Thanks for that. Mind posting the link? Ed Crowley MCSE+Internet MVP kcCC+I Tech Consultant hp Services Protecting the world from PSTs and Bricked Backups!
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Millar, Ken Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 11:07 AM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: OOF Messages to the Internet Interesting arcticle taken from a webpage on OOF Messages to the Internet: Equiinet.ComMission Mission History History Directors Directors Awards Awards Corporate Corporate Security Security SME SME Press Releases Press Releases Reviews Reviews White Papers White Papers Locations Locations Maps Maps Email Addresses Email Addresses EQUIINET CALLS FOR RETHINK ON E-MAIL SIGNATURES TO AVOID INTERNET CRIME RISK 24th June 2002 British companies were today warned by Equiinet to review their e-mail policies to avoid their employees being placed at risk from criminals using e-mail signature messages to obtain personal details. Automatic response messages are used to inform anyone e-mailing a specific e-mail address that the person they are trying to reach is unable to respond. But many people, particularly during the busy summer holiday season, create automatic messages that say they will not be back in the office until a certain date, allowing people to conclude they are probably away on holiday. The 'away from' e-mail messages are typically sent indiscriminately the first time an e-mail is received. Swindon-based Equiinet, the leading supplier of multi functional server appliances, decided not to introduce automated e-mail response as a product feature because of the danger of individual employees exposing themselves or their employer to risk when setting up the messages. Criminals have been known to exploit this system by purchasing spam e-mail lists with which to send a test message to millions of recipients. They then identify those people who are away and look up their probable - or in some cases exact - home addresses using a simple online directory such as those at www.192.com or www.btcom. The technique even allows wily burglars to guess the potential value of goods at an address according to a person's job title, which is often included in e-mail signatures in accordance with corporate policy. "This is the on-line equivalent of not cancelling the milk," said Bob Jones, Equiinet's managing director. "It's on a par with advertising in a newspaper that you are on holiday in the full knowledge that anyone can easily find out your address." Jones said companies should review their e-mail policies so that employees cannot specify that they are away, or use software that blocks such messages being sent to untrusted sources. "This Internet loophole makes it possible for even unsophisticated criminals within 60 seconds to discover a home address of someone who is away on holiday," he added. "With the main holiday season almost upon us, British companies must act now to clamp down on this out of responsibility to their staff." ABOUT EQUIINET Equiinet, based in Swindon, specialises in integrated solutions that provide cost-effective, easy, fast and secure access to the Internet. The NetPilot range of Internet server appliances provides all the hardware and software needed for extremely secure Internet connectivity and networking in a single multifunctional unit. VPN-specific products offer Virtual Private Networking capability. New to Equiinet's family of products is the TrafficPilot range, bringing clever and cost-effective overlay networking to life for larger organisations with customer-facing branches. Equiinet's managing director Bob Jones has previously founded and sold three successful networking start-ups: Steebek Systems, Mayze Systems and Sonix Communications, the last of which was acquired for $70 million in 1995. Editorial contact: Neil Madle, Marketing & PR Manager, +44 1793 603759 Mobile: +44 7990 887628 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ken -----Original Message----- From: Sandhya Pai [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 10:49 AM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: OOF Messages to the Internet Thanks to everyone that responded to my message. I'll try my best to not turn it on. Sandhya _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Archives: http://www.swynk.com/sitesearch/search.asp To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
