Word Vulnerability Compromised US State Dept.

hf256 writes "Apparently hackers using an undisclosed (at the time) vulnerability compromised the State Departments network using a Word document sent as an email attachment. Investigators found multiple instances of infection, informed Microsoft, then had to sever internet connectivity to avoid leaking too much data!"

Comments

Re:Great news for open formats

[drago177]

It would be so easy to just install StarOffice on each computer (keep Word), and ask the more technical departments to start using it, if only to save docs in Word format at first. I did this with the last company I worked at, nobody ever even complained. The cost was very minimal, and it actually saved a lot of money and time when an excel file corrupted itself. MS could not open it, but SO opened then re-saved it in MS format, then it worked fine.

Re:Great news for open formats

[drago177]

I heard the install was faster/easier, and it was. You're right about the support - never tried it, but I did want to contribute to the open source concept, and $ rules the world. I knew those above me wouldn't notice an extra $20 on each pc, but they were scared of 'non-professional software', so to be able to tell them there was support was a necessary safeguard.

Oh, btw, they were using that excel sheet to keep track of a fleet of buses (this co was archaic in their IT dept when I got there). A radio dispatcher was frantically telling the bus drivers there was a computer problem and to 'hold tight' for 15 minutes till I got there, then 5-10 more minutes to figure out MS file recovery wouldnt cut it, and 5 to install SO from network and fix the prob. The only serious occasion that pitted MS vs SO and the results were stark. So no Im not on Sun's payroll, but the story ought to be a commercial, and I walked out like a hero so I'm happy to tell it.

Re:Scary

[Architect_sasyr]

Actually its a very effective method for both the IT team and the people who desperately need the administrative access. IT aren't required to understand every little john doe program that these people can want to install so they don't have to support them (this is very clearly communicated to these users).

It also means that we have a relativly standardised form across the board despite having PC's everywhere and very quickly weed out the users who think they're smart but aren't really.

An example of a good operator: there's a bloke over in administration who I would swear used to work in IT. He's got Open Office installed when everyone else uses Microsoft Office, he uses firefox, thunderbird and trillian for his messenger. About 500 theme packs and a few other bits of software. According to our helpdesk logging system he has only ever called once, and this was when he patched himself for the new daylight savings time last year. Everyone else had the problem as well.

Also, so that those who aren't aware know, you don't have to be a local administrator to install a network printer. Anyone hooking a printer directly to a PC in a corporate environment is either a director or an IT who has lots to learn.