NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: DAVE KEARNS ON WINDOWS NETWORKING TIPS 08/30/04 Today's focus: Move along, nothing to see here
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * A security threat in Windows XP SP2 that really isn't * Links related to Windows Networking Tips * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Oracle An Economist Intelligence Unit White Paper: From Grid to Great? Grid computing is breaking out. Familiar mostly to academics, government groups, and scientific researchers, this technology that links together the power of diverse computers to create powerful, fast and flexible systems is beginning to catch on in the corporate world. Included in this white paper, results and interviews from a global survey among Sr Executives, click to download now http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=78725 _______________________________________________________________ IS SECURITY RIPE FOR OUTSOURCING? Security demands for online applications such as e-commerce and Web services are prompting more corporate customers to hand off security functions - such as intrusion detection and firewalls - to outside service providers. Find out if security should be outsourced in this Network World article: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=78251 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Move along, nothing to see here By Dave Kearns There are evidently people with lots of free time on their hands who delight in uncovering security problems in Windows. Many deserve our thanks, but some, it seems, are only looking for yet another way to blow their own horn. One of the latter appears to be the recent warning that Windows XP SP2's Windows Security Center, a console similar to a dashboard that monitors and reports on the status of various security devices such as firewalls and anti-virus software, can be compromised by crackers into displaying false information such as claiming that a firewall is up and running properly when, in fact, it has been disabled. <aside> You might ask, as my editor did, which company trumpeted this "warning." Since I've stated that I think they only do it to toot their own horn, I've chosen not to help them in this by identifying them. If you really, really need to know, then Google is your friend! </aside> While Microsoft doesn't deny that this could occur, it does point out that malware writers would need local administrator privileges on any machine they wished to compromise. Additionally, they'd need to disable the security device (such as a firewall) before they could attempt to spoof its data. That means knowing the particular security device in order to know how to disable it as well as what data (and what format) the device used to communicate with the Security Center. Microsoft doesn't believe that spoofing firewall data would be the first thing a cracker would do upon gaining local administrator privileges, and neither do I. This would be like a bank robber who, after tunneling into the bank at night, first cut the electricity then rewired the "time and temperature" display over the door so it ran on battery power. That might deter the casual observer from knowing that something was wrong, but the time spent re-wiring should probably be put to better use (like emptying the vault) before the cops surround the building. I'm no apologist for Microsoft. I've written enough about its security problems so that my credentials shouldn't be challenged. But finding obscure, unlikely-to-be-used exploits and trumpeting about them as if they could cause the fall of western civilization is no favor to hard-working Windows network managers. The only real way to improve the signal-to-noise ratio is to reduce the noise. You've never been shy about telling me what you think, so start telling the "noise makers" what you think of them. And, I promise, no mention of SP2 in the next issue. Do come back! _______________________________________________________________ To contact: Dave Kearns Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. He's written a number of books including the (sadly) now out of print "Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks." His musings can be found at Virtual Quill <http://www.vquill.com/>. Kearns is the author of three Network World Newsletters: Windows Networking Tips, Novell NetWare Tips, and Identity Management. Comments about these newsletters should be sent to him at these respective addresses: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Kearns provides content services to network vendors: books, manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing, technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill provides "words to sell by..." Find out more by e-mail at <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Oracle An Economist Intelligence Unit White Paper: From Grid to Great? Grid computing is breaking out. Familiar mostly to academics, government groups, and scientific researchers, this technology that links together the power of diverse computers to create powerful, fast and flexible systems is beginning to catch on in the corporate world. Included in this white paper, results and interviews from a global survey among Sr Executives, click to download now http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=78724 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Breaking Windows networking news from Network World, updated daily: http://www.nwfusion.com/topics/win2000.html Archive of the Windows Networking Tips newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/nt/index.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE WONDERING IF YOUR PAY IS UP TO SNUFF? Check out Network World's 2004 Salary Calculator to see if you're getting paid what you're worth. Using data collected in the 2004 Network World Salary Survey, we've programmed this calculator with several categories that could affect your pay. Answer the questions and find out what the average salary is for your job category. 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