NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: M. E. KABAY ON SECURITY 09/21/04 Today's focus: Foiling Web bugs
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * Web bugs can be squashed * Links related to Security * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Kerio Technologies Still looking for that ideal security product to protect your Windows servers? You just found one! Kerio ServerFirewall is a host-based security software solution specially designed for Windows server operating systems. Its excellent network filtering complemented by an intrusion prevention system and application hardening stops known as well as zero-day attacks, is easy-to-deploy and installs in minutes. Protect your Windows servers today - download your free trial version now! http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=81315 _______________________________________________________________ DOWNLOAD THE LATEST SPECIAL REPORTS FROM NETWORK WORLD Focused reports on compelling industry topics, Network World Special Reports are available online at Network World Fusion. Network World Special Reports on Mobility, IP Telephony Security, the State of Wireless LANs and more are currently available. Download any or all of our Special Reports at: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=81392 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Foiling Web bugs By M. E. Kabay As a follow-up to an article I wrote earlier this year on the perils of HTML e-mail, today I'm looking at how to defeat e-mail tracking services that use Web bugs. Web bugs are very small (often only one pixel) images on a Web site; HTML e-mail that includes the URL for these tiny images can record who opened the e-mail message at what time. If there is an instruction requiring automatic refresh of the image as part of the HTML code, is even possible to tell how long the e-mail message was left open on screen. The service from DidTheyReadIt uses precisely this approach. As described on its Web site, users append ".didtheyreadit.com" to the e-mail address of someone whose e-mail reading habits they want to monitor. The company's servers convert messages to HTML, add a Web bug, and send your converted message to its destination. When a recipient using an HTML-tolerant e-mail reader opens or even previews the spyware-equipped document, the company's servers record when the Web bug was downloaded, the IP address of the reader, and how long the file was kept open. This information is then sent to the sender in an e-mail message. Similar services are provided by MSGTAG and by ReadNotify. Evidently, this entire system depends on HTML e-mail. In addition to the clumsy method of disconnecting from the 'Net before opening HTML e-mail, there are already simple tools that destroy this functionality at little or no cost. Wizard Industries makes Email-Tracking Blocker and sells it for $2.99, including a year of updates: <http://www.wizard-industries.com/trackingblocker.html> This 370K-byte utility needs to be run only once. According to the manufacturer, it works with any e-mail service and blocks all tracking services. Email Sentinel Pro from DSDevelopment is freeware for individuals (non-commercial use) and shareware for corporations ($14.95 per seat): <http://www.emailaddressmanager.com/email_sentinel.html> This 815K-byte utility runs in the background to convert HTML e-mail messages into plain ASCII. It can be configured to handle attachments, can keep the original HTML messages in a quarantine buffer in case they are needed, can log its activities, works with any e-mail client, includes whitelist and contact-import, and requires no user interaction once it's running. I tested this product and found that it worked fine with one of my e-mail accounts (an IMAP server) but failed with my backup account (a POP3 server). Not only was the message converted to plain text, but an embedded JPG image was converted to an attachment - very convenient and perfectly safe. For the time being, this suits me fine; I suppose that the inventors will eventually fix bugs that crop up, especially as organizations cough up their $14.95 donations if they are satisfied with the product. So if you are not keen on having people watch whether you have opened their e-mail messages without telling you that they are doing so, you don't have to stand for it - and it won't cost much or anything to try these defensive tools. Disclaimers: I have no financial involvement with any of the companies named in this article. Mention of a product should not be interpreted as an endorsement; omission of a product is not intended as criticism. RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS HTML e-mail not worth the risk Network World Security Newsletter, 05/18/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/sec/2004/0517sec1.html Opinion: How DidTheyReadIt does it Network World, 06/14/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/columnists/2004/0614gearhead.html Opinion: Feedback on Ducky and defeating DidTheyReadIt Network World, 06/28/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/columnists/2004/062804gearhead.html Web bugs and cookies considered illegal Network World Web Applications Newsletter, 07/14/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/web/2004/0712web2.html Center for Democracy & Technology: Spyware links http://www.cdt.org/privacy/spyware/ Feds eyeing one access model for all Network World, 09/20/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/092004fedsmart.html _______________________________________________________________ To contact: M. E. Kabay M. E. Kabay, Ph.D., CISSP, is Associate Professor in the Division of Business and Management at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt. Mich can be reached by e-mail <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> and his Web site <http://www2.norwich.edu/mkabay/index.htm>. A Master's degree in the management of information assurance in 18 months of study online from a real university - see <http://www3.norwich.edu/msia> _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Lucent Align Your IT Resources and Deliver Results Fast IDC reports that Lucent VitalSuite(r) Performance Management Software helps many businesses centrally monitor, manage and deliver advanced services rapidly while generating outstanding financial benefits-an average ROI as high as 719% and 133 day payback. Use the IDC ROI Calculator tool to learn how VitalSuite(r) software can benefit your operations and bottom line too. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=81332 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Archive of the Security newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/sec/index.html Breaking security news: http://www.nwfusion.com/topics/security.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE ACCESS NW'S IN-DEPTH REPORT ON: BLADE SERVERS Available now is Network World's Technology Insider on: Blade Servers. Find out why early adopters of blade server technology say the benefits aren't science fiction, how blade servers differ by vendor, why blade servers are perfectly suited for today's data centers, review our extensive blade server buyer's guide and more. 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