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How Microsoft Fights Off 100,000 Attacks A Month

El Lobo writes to mention a ComputerWorld article about Microsoft's battles with the Hackers of the world. The software giant fights off more than 100,000 attacks every month, protecting their data-heavy internal network from the paws of your average script kiddie. The article discusses Microsoft's 'defense in depth' strategy, and discusses just some of the layers in that barrier. From the article: "The first layer of protection for the Microsoft VPN is two-factor authentication. After an infamous incident in the fall of 2000, Microsoft installed a certificate-based Public Key Infrastructure and rolled out smart cards to all employees and contractors with remote access to the network and individuals with elevated access accounts such as domain administrators. Two-factor authentication requires that you have something physical, in this case the smart card, and also know something, in this case a password."

19 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. 100,000 a month...? by bhunachchicken · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, who's doing the other 99,999 then...? :)

    1. Re:100,000 a month...? by hotdiggitydawg · · Score: 4, Funny

      My guess would be some fella called "Windows Update"...

  2. Thanks! by moore.dustin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Thanks for passing all those protection and security measures you develop to your customers! Wait a tic...

  3. How to fend of 100,000 attacks a month by LatexBendyMan · · Score: 5, Funny

    They probably just run linux...

    1. Re:How to fend of 100,000 attacks a month by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I hope those cocksmoking teabaggers remember to pay their $699 SCO licensing fee...

    2. Re:How to fend of 100,000 attacks a month by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 2, Funny
      They probably just run linux...

      Gee.. that's a surprise! I always thought Microsoft fended off attackers by throwing chairs at them...

      There... now your cliché isn't lonely any more...
      --
      Only to idiots, are orders laws.
      -- Henning von Tresckow
    3. Re:How to fend of 100,000 attacks a month by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 2, Funny

      They throw Beowulf clusters of naked and petrified statues of Natalie Portman as hot grits run down their pants expect in Russia where they throw you when you're not welcoming your new overlords or when old people aren't using the Internet in Korea.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    4. Re:How to fend of 100,000 attacks a month by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 4, Funny
      They throw Beowulf clusters of naked and petrified statues of Natalie Portman as hot grits run down their pants expect in Russia where they throw you when you're not welcoming your new overlords or when old people aren't using the Internet in Korea.


      Dude.... I wanted a quiet gathering of a few friendly clichés not a whole cliché convention!
      --
      Only to idiots, are orders laws.
      -- Henning von Tresckow
    5. Re:How to fend of 100,000 attacks a month by markmier · · Score: 2, Funny

      I *AM* an overlord, you insensitive clod!

  4. That's funny... by stag_beetle · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought the first thing you were supposed to do to protect against attacks was to ensure you aren't using Microsoft products in any part of your infrastructure...

  5. Over 100,000 every month by Rik+Sweeney · · Score: 2, Funny

    The software giant fights off more than 100,000 attacks every month, protecting their data-heavy internal network from the paws of your average script kiddie.

    A network powered by Fedora Core 6...

  6. If all else fails... by jbeaupre · · Score: 3, Funny

    They whip out the OEM image CD and reinstall. The down side is they have to get rid of all those AOL icons and replace Norton AV each time.

    --
    The world is made by those who show up for the job.
  7. Crash... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    and burn!

  8. Yahoo Ping Department by suso · · Score: 4, Funny

    Tommorow we're going to hear from the ping department at Yahoo.

    I always wondered what they do with all those echo requests.

    1. Re:Yahoo Ping Department by Da_Weasel · · Score: 4, Funny

      They are building up a stock pile of pings. It's all part of a diabolical plan to rule the universe through their pingopoly. Soon we shall all bow before their pingy-ness-ish-ness. Those who obey their pingy commands will recieve their daily ration of echo packets, everyone else will be left wanting... MMWhhaAHahHAhahahAHahahHAh!!!!

      --
      If you must!
  9. Statistics...gotta 'luv em by djupedal · · Score: 5, Funny

    The software giant fights off more than 100,000 attacks every month, protecting their data-heavy internal network from the paws of your average script kiddie.

    If MS is using the routine fuzzy-math they tend to throw out when attempting to make the company seem more powerful and dominating than is backed up by reality, the '100,000 attacks' could be 99,999 pieces of spam email and one ping-flood.

    See, this is how MS routinely tries to brainwash Joe and Jane consumer. Toss out a statistic that is impossible to verify, along with just enough verbal imagery to impress non-tech savvy spenders and you're on your way to profitsville!

    'data-heavy internal network...' That is some pretty shiny bull-shit, by the way...data-heavy! As opposed to what? I can see those steel grey towering industrial strength routers, embedded into solid concrete bunkers, laced with 50 cm MIL spec reinforcing bar that is tied deep in bedrock, far below the cavernous data centers the brave MS engineers toil without end to feed, with miles and miles of 1 meter thick ethernet cables, snaking like giant blood veins, throbbing quietly as the beast that is MS R&D works around the clock for the good of mankind.

    Makes me proud to be an American, I 'tell ya!

  10. They use bees by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Microsoft sends care packages of bees to hackers. Leaked internal memos suggest turmoil amongst executives who can't decide if they should send more bees or just pull out entirely. A study group has determined that Microsoft should begin talks with various hacker groups as a diplomatic means of ending the bloodshed, but few believe that it will stop the attacks or the need for more bees. Many mourn for the loss of the bees, who die upon losing their stingers, while others point out that these are volunteer bees and that it's to be expected.

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
    1. Re:They use bees by kkwst2 · · Score: 5, Funny

      African or European?

  11. TRON.... by rubberbando · · Score: 2, Funny

    And all this time, I thought they just used that laser from Tron attached to a satellite that they would aim at unsuspecting hackers to digitize them into the gaming grid where they must dodge flying chairs thrown by a virtual Steve Balmer (Donkey Kong Style).

    --
    DEAD DEAD DEAD DELETE ME