Security

In the wake of massive denial-of-service attacks on the Internet's DNS root servers, the likelihood of an attack that could crash the Internet -- and bring e-commerce to a screeching halt -- seems far greater than it once did. Every 24 hours of Internet downtime theoretically could mean more than $1...

Software development is a much different animal than it was 20 years ago. As program size has increased, so has the number of security flaws. In the latest disclosure by a major vendor, Microsoft announced a flaw in the SmartHTML Interpreter contained in Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions that co...

Allocating precious budget dollars is always a challenge in a down economy, and with security threats seeming to loom at every turn, CIOs are struggling mightily to gauge risks and decide how to face them. While the temptation may be to throw money at perceived security problems, decision makers ins...

Hotels.com's offices were evacuated and its stock suffered a sharp drop after a white powdery substance was discovered in the company's mailroom. Local authorities in McAllen, Texas, ordered the evacuation of the Hotels.com processing center -- where about 100 people process reservations made thr...

For Web travelers seeking to lighten their load of usernames and passwords, help has generally been slow to arrive. Some relief for the forgetful has come in the form of functions -- installed on popular operating systems -- that serve to ease the mental burden of those surfing from a single comp...

The U.S. Congress is considering a bill that would let music companies and other media entities legally enter file-swapping services to block users from trading copyrighted files. Claiming to be "a big fan of [peer-to-peer] networks and the technology behind them," several state representatives i...

After suffering a series of security flaws that have shaken customer confidence, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has taken to e-mail to reassure customers that Microsoft has heavily invested in its "Trustworthy Computing" initiative and is on track to ensure the security of its products. Writing to...

Spending on Web security is expected to triple in the next four years, according to a new report released by research firm IDC. The report predicted that Web security spending will increase 60.5 percent annually to nearly $700 million by 2006, compared with just $65 million in 2001. "The Web pres...

The Federal Communications Commission has cleared the way for telephone companies to share customer data with associates that hawk communications services -- without first seeking customer consent. FCC Chairman Michael Powell defended the decision, but it was denounced by FCC Commissioner Mich...

In the few years since the Internet has become an important venue for commerce, communications and entertainment, cybercops have tried to impose a variety of rules, regulations and guidelines to protect the interests of consumers and businesses. Unfortunately, however, no mechanism yet exists to ...

In a preemptive strike against hackers, Microsoft has posted advisories on TechNet about newly discovered security vulnerabilities in the company's SQL Server software and three of its operating systems. "I think the main problem with Microsoft, and with them trying to protect Windows, is that it...

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has taken aim at the growing amount of spam plaguing New York consumers by filing suit against online marketing company MonsterHut and two of its executives. The suit accuses the company of misrepresenting its e-mail marketing service as an opt-in offering.

Numerous products and services are now available to shield consumers and businesses from the ever-increasing barrage of spam. But experts warn that if users are not careful, they could end up blocking some e-mail that they actually want. "What's spam to you could be useful company information to ...

More than 40 percent of all reported Internet fraud complaints stemmed from online auctions in 2001, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a report covering complaints received during the year. But auction fraud cost an average of just $400, compared with a $5,000 average loss from a scam i...

With new threats constantly cropping up -- ranging from hacking threats to new viruses and identity thievery -- the number of security companies getting into the game also has been rising steadily. "There are so many things to look into, because there are so many areas for vulnerability," Giga In...