1 candidate Marianne

Zippi was not the only high-tech sabotage, if that turns out to be

the case, that happened earlier this week.

As reported in Wednesday’s Pilot, Zippi lost control of her

Internet access on Monday, and by Tuesday she was receiving irate

calls from people saying they’d received unsavory e-mails from her.

Zippi suspects the incident is related to the campaign.

Turns out that at about the same time Monday that Zippi was under

attack, nine of 13 computer servers that manage the Internet were

also under siege, according to an Associated Press report.

The FBI and White House are investigating the incident, which

started at around 1:45 p.m. Pacific time and lasted about an hour.

The Associated Press report was faxed over to the Daily Pilot

office by Dave Ellis, who’s helping to run the campaign of one of

Zippi’s opponents, Mayor Tod Ridgeway. The third contender in the

Balboa Peninsula race is Greenlight-backed Madelene Arakelian.

“It would be a safe bet that the international hacking problem was

not targeting Ms. Zippi’s Newport Beach City Council Web site,” Ellis

wrote.

Newport Police are looking into Zippi’s Internet problem.

THE GREAT DEBATE

Earlier in the race for the newly redrawn 46th Congressional seat

held by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, his Democratic opponent, Gerrie

Schipske, had accused the congressman of ducking debates.

She cannot tag him with that label any longer.

A series of debates are being held throughout the district, with

the final one scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30 at Orange Coast

College’s science hall. Given the aggressive campaign Schipske has

run -- including pointing out Rohrabacher’s long ties to Afghanistan

and his lack of service in the U.S. military -- it could be an

entertaining event. If it cuts against the norm, it may even be

educational.

THE CHANGING WEB SITE

While most of the local candidate Web sites appear fairly static,

one that’s constantly changing is Costa Mesa City Council candidate

Katrina Foley’s.

The latest changes include her Daily Pilot profile and a reference

to her spot at No. 31 on the Daily Pilot 103 Most Influential list.

TO THE POINT

Some readers who are devoted to “high brow” talk radio might have

heard Rep. Chris Cox late Tuesday morning on “To the Point,” which is

produced by KCRW and Public Radio International and hosted by Warren

Olney. If Cox’s voice sounded a bit echoed, here’s the inside scoop.

Cox, who had been at the Daily Pilot for an interview for a

candidate profile, did his part while on the phone in Managing Editor

S.J. Cahn’s office. As he discussed the disclosure by North Korea

that it has nuclear technology, Cox could be seen pacing as he spoke,

most likely having to navigate the clutter -- including a surfboard

-- of the since-tidied office.