It's been an ugly few weeks. At my current temp gig, I spend more time fighting worms than Kevin Bacon in "Tremors." Fortunately, I've got a mailbag full of tips to keep me sane.
As the Worm Turns
Last week's column was abuzz with rumors that the Sobig worm caused the Big Blackout. Today’s hot scuttlebutt is that the infestation was created by the Spam Cartel. One of the Cringe crew says three-fourths of the infected messages coming into his network were from addresses found on anti-spam blacklists. Sure, it sounds paranoid, but spammers may have been propagating the worm deliberately. After all, machines infected with Sobig could be used to send spam anonymously or launch denial of service attacks, among other nasty tricks. Last week, several major spam blacklist sites were shut down by a DoS (denial of service), and at least one (relays.osirusoft.com) is permanently out of commission, according to its owner. Just what we need: another reason to hate spammers.
More canned luncheon meat
Spokesfolks have been boasting about Microsoft Networks' spiffed-up anti-spam filters, and it looks like they may be on to something. One reader reports that his Hotmail account is automatically trapping unsolicited e-mail sent to him from… MSN. In particular, the spam filter blocks invitations seeking beta testers for Microsoft products. Let me see: unsolicited mail + Microsoft beta = junk. Sounds about right.
The HP decimal system
Hewlett-Packard had quite a fire sale on its 18-inch LCD monitors recently. Instead of the usual price of $619, they were listed on the Web site for $6.19. Bargain hunters apparently snapped up several hundred units before the error was discovered. HP stopped shipment on some orders and sent letters demanding customers return the displays or pay full price. Memo to Carly F: Remember last year's $10.7 million compensation package? It's now worth $10.70.
Finally, several Cringeheads responded to my item about Fox News' "Fair & Balanced" trademark suit with new mottos for my column: unfair and unstable, ugly and off-center, and (my personal favorite), biased and tipsy. I'll drink to that.
Got hot tips or recipes for cool drinks? Send 'em to cringe@infoworld.com. I'll pay $50 for the best.
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect business–critical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive Security Resource Alerts
This white paper provides guidance on how to develop a strategic approach to managing and monitoring logs, a key function required for compliance with many regulatory mandates and a critical defense against security threats.
Download now! »
Learn about the processes and technologies that support security information management (SIM) operations, as well as the business case for SIM. The series examines different options for implementing SIM and gives you evaluation criteria for selecting the best option for your organization.
Download now! »
Learn the strategies, actions, and capabilities that Best-in-Class organizations employ and technologies they choose to obtain superior performance against various security performance metrics. This report provides guidelines for identifying which security solutions to consume as a MSS and defines best practices for choosing and managing MSSPs.
Download now! »
Recommend This
