Slashdot Mirror
Do You Allow Webmail Use on Your Network?
rtobyr asks: "I don't allow users at my organization to use any third party e-mail. When users complain, I point out that we can't control the security policies of outside systems. End users tend to think that big business will of course have good security; so I ran a test of the 'Big Four': Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, AOL/AIM Mail, and GMail. Yahoo Mail was the only webmail provider to allow delivery of a VBS script. GMail was the only provider to block a zipped VBS script. End users also tend to think that a big business would never pull security features out from under their customers. Of course, we know that AOL and Microsoft have both compromised the security of their customers. I don't know of any security related bad press for Yahoo or Google. Three of my Big Four either allow VBS attachments or have a poor security track records. So, if you are a network administrator, do you limit your users' ability to use third party e-mail, and if so, do you allow for GMail or other providers that you've deemed to have secure systems and reputations?"
It's safest when the users can't run any scripts or executables. With Vista, you can easily configure the UAC to stop such user nonsense.
Do people really chmod +x email attachments?!? I'd say your problem is in user education. Hell, any user knowledgeable enough to know how to set the executable flag should KNOW better!
And you deserve what happened to you when you opened it!
(Yes, nothing happened. And you SO deserved it.)
"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
Congrats, you just pwnt the GP with the GIANT WALL OF TEXT!!.
Seriously man, paragraphs.
"The problem with internet quotations is that many are not genuine" -Abraham Lincoln
Hi 'cashman', this is your mom. As you know, it's a great chore being a mom and a housewife, I have to take your sister to soccer practice, your brother to basketball practice, and you to your chess practice. And when I drop everyone off, I go home, grab the Pine sol and my trusty swiffer to clean up the pig sty that you and I call home. During Oprah and the View commercials, I check my e-mail to remind Grandma to take her medications and your Uncle Leeeroy to stop 'using' Grandma's medications. I hope you don't mind that today I may have accidentally clicked on one of those 'Vbs' extensions, because I don't know much about computers, but I know what type of chemicals can (mostly) get those curious stains out of your favorite superman underwear. I don't think it was a virus or anything, because it did a good job of cleaning up the desktop, although I no longer see Clockwork_orgy_[dvdrip].avi and I can't find it anywhere, even in My Documents\school\biology\tmp32\fun_stuff where you seem to keep most your other videos, so unforutnately, you may have to repurchase the Kubrick fick. Sorry, honey... anyways, Oprah is back on, I will see you when you get home.
Love,
Mom
PS - Remember to buy some more laundry detergent, I want to wash your sheets because they seem a bit starchy.