I’m serious. Do you know for sure? I mean 100% absolutely, no questions, you’d bet your entire music catalog and your kids Golden Retriever on the fact that you do not have one byte of P2P software on any server, desktop or laptop in your entire network. I know most network admins and security officers would like to be able to answer that question with an emphatic “YES! I’m sure”. But…if you had just an inkling of a doubt by the time I got to the Golden Retriever then you’re not completely sure.
And, if you’re not completely sure then you have a security problem as we just learned today that the FTC has notified over 100 companies of serious data breaches. “But wait!” you say, “We’re just a small (200? 100? 50? 5? – what really is small?) company. This is only a concern for the big guys.” Well, if you’ll notice, while there were very large companies and government agencies on the list, the smallest company that was notified had 8 employees. The blackhats of the world have realized because of technology that small no longer means unimportant. In fact, today it’s the small companies that are the dynamic game changers and these companies now create and manage just as important and confidential data as their multi-thousand employee brethren.
Ok, so now you’re concerned you have a problem but what do you do about it. You already have anti-virus installed on your systems and you thought you had a good firewall but you’re in the business. If you spend all your time monitoring, managing, maintaining and babysitting these users you’ll never get anything done.
You know the drumbeat by now, so I’m just going to go ahead and say it: Multi-Layered, Multi-Layered, Multi-Layered! First, you need to shut down your network to only allow the protocols your users need. Generally, this is only HTTP:80 and HTTPS:443 and possibly Secure POP:995 or Secure IMAPS:993. Other than that, all outbound data to and from users should be stopped. The only other data holes you should have are for very specific applications that should be mapped to specific systems. For example, if you have your mail server in house, you should ONLY be relaying from your mail server. Do not leave your network open to inbound or outbound SMTP.
Next, you need cloud based protection on your two primary streams of data: Email (SMTP) and Web (HTTP, HTTPS). Email security and filtering protects that most vulnerable data stream your users interact with every minute of the day. And don’t forget, you need inbound email protection AND outbound email protection. The ‘mean and nasties’ come through the inbound and all your precious data leaks out the outbound. You need to protect both.
Now, with your network looking pretty good you still have the P2P problem. When many P2P apps can’t find another way out, they are going to drop back to those standard ports you must have open for your users; 80 and 443. This means, just like email, you NEED cloud based web security and filtering on your inbound and outbound web traffic which assures you those critical ports you can’t close are monitored and scanned.
The beauty of cloud-based security solutions for these applications is that they’re just about as close to “set-it and forget-it” as you get in the security world. Because they’re cloud based you have a security wall that is monitored, managed, updated, maintained and enhanced in real-time by a team of security professionals. Which leads me to the obvious conclusion (ok, can you hear me warming up for the pitch here?) that if you manage a network of users no matter how big or how small, you need Mailprotector’s Emal Security and Compliance solution as well as our Web Security and Filtering.
You may have seen the recent news about a broad hacking attack that’s been going on for over 18 months and has affected over 2,500 companies and government agencies. This long lasting attack appears to be coming from organized groups in Europe and China. What’s important to note is that in most cases the original target vector for these different types of hacks was email. Whether it was a phish that attempted to capture usernames and passwords, a link to an infected website or malicious payload in the message itself, email was the front door these hackers walked through.
It seems to be a function of human nature to believe that what we can’t see won’t hurt us. We see a door or a window and know they need a lock. We have ignition locks and anti-theft devices for our cars. We have bike locks and suitcase locks and trailer locks and gate locks…we even have locker locks. But, we seem to be happy with very basic or even no protection for our most valuable assets, our information. At Mailprotector we’ve always advocated and offered a multi-layered approach to data security, beginning with off network email virus & malware protection, then adding phishing detection as well as web traffic scanning & filtering. It’s this multi-layered approach that guards not only the front but the back and side doors of your data which provides a real deterrent to the criminals who want your information.
We live in a dangerous and competitive world where nefarious individuals and organizations around the world are just as close to you as the company next door. Remember…that internet connection goes both ways! Don’t let your business become a victim.
If you’ve not been following the news about Tiger Woods lately then you’ve been hiding under a rock. He smashed into a fire hydrant and tree while backing out of his driveway early last Friday morning. It’s been revealed that his wife was chasing him down with a golf club and he was in a hurry to avoid being smacked around like a Titleist. I’m just curious if she consulted with a caddy in her club selection? Carl Spackler would have given her spot on advice. Anyway, news about his trysts have been surfacing the past few days. He’s admitted to his “transgressions” and apologized for letting his family down. He’s hoping his wife won’t come after him with another golf club or worse – a divorce lawyer (gulp!).
About Mailprotector
Mailprotector can’t really help Tiger out of this jam. We won’t prevent cocktail waitresses or other “flings” from popping up out of the wood work to claim they’ve been playing “putt-putt” with Tiger. We do help prevent spam, viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks and other email borne malware from popping up in your users inbox.
The White House is still trying to explain away the debacle surrounding the Salahis, their uninvited guests to their first hosted state dinner. This story keeps expanding, kind of like the federal government or the universe. It’s interesting, sad and comical at the same time with all the different people that have been involved in explaining how these two social-climbing-wannabes got into the White House without an invitation. I’m coining a new phrase (if someone hasn’t done it yet) – Salahied. Yea, that’s right – the White House got Salahied! “Salahi” is very similar to “spam” – it’s stuff that shows up that you didn’t ask for but you got it anyway. Hopefully you don’t get a nasty infection after you’ve been Salahied.
Have a list, but check it twice
If the White House had employed tighter security around their guest list then this story wouldn’t be such a big deal. However, their social director, or another responsible person not claiming responsibility, didn’t do their job at checking the guest list against the invitations. It sounds like a really simple task that just wasn’t carried out. Now look what happens – in addition to the news coverage by all the major outlets they have even made it into Mailprotector’s blog. They’ve arrived!
About Mailprotector
Mailprotector’s systems protect against “uninvited guests” such as spam, viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks and other email borne malware. Party crashers not welcome!
Black Friday is now history but Cyber Monday is here! E-tailers are in the spotlight today and will be offering large discounts on numerous “must have” items. Beware! Not all E-tailers are legitimate. Many folks performing web searches may just click onto a site that looks like the real deal but has actually been set up by cyber thieves!
CRN.com put a list out for the top 10 Cyber Monday threats. At Mailprotector we advise you to be vigilant against the multiple spam messages that will be sent over the next few weeks. Many folks want to pick your cyber wallet. Be safe online and Happy Holidays!
About Mailprotector
Mailprotector’s services protect against spam, viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks, and other email borne malware.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. A time to gather with family and friends, eat way too much turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, etc., watch the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers toss the pig skin around, and nap. We’ve got plenty to be thankful for: our customers, our business partners and colleagues, and spam! Without spam we may not have all of these other things to be thankful for! Ironic.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Mailprotector services provide Hosted Exchange 2007 service, SaaS messaging and collaboration tools, and email security to protect against spam, viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks and other email borne malware. Give us a try free for 30 days.
A Detroit judge passed sentencing convicting “Godfather of Spam” Alan Ralsky of multiple prison-worthy crimes.
John Leyden from The Register reports: “Notorious spammer Alan Ralsky has been jailed for more than four years over his role in a masterminding a stock fraud spam campaign that made him an estimated $2.7m.
Ralsky, 64, from West Bloomfield, near Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to 51 months while his son-in-law, Scott Bradley, 48, was imprisoned for 40 months over the same pump and dump stock fraud conspiracy involving thinly-traded stocks.”
Each man plead guilty to the CAN-SPAM Act, wire fraud, and money laundering. They were sentenced on Monday. Five other co-conspirators will face sentencing hearings today.
The conspirators used a botnet in their “pump and dump” stock fraud. They purchased thinly traded equities at rock bottom prices. Next they spammed unsuspecting “investment” victims about potential huge returns these stocks would provide. Once the stock price spiked the conspirators would dump their cheap stocks at greatly inflated prices to the “investment” victims.
“With today’s sentence of the self-proclaimed ‘Godfather of Spam,’ Alan Ralsky, and three others who played central roles in a complicated stock spam pump and dump scheme, the Court has made it clear that advancing fraud through abuse of the Internet will lead to several years in prison,” said US Attorney Terrence Berg for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Ralsky has a history of other spam frauds that have been documented by Spamhaus.
Mailprotector’s service helps to mitigate email threats perpetrated by fraudsters and other evil-doers. Mailprotector prevents spam, viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks and other email borne malware from reaching your Exchange server, or any mail server, and flooding your users inbox with junk mail. Try us free for 30 days.
The Christmas tunes on the radio remind me that Christmas is quickly approaching. Hurry, only 32 shopping days left!
If you’re wondering what to get your favorite IT security practitioner this holiday season then let me suggest the Bruce Schneier action figure. This guy is the GI Joe of the crypto and IT security world. I’m not sure if his action figure comes with a kung fu grip, though.
About Mailprotector
Mailprotector is the GI Joe of the email security world. Our services protect your Exchange server, or any mail server, from: spam, viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks and other email borne malware. Get Mailprotector’s “kung fu grip” to protect your inbox today! We’ll even gift wrap for free 
.
The FAA computer systems had a major glitch on Thursday. It lasted about 5 hours and impacted all flyers causing cancellation and massive delays.
Multiple Failures
Christopher Hinton of MarketWatch.com reported, “The National Airspace Data Interchange Network failed at both its locations — Atlanta and Salt Lake City, just after 5:15 a.m. Eastern Time, according to the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.”
NATCA Statement
“A ‘ripple effect’ is expected to impact the region’s flights throughout the day, NATCA said. Airports in the Northeast were heavily impacted, with Washington Dulles, Ronald Reagan National, Newark International, and New York’s JFK, reporting significant delays. Atlanta International, the world’s busiest airport, was also impacted.”
Delta Statement
“As a result of this morning’s FAA flight plan system outage, Delta is continuing to experience some delays and cancellations,” the world’s largest airline and Atlanta-based carrier said in a statement. “Operations are slowly returning to normal and we are working with impacted passengers.”
The obvious question: how do both systems fail at the same time?
That question actually raises another question: could this failure be the result of cyberwarriors? There’s been lots of recent discussion about other nation states ability and willingness to wage cyberwar against the US infrastructure. It’s hard to believe that both systems would fail at the same time. These are critical systems to our National infrastructure. Mobility and business suffered greatly during this 5 hour disruption. Just think how badly a multi-day outage would impact the US.
About Mailprotector
At Mailprotector we have redundant data centers and systems in place. If something happens to a cluster of servers then another cluster picks up the traffic. If a data center fails then traffic will automatically roll to other data centers. Mailprotector’s services prevent spam, viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks and other email born malware from getting to your Exchange server, or any mail server. Your users won’t be flooded with needless junk mail delaying them from getting to important email communications. We’re all about keeping you and your users productive. Give us a try free for 30 days.
A couple of 20 year olds were arrested by the Metropolitan Police Service of Manchester for violating the 1990 Computer Misuse Act and the 2006 Fraud Act. They had configured the Zeus Trojan, a.k.a. Zbot, to steal victims bank account information, passwords, credit card numbers and other information.
Arrests “a breakthrough”
“The Zeus Trojan is a piece of malware used increasingly by criminals to obtain huge quantities of sensitive information from thousands of compromised computers around the world,” said Detective Inspector Colin Wetherill of the Metropolitan Police’s Central e-Crime Unit (PCeU), in a statement. “The arrests represent a considerable breakthrough in our increasing efforts to combat online criminality.”
Zeus widely available
The Zeus crimeware toolkit is widely available in the cyber-underworld for free or for purchase. It’s delivered to unsuspecting users via spam. It’s been reported that it’s easy to use and a powerful tool for stealing personal data from remote systems. It was initially linked to a group of online criminals known as “Rock Phish” that targeted financial institutions all over the globe. It has been reported that Facebook and MySpace users have been targeted in a recent spam campaign.
About Mailprotector
Mailprotector’s services protect your personal information from these types of Trojans. Our systems protect your Exchange server, or any mail server, from spam, viruses, Trojans, phishing attacks, and other email borne malware.
