The FBI's top 10 online security threats
John McCormick
Published: 28 Jan 2004 14:30 GMT
- Internet Explorer (IE)
Every version of IE has critical threats, and new ones are found all the time. Any administrator without a regular plan for updating this critical tool is making a major mistake. SANS suggests that you use online browser tests, such as the one from Qualys, to help maintain IE security. This is particularly useful because the test can easily be run by a nontechnical staffer.
- Windows remote access services
To make things easier for those migrating from other systems or connecting to them, Windows platforms support most other networking protocols. If you aren't using them, you should disable them immediately. Klez, Sircam, and Nimda all spread around the world so quickly because many systems don't properly configure network shares that allow a host to remotely access files.
- Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC)
The Remote Data Services component of many MDAC versions has serious vulnerabilities. You might want to look over Wiretap.net's report on hardening RDS for a quick overview, in addition to reading Microsoft's recommendations such as the Knowledge Base article on this topic.
- Windows Scripting Host (WSH)
You probably can't simply disable WSH because it's used for many administrative and desktop automation functions, so you should simply change the default treatment of script files with these extensions: .vbs, .vbe, .js, jse, and .wsf.
- Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express
If you can't live without Outlook and Outlook Express, a good antivirus signature update policy will provide some necessary protection.
- Windows peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P)
P2P applications should be ruthlessly expunged from business networks, if only because P2P networks are often used for illegal purposes in violation of copyright or other laws. Although you can't block all the ports used by P2P software (after all, KaZaa uses port 80), you can probably cripple most of its activity at the firewall.
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