===============
~~~~ This Issue Sponsored By ~~~~
Argent Software
http://anon.doubleclick.speedera.net/anon.doubleclick/PentonMedia/argent052203.html
Windows Scripting Solutions
http://www.winscriptingsolutions.com/rd.cfm?code=fsep263xup
==========
http://anon.doubleclick.speedera.net/anon.doubleclick/PentonMedia/argent052203.html
http://www.winscriptingsolutions.com/rd.cfm?code=fsep263xup
1. Networking Perspectives
-What You Can Do About Spam
2. Announcements
- Guide to Securing Your Web Site for Business
- New Active Directory Web Seminar!
3. Resources
- Tip: Prepare for Windows 2003
- Hot Thread: Trusts Between Forests in Different Subnets
4. Event
- Storage Road Show Event Archived!
5. New and Improved
- Remotely Manage Through Any KVM Switch
6. Contact Us
- See this section for a list of ways to contact us.
==========
-What You Can Do About Spam
- Guide to Securing Your Web Site for Business
- New Active Directory Web Seminar!
- Tip: Prepare for Windows 2003
- Hot Thread: Trusts Between Forests in Different Subnets
- Storage Road Show Event Archived!
- Remotely Manage Through Any KVM Switch
- See this section for a list of ways to contact us.
~~~~ Sponsor: Argent Software ~~~~
Not So Sure About MOM? Check Out The Argent Guardian
AGENT-OPTIONAL ARCHITECTURE! More than 1,000 production users like CBS, Major League Baseball, Morgan Stanley, Toyota, and Citigroup. Cost-effectively monitor Windows, UNIX and Linux servers and all devices with one solution! According to MCP Magazine, "If you're looking for a system that will notify you when you want, about exactly what you want, and take only the actions you want, you must check out The Argent Guardian." Download a FREE, FULLY-FUNCTIONING copy of The Argent Guardian at:
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==========
Not So Sure About MOM? Check Out The Argent Guardian
AGENT-OPTIONAL ARCHITECTURE! More than 1,000 production users like CBS, Major League Baseball, Morgan Stanley, Toyota, and Citigroup. Cost-effectively monitor Windows, UNIX and Linux servers and all devices with one solution! According to MCP Magazine, "If you're looking for a system that will notify you when you want, about exactly what you want, and take only the actions you want, you must check out The Argent Guardian." Download a FREE, FULLY-FUNCTIONING copy of The Argent Guardian at:
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==== 1. Networking Perspectives ====
by Alan Sugano, [email protected]
What You Can Do About Spam
Spam is out of control. Spam has grown to epidemic proportions. Current figures estimate that anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of email traffic is now spam. Spam eats up precious bandwidth and consumes a significant amount of a user's day.
Spammers use a technique called email harvesting to continually obtain new email addresses. Harvesting programs, such as Atomic Harvester and Text Bomber, monitor newsgroups, Web pages and chat rooms looking for new email addresses. One of the more covert harvesting programs can capture your email address when you visit a Web site by tricking your browser into divulging information about you. If you leave Microsoft Internet Explorer's (IE's) security level set to the default level, you should receive a warning before IE surrenders any information about you.
Other spammers use a dictionary/directory attack to attempt to guess your email address. This technique entails running through a list of names, trying each one until hitting upon a valid address. With one valid address in hand, spammers can then try to exploit an entire domain by following various naming conventions.
A recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) study found that 86 percent of email addresses posted on Web pages, in chat rooms, and on message boards fell prey to spammers. One user received spam just 9 minutes after posting an email address in a chat room.
Never post your email address online. If you must use an email address to post a message, create an alias on your email server and use that address instead. You can then simply delete the email address when it receives spam, which it inevitably will.
When you do receive spam, you might be tempted to try to remove yourself from the spammer's mailing list. Some spammers will honor your request, but most will merely consider your request verification that they've reached an actual person. Play it safe and refrain from responding to spam.
If you suspect that you're under an email dictionary attack, try denying SMTP traffic from the IP address that the traffic originated from. However, be aware that spammers usually spoof their mail server's IP address. By default, Microsoft Exchange 2000 permits 5000 copies of a message from one address before issuing a non-delivery report (NDR). To learn how to change this value, see the Microsoft article "XCON: How to Limit the Number of Recipients for Each Message" (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=262145).
If your firewall includes antispam features, consider enabling them. Some firewalls can check incoming email against a realtime black list (RBL) of known spam IP addresses and can perform domain mail exchange (MX) record lookups to determine whether the source IP address of the mail message matches that sender's address.
In the past, spammers would find an open relay, exploit it, then abuse it until it became marked as an open relay. Now, some spammers hop from open relay to open relay and send a relatively small number of messages from an email server. This technique makes identifying an email server as an open relay difficult because the number of identical messages sent from the server might fall within typical ranges. Make sure that your mail server isn't an open relay. Fast Email servers that have a fast Internet connection are especially vulnerable to exploitation.
Roughly 30 states have enacted laws that criminalize spam. However, enforcing such laws is difficult, if not impossible. A recent Senate bill, the Burns-Wyden bill, makes spamming a federal crime that calls for jail time. This law might help, but many spammers will counter it by simply sending their email servers out of the country.
Next time, I'll explain how to determine whether your email server is an open relay and, if it is, how to close it. I'll also discuss some antispam solutions that work with Exchange Server.
==========
by Alan Sugano, [email protected]
Spam is out of control. Spam has grown to epidemic proportions. Current figures estimate that anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of email traffic is now spam. Spam eats up precious bandwidth and consumes a significant amount of a user's day.
Spammers use a technique called email harvesting to continually obtain new email addresses. Harvesting programs, such as Atomic Harvester and Text Bomber, monitor newsgroups, Web pages and chat rooms looking for new email addresses. One of the more covert harvesting programs can capture your email address when you visit a Web site by tricking your browser into divulging information about you. If you leave Microsoft Internet Explorer's (IE's) security level set to the default level, you should receive a warning before IE surrenders any information about you.
Other spammers use a dictionary/directory attack to attempt to guess your email address. This technique entails running through a list of names, trying each one until hitting upon a valid address. With one valid address in hand, spammers can then try to exploit an entire domain by following various naming conventions.
A recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) study found that 86 percent of email addresses posted on Web pages, in chat rooms, and on message boards fell prey to spammers. One user received spam just 9 minutes after posting an email address in a chat room.
Never post your email address online. If you must use an email address to post a message, create an alias on your email server and use that address instead. You can then simply delete the email address when it receives spam, which it inevitably will.
When you do receive spam, you might be tempted to try to remove yourself from the spammer's mailing list. Some spammers will honor your request, but most will merely consider your request verification that they've reached an actual person. Play it safe and refrain from responding to spam.
If you suspect that you're under an email dictionary attack, try denying SMTP traffic from the IP address that the traffic originated from. However, be aware that spammers usually spoof their mail server's IP address. By default, Microsoft Exchange 2000 permits 5000 copies of a message from one address before issuing a non-delivery report (NDR). To learn how to change this value, see the Microsoft article "XCON: How to Limit the Number of Recipients for Each Message" (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=262145).
If your firewall includes antispam features, consider enabling them. Some firewalls can check incoming email against a realtime black list (RBL) of known spam IP addresses and can perform domain mail exchange (MX) record lookups to determine whether the source IP address of the mail message matches that sender's address.
In the past, spammers would find an open relay, exploit it, then abuse it until it became marked as an open relay. Now, some spammers hop from open relay to open relay and send a relatively small number of messages from an email server. This technique makes identifying an email server as an open relay difficult because the number of identical messages sent from the server might fall within typical ranges. Make sure that your mail server isn't an open relay. Fast Email servers that have a fast Internet connection are especially vulnerable to exploitation.
Roughly 30 states have enacted laws that criminalize spam. However, enforcing such laws is difficult, if not impossible. A recent Senate bill, the Burns-Wyden bill, makes spamming a federal crime that calls for jail time. This law might help, but many spammers will counter it by simply sending their email servers out of the country.
Next time, I'll explain how to determine whether your email server is an open relay and, if it is, how to close it. I'll also discuss some antispam solutions that work with Exchange Server.
~~~~ Sponsor: Windows Scripting Solutions ~~~~
Windows Scripting Solutions for the Systems Administrator You may not be a programmer, but that doesn't mean you can't learn to create and deploy timesaving, problem-solving scripts. Discover Windows Scripting Solutions, the monthly print publication that helps you tackle common problems and automate everyday tasks with simple tools, tricks, and scripts. Try a sample issue today at:
http://www.winscriptingsolutions.com/rd.cfm?code=fsep263xup
==========
Windows Scripting Solutions for the Systems Administrator You may not be a programmer, but that doesn't mean you can't learn to create and deploy timesaving, problem-solving scripts. Discover Windows Scripting Solutions, the monthly print publication that helps you tackle common problems and automate everyday tasks with simple tools, tricks, and scripts. Try a sample issue today at:
http://www.winscriptingsolutions.com/rd.cfm?code=fsep263xup
==== 2. Announcements ====
(from Windows & .NET Magazine and its partners)
Guide to Securing Your Web Site For Business
Download VeriSign's new whitepaper, "Guide to Securing Your Web Site For Business," and discover the practical business benefits of securing your Web site. You'll also learn more about the innovative processes and technologies VeriSign uses to address Internet security issues. Download your free copy now!
http://www.verisign.com/resources/gd/secureBusiness/index.html
New Active Directory Web Seminar!
Discover how to securely managing Active Directory in a multiforest environment, establish attribute-level auditing without affecting AD performance, enhance secure permission management with "Roles," and more! There's no charge for this Aelita Software-sponsored event, but space is limited--register today!
http://www.winnetmag.com/seminars/securead
==== 3. Resources ====
by Alan Sugano, [email protected]
Tip: Prepare for Windows 2003
Because of significant changes in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0, Microsoft Exchange 2000 doesn't run correctly on Windows Server 2003, even with IIS 6.0 running in IIS 5.0 compatibility mode. According to Microsoft, you'll be able to run Exchange 2003 on Win2K Server, but you must install Service Pack 3 (SP3) with IIS 6.0 on your server. Exchange 2003 is due out this summer. For more information, see the white paper "Microsoft Exchange Server Compatibility with Microsoft Windows Server Operating Systems" at http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/ti/TiWin2003.doc.
Hot Thread: Trusts Between Forests in Different Subnets
In this thread, a member explains that he has two forests on either side of a VPN, each in a different subnet. When he tries to create a trust between them, he receives an error message saying that the domain can't be reached. What should he do? See the thread to read the suggestions or to offer your own.
http://www.winnetmag.com/forums/rd.cfm?cid=37&tid=60548
==== 5. Event ====
(brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine)
Storage Road Show Event Archived!
Couldn't make the HP & Microsoft Network Storage Solutions Road Show? View the taped event archives from your Web browser!
http://www.winnetmag.com/roadshows/nas
==== 6. New and Improved ====
by Jason Bovberg, [email protected]
* Remotely Manage Through any KVM Switch
Altusen released KVM on the NET, a hardware-based network management tool that enables remote access over IP to multiple servers through any keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) switch. Network managers can use the tool to access, control, and reboot servers from another room, site, or country. KVM on the NET offers advanced security features such as password protection, three levels of advanced encryption security, user filters, and user-management functions. For more information, contact Altusen at 866- 258-8736 or 949-453-8885 or on the Web.
http://www.altusen.com
==== Sponsored Links ====
FaxBack
Integrate FAX into Exchange/Outlook (Whitepaper, ROI, Trial)
http://www.faxback.com/w2ksponsorlink
AutoProf
Jerry Honeycutt Desktop Deployment Whitepaper
http://www.AutoProf.com/Update_TextLinks_2003_06_23.html
==== 7. Contact Us ====
About the newsletter -- [email protected]
About technical questions -- http://www.winnetmag.com/forums
About product news -- [email protected]
About your subscription -- [email protected]
About sponsoring [email protected]
===============
(from Windows & .NET Magazine and its partners)
Download VeriSign's new whitepaper, "Guide to Securing Your Web Site For Business," and discover the practical business benefits of securing your Web site. You'll also learn more about the innovative processes and technologies VeriSign uses to address Internet security issues. Download your free copy now!
http://www.verisign.com/resources/gd/secureBusiness/index.html
Discover how to securely managing Active Directory in a multiforest environment, establish attribute-level auditing without affecting AD performance, enhance secure permission management with "Roles," and more! There's no charge for this Aelita Software-sponsored event, but space is limited--register today!
http://www.winnetmag.com/seminars/securead
by Alan Sugano, [email protected]
Because of significant changes in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0, Microsoft Exchange 2000 doesn't run correctly on Windows Server 2003, even with IIS 6.0 running in IIS 5.0 compatibility mode. According to Microsoft, you'll be able to run Exchange 2003 on Win2K Server, but you must install Service Pack 3 (SP3) with IIS 6.0 on your server. Exchange 2003 is due out this summer. For more information, see the white paper "Microsoft Exchange Server Compatibility with Microsoft Windows Server Operating Systems" at http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/ti/TiWin2003.doc.
In this thread, a member explains that he has two forests on either side of a VPN, each in a different subnet. When he tries to create a trust between them, he receives an error message saying that the domain can't be reached. What should he do? See the thread to read the suggestions or to offer your own.
http://www.winnetmag.com/forums/rd.cfm?cid=37&tid=60548
(brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine)
Couldn't make the HP & Microsoft Network Storage Solutions Road Show? View the taped event archives from your Web browser!
http://www.winnetmag.com/roadshows/nas
by Jason Bovberg, [email protected]
Altusen released KVM on the NET, a hardware-based network management tool that enables remote access over IP to multiple servers through any keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) switch. Network managers can use the tool to access, control, and reboot servers from another room, site, or country. KVM on the NET offers advanced security features such as password protection, three levels of advanced encryption security, user filters, and user-management functions. For more information, contact Altusen at 866- 258-8736 or 949-453-8885 or on the Web.
http://www.altusen.com
Integrate FAX into Exchange/Outlook (Whitepaper, ROI, Trial)
http://www.faxback.com/w2ksponsorlink
Jerry Honeycutt Desktop Deployment Whitepaper
http://www.AutoProf.com/Update_TextLinks_2003_06_23.html
About technical questions -- http://www.winnetmag.com/forums
About product news -- [email protected]
About your subscription -- [email protected]
About sponsoring [email protected]
This email newsletter is brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine, the leading publication for IT professionals deploying Windows and related technologies. Subscribe today. http://www.winnetmag.com/sub.cfm?code=wswi201x1z
