Last Blog for 2005?

This will probably be my last blog for 2005. But you never know.....
New website to check out:

http://safety.msn.com/phishing/

This is an online safety and security site courtesy of our friends at MSN. Certainly worth a look.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

SP1 docked

Windows 2003 SP1 is a 308MB download with bags of functions and new tools that are designed to make a real difference to the security of Windows Server 2003. Visit the following site for more technical details about the enhancements included with SP1.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/downloads/servicepacks/sp1/sp1faq.mspx
James Governor please take note!

Windows Server 2003 SP1 inbound

Thats right folkes, Service pack 1 of Windows Server 2003 is on its way. Microsoft have only released a Beta version so far. Actually they call it an RC (Release Candidate) - it's at times like this I rely on James Governor to make sense of the acronym soup that continues to get out of hand in this industry.

I do get worried when service packs are released. Sure, they are intended to improve the performance of the application concerned. However, they provide a new unknown quantity. Do not expect to install and walk away with amazing new features courtesy of Uncle Bill. Beware. The path of the service pack is dark and twisting.

If this SP lives up to its expectations, expect the some great enhancements, with probably a boat load of bolted down and "enhanced" defaults. We will be testing this out over the coming weeks and will blog the results.

The primary objective of SP1 is to reduce customer pain centered on server security
Security Configuration Wizard (SCW)—SCW is a wizard that configures server security based upon existing server roles.

Post-Setup Security Updates (PSSU)—Servers are vulnerable in the time between initial installation and having the latest security updates applied.
Windows Firewall—Also released with Windows XP Service Pack 2. The Windows Firewall is off by default on Server 2003 Service Pack 1, and must be turned on to begin protecting systems.

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

Its an old saying, but it still rings true today. And it is most certainly the case usually after hours of developemnt or head scratching. The thing to do is stand back a take a different look at the problem. There's more than one way to skin a cat.
The reason I bring this up is that we have been wading through loads of development recently. I was looking at hours of development time to programme another bespoke solution. Then I came accross the right application free to customise to our requirements - courtesy of Uncle Bill. That saved months of developemnt. Thanks Bill.

Windows XP SP2

I have heard mixed reports about XP SP2. Some people I encounter swear they will never install SP2.

One employee from IBM told me they were not allowed to install SP2 on their Thinkpads.
With all that said, I have not really encountered any problems. Sure, when you install it, there is an annoying icon that appears by your clock saying "Meltdown imminent." However, once you get it installed and it settles down, I can't really see a reason for it not being installed.
SP2 does affect the general handling of the browser, including blocking pop ups, preventing code execution etc. These annoyingly unfamiliar events do tighten security for the sometimes unaccustomed end user. So as a developer, you need to be aware of these changes. However, remember that a system that runs fine on 2000, will not necessarily run the same on XP SP2.
Microsoft lawyers were making great claims of SP2 being attack proof, which certainly made me raise an eyebrow. However, I am sure it helps to keep the Gremlins at bay. It certainly creates another barrier.

To find out more regarding Windows Xp Service Pack 2, visit: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx

Life is Good

We've been working really hard over the last 12 months and it feels good to be at the end of the year. Security has become a big issue for us and I find myself doing more on security of our networks than anything else.

For anyone who hasn't woken up and realised it, if you have an always-on internet connection, you will be coming under attack. Until we checked the firewall logs and saw how often our networks are scanned and probed, I wouldn't have believed it. We are under attack literally every minute of every day. If you are going to have one new toy for Christmas, make it a firewall. Its money well spent for peace of mind.