Tuesday, November 11, 2003
WHAT'S WRONG? SOMETHING WENT RIGHT.
I thought this blog was lost to me forever. I thought it would just orbit out there like space junk while flea market buyers tapped into it occasionally looking for the odd bit on the eplpdx02, fruit flies and doggerel with the theme of not sleeping at night. I have changed so many passwords that I got dizzy. I just did not have a clue what the password was for this blog. Unfortunately, the e-mail address that they kindly send the password reminder to was canceled due to being hacked. So I could not log in to change my user information and I was unable to get an e-mail to them because the page wasn't working properly. And then today my brain went pop and I found where I had actually written down the password and here I am.
By the way, the e-mail address I had to cancel because it was full of malicious files was poor MsRefusnik's. Let's say goodbye forever to her shall we. I know I will never again leave an e-mail address out on the web for all to send their trojans, worms and viruses to or just to more easily hack the computer. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Speaking of security, here are some of the very interesting and unusual websites I promised you last time. All the research I've done has got to be good for something: at least I can share some of it. Do read "At Microsoft Security Flaws Emerge as Business Shortcomings," and then look over the entire issue of SecurityFocus.Com. According to Helen Jung's AP article, loss of revenue is getting Microsoft's attention in terms of Windows' vulnerabilities. MS said in latest quarterly report that revenue from multiyear contracts dropped $768 million from previous quarter, about $450 million lower than anticipated. And I bet I can guess the feature here: MS, it goes on to say, is making improvements in Windows XP desktop next year. "The improvements are to include disabling certain features that can allow hacker break-ins." What do you want to bet they're getting rid of the ridiculous remote assistance hacking feature?
Security Focus is run by Kevin Poulson, a convicted former hacker, and it is one-stop shopping as far as your security needs go. There are collected timely articles on every aspect of computer security, book release titles, tool downloads (everything from firewalls and password crackers to intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning...just look around. It's geared for the seriously security-minded but should be of interest to all.
The best thing to do according to one book, (Counter Hack: A Step-by-Step Guide to Computer Attacks & Effective Defenses) is to subscribe to Bugtraq. Do this by sending an e-mail to LISTSERV@SECURITYFOCUS.COM. Message body: Subscribe Bugtraq, last name, first name
