Clips / Computerworld

Know Thy Users
Identity management can mean just about anything relating to user access: single sign-on, provisioning, directory services, user administration or Web-based access management, to name a few. Here are strategies for making the right choices.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 14, 2003

Whitfield Diffie, Jim Bidzos and Bruce Schneier
Interviews with three cryptographers, Whitfield Diffie, Jim Bidzos and Bruce Schneier, whose influence on cryptography set in motion the security of electronic transactions today.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 30, 2002

More Than a Game
Transportation, energy and other critical infrastructure companies are stepping up their participation in cyberattack exercises as a means of preparing for a terrorist-related disaster.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 9, 2002

The Annual Checkup
Automated assessment tolls and application services are no substitute for a security audit by trained security staff. Here's a list of areas to check in an annual audit.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 9, 2002

Wanted: A clear view of vulnerability
False positives and an overwhelming flood of information leave companies yearning for less confusing ways to assess their vulnerabilties.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 9, 2002

Crafting a Response Plan
A chief security officer offers some advice on preparing a cyberdefense plan.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 9, 2002

Picking a Winner
The managed security services market is a volatile one. Choosing the right vendor is critical. Here's how to go about it.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 12, 2002

Choosing The Best Security Guards
With thousands of potential security audit events coming at them, IT departments can't possibly sort, prioritize and act on them all in a timely fashion. Enter the managed security service provider, which can lighten this load.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 12, 2002

Symantec and Network Associates reveal security management agendas
Network Associates President Gene Hodges and Symantec President John Schwartz discuss their companies' strategies.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 12, 2002

From arms violations to gathering dust: The strange history of PGP
The history of Pretty Good Privacy could come to an end if the code doesn't find a new home and support from users and vendors.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 22, 2002

PGP on shaky ground
Pretty Good Privacy or PGP gained cult status in the early '90s, and was welcomed by the tech community for its promise in securing business to business communications. Then, Network Associates decided to pull the plug on it.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 22, 2002

Denying Network Service
Denial of service is a form of attack in which a network server is overloaded by thousands of false communications and/or requests for services originating from programs in one or more outside computers. Ultimately, the network receives so many queries that it can't keep up with them and is thus unavailable to ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 15, 2002

Maximum Security Returns
Like every other kind of IT investment, security projects must demonstrate their business value. Here's a step-by-step guide to cutting costs and getting the greatest returns.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 15, 2002

Getting the best bang for your security buck
Here are a half-dozen tips for stretching tight security budgets, plus a list of additional resources that can be found on the Web.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 15, 2002

More on steganography
A sampling of available resources on steganography and digital watermarking.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 10, 2002

By Any Other Name ...
Executives with titles other than chief security officer also bear heavy responsibility for information security. Here's a rundown on what they do, what they earn and to whom they report.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 10, 2002

Steganography: Hidden Data
Steganography is the hiding of information within a more obvious kind of communication. Although not widely used, digital steganography involves the hiding of data inside a sound or image file. Steganalysis is the process of detecting steganography by looking at variances between bit patterns and unusually large ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 10, 2002

Chief (in)security officer
New corporate pressures are putting the onus on security executives to prove the effectiveness of their programs. But they still lack the resources and power to be truly effective in their mission.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 10, 2002

Counterpane Internet Security Inc.
Proving return on security spending is difficult, but Counterpane Internet Security Inc.'s security monitoring services are sure to catch any business manager's attention by slashing costs and preventing intrusions.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 10, 2002

Clarke warns educators about need for better security
President Bush's cybersecurity czar called on colleges and universities to beef up their own IT security and broaden the kinds of security courses offered to students.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 5, 2002

Security Under the Gun
Despite expectations of a boom in IT security spending, many in the field are finding that in-house demands are rising but budgets aren't.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 3, 2002

Where the Jobs Are
Here's a rundown of the top industries and types of companies that are hungry for IT security professionals, and the types of skill sets they're seeking.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 3, 2002

Where to Look for Security Jobs
Here's a list of links for IT security professionals to visit to find out more information about job opportunities in this discipline.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 3, 2002

Ask the Right Questions
A security professional gives advice on how to evaluate workflow as you consider provisioning technologies.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 29, 2002

Controlled Access
Provisioning technologies automatically set up new user accounts into the applications employees need to do their jobs and automate de-provisioning, or blocking users from resources after they quit or no longer need them. The result is a streamlined operation and increased security, but deployment can be a nightmare.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 29, 2002

Be Prepared: Laying the Groundwork for Provisioning
Companies need to first evaluate the politics and processes of their organizations before starting a provisioning project.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 29, 2002

Credibility Through Invisibility
A look at Nancy J. Wong, deputy director of National Outreach and Awareness at the U.S. Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, who had to battle through attacks on both fronts to bring the public and private sector together on security issues.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 8, 2002

The Security Sentinels
Here are the stories of three trailblazers who helped shape computer security and forensics practices used throughout law, government and the private sector.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 8, 2002

Backgrounder on Steel Magnolias
Learn more about IT security pioneers Dorothy Denning, Raemarie Schmidt, Nancy Wong and Martha Stansell-Gamm.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 8, 2002

Watch those partner links
Steps to take to make sure your partners' testimonials and links to your Web site aren't giving your competitors too much information.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

Employee use policy
Steps that companies should take to prevent employees from leaking sensitive corporate information in chat rooms and other public forums.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

Copycats that drive traffic
Experts say if your copyright is being violated online, it's worth it to fight back if fraud is involved.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

Guarding the Gates
Companies post way too much information about themselves and their employees on the Web. Find out what steps you can take to prevent your intellectual property from being snared by competitors.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

Handle With Care
Executives throughout your company should be aware of the information posted on your Web site.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

Tools of the trade
A look at some of the tools available to conduct competitive intelligence searches.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

Lawsuits Highlight PayPal's Growing Pains
Online payment processor PayPal faces two class-action law suits and user complaints over customer service and antifraud systems.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

PayPal's Risks and Potential Rewards
In PayPal's 156-page filing for an IPO in February, the company named several possible liability risks but pointed out many potential benefits as well.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

Market Pioneer PayPal Must Deal With Disgruntled Users
Online payment processor PayPal is growing at a rapid rate in a market where few have dared to go, and customers feel they're paying for the speed of the company's expansion.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 1, 2002

Scam Alert!
Watch out for illegal college degree mills that offer diplomas for money.
Computerworld | Feature Article | March 11, 2002

Slow Economy Spurs Quick Degrees
A growing number of working students are turning to regionally accredited universities that accept prior college credits and apply technical and business certifications and workplace experience toward degrees.
Computerworld | Feature Article | March 11, 2002

RSA unveils security product for wireless devices
The move represents the first time RSA has introduced a security product for Palm handheld devices. RSA's plan is to make Palm-based Internet applications easier to develop by offering hooks directly into the operating system.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 22, 2002

Breaking the Law to Drive Web Traffic
Some Web site operators are using corporate logos and the likenesses of famous people to drive traffic. How to fight it? Complain to the ISP or hosting service that supports such sites, or call the FBI.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 22, 2002

RSA: Vendors showcase new security tools
Consolidation and integration tools in such areas as perimeter security and network assessment were prevalent at the RSA security conference.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 20, 2002

Microsoft Taps Former DOJ Cybercop
Computerworld has learned that Microsoft Corp. plans to name Scott Charney, the former chief of computer crime at the U.S. Department of Justice and a partner at New York-based PricewaterhouseCoopers, as its new chief security strategist.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 4, 2002

Microsoft taps former DOJ cybercop for top security slot
Microsoft has named Scott Charney, the former chief of computer crime at the U.S. Department of Justice and a partner at New York-based PricewaterhouseCoopers, as its new chief security strategist. He begins his new job April 1.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 31, 2002

Identity Management Software Tries to Fill Gaps in Directory Services
The Holy Grail of authentication is directory services that store user account information such as passwords and biometrics.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 21, 2002

Beyond Passwords
Passwords aren't the only game in town anymore when it comes to network user authentication. The smart card and token, and biometrics markets are already heating up.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 21, 2002

Integration Challenges
Integration of authentication schemes and back-end directories isn't always easy.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 21, 2002

Forensics training resources
Links to Web sites featuring forensic training resources.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 14, 2002

Job Watch
A look at opportunities in digital forensics/incident response and the skills required for jobs in these fields.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 14, 2002

Cybersleuthing solves the case
Computer forensic investigators use a variety of methods and tools to nab cybercriminals.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 14, 2002

Forensic Detectives
Forensics investigators are playing a growing role in solving systems crimes and are also adding to the bottom line at many companies.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 14, 2002

Forensics Clues
A look at some of the evidence PayPal gathered to nab credit card thieves.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 14, 2002

The Perfect Forensics Candidate
Charles Neal, incident response director at Exodus Communications, gives his criteria for the ideal forensics expert.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 14, 2002

Security Suite Becomes Central Issue
PentaSafe's security tool suite forces employee security awareness and allows security management across operating systems and applications from one console.
Computerworld | Feature Article | December 17, 2001

Cybersecurity Czar Pushes For More Spending on IT Protection
U.S. cybersecurity czar Richard Clarke said last week that cyberattacks on the nation's critical IT infrastructure could potentially cause "catastrophic damage to the economy" and urged more spending on IT infrastructure and security.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 12, 2001

IT Jobs in High Demand
There are job opportunities in the fields of data efficiency and networking, despite the slow economy. Here's a list of the types of positions that employers are trying to fill, along with typical salaries and skills requirements.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 12, 2001

Hot Skills for a Cold Market
Hiring of IT professionals is drying up at many companies, but as Paul Raines, head of risk management at Barclay's Capital notes, there are some skills that are still in high demand
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 12, 2001

Cybersecurity czar urges more spending to protect IT infrastructure
Speaking at the Trusted Computing Conference, U.S. cybersecurity czar Richard Clarke defended the proposed GovNet project, which would build a closed-loop government network that's isolated from the Internet.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 8, 2001

Volatile States
If you've been asked to set up a network in Russia, China or the Middle East, be aware of the 'gotchas' that could stymie your efforts, such as hactivism, internal espionage and embezzlement.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 22, 2001

Windows XP: Is it safe?
With the release of Windows XP, Microsoft may finally be getting serious about security. But are the changes enough?
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 22, 2001

The Keys to XP Security
STANDARD XP SECURITY FEATURES:
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 22, 2001

Data Warehouse Defined
Stefan Jon Silverman, president of SJS Associates NA, a technology strategy consultancy in San Francisco, offers the following outline of the characteristics that define a data warehouse.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 9, 2001

If Your Warehouse Is Outsourced
Advice for making sure an outsourced data warehouse is secure.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 9, 2001

IT workers get the call
Many military roles are technology-related, particularly intelligence and security jobs, and the military is selectively calling back a lot of people with specialized IT skills.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 5, 2001

Security Ambassadors
At American Family Mutual Insurance, information security advisers act as liasons between business units and IT, helping each understand the other's needs when setting up security systems.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 1, 2001

Guarding the data warehouse gate
Rising concerns about privacy mean the security of sensitive information such as medical and financial data and information about children is coming under tighter scrutiny these days.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 1, 2001

Researchers say Nimda set to propagate again
Researchers have discovered a third vector to the Nimda worm, which is set to propagate again through e-mail at 1:00 a.m. Eastern time Friday, not today as earlier reported.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 27, 2001

For security, the wireless WAN beats the wireless LAN
One user finds that a point-to-point wireless WAN between buildings is more secure than a wireless LAN.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 17, 2001

Eavesdropping From the Parking Lot
The same wireless technology that allows mobile employees to work in the conference room allows hackers to work in the parking lot.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 17, 2001

Secrets in the Air
Unsecured wireless equipment is sneaking in the back door of corporate America, which means business secrets are at risk. It's time to have a policy for wireless security.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 17, 2001

XML Survivors
The job market for XML pros has taken a turn for the worse. But IT staffers who have the right business skills in addition to XML expertise should weather the lull nicely.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 10, 2001

Privacy: The Liability Link
With 50-plus privacy-related bills wending their way through Congress, corporations are soon going to have to pay a lot more attention to their liabilities.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 27, 2001

Accepting credit cards over the Web can be a costly business
Online merchants say that the credit card authorization system is stacked against them and rife with fraud.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 3, 2001

At Black Hat, ties seen tightening between hackers, legal officials
At the annual Black Hat Briefings conference this week, hackers, computer security managers and law enforcement officials talked about their respective roles in securing the Internet.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 13, 2001

The Problem With Power
The danger of XML is in its usability. Here is a list of four risks associated with XML along with a list of ways to stave off hostile XML executables.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 9, 2001

Playing By Europe's Rules
A European Cybercrime treaty that's close to being ratified has U.S. IT managers concerned about liability and protection issues.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 9, 2001

Security by Syntax
XML may eventually be a good authentication mechanism, but right now it's just an alphabet soup of protocols.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 9, 2001

Giving Users Back Their Privacy
With Microsoft rolling out new browser-based privacy controls, the P3P standard is bound to get increased attention.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 9, 2001

What Is P3P?
Definition of the new personal privacy standard.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 9, 2001

The Threat of XML
XML unlocks data from many sources for many destinations as no markup language has done before. But it also opens up new security vulnerabilities. Few realize how powerful a force they're letting through the firewall.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 9, 2001

The Guardian
Eduard Telders says the role of the corporate security officer is ideally suited to a renaissance manager who can think about how IT systems open the company to risk of internal embezzlement and fraud, data theft and customer privacy violations
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 9, 2001

XML security guide for programmers
Check out sources that tell you what not to do and where to go for the answers you need.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 6, 2001

Keeping Secrets
Michael Jacobs, the National Security Agency's Information Assurance Director, has made a career out of providing a secure IT infrastructure to his constituents. Here's how he does it - and how any organization can benefit from his initiatives.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 18, 2001

E-Merchant Beware
The rate of credit card fraud over the Internet is three times higher than the rate for all credit card transactions. Merchants need to protect themselves or they can be sunk by credit card criminals.
Computerworld | Opinion Column | June 18, 2001

Computerworld investigates: Giving away their privacy
People are giving away their privacy, including home phone numbers and addresses, in alarming numbers. Many say it isn't a big deal, and that the older generation just doesn't understand.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 7, 2001

Lack of Coverage and ROI Hinders Wireless Growth
Three wireless-savvy IT managers predicted last week that the rollout of wireless applications in the U.S. will continue to be slow for the next few years because of a low return on investment, a lack of wireless coverage in many areas and a lack of standards among the carriers.
Computerworld | Feature Article | May 28, 2001

Premier 100: Lack of coverage, ROI hinder wireless
Panelists who oversaw wireless projects -- some successful, some not -- advise colleagues to start small and look for applications that make business sense.
Computerworld | Feature Article | May 22, 2001

Computerworld Investigates
What happens when the e-mail list you acquire turns out to be more than you bargained for?
Computerworld | Feature Article | May 17, 2001

We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us
For the second time this year, script kiddies using old tactics are bolstering their egos in the name of country. Even as Israeli and Palestinian hackers continue to duke it out in cyberspace, a new conflict between Chinese and American hackers is now under way.
Computerworld | Feature Article | May 14, 2001

Brief: Security vendor to buy Network Ice
Saying the economic climate isn't right to go public but needing new management to keep growing, Network Ice, a privately held maker of desktop intrusion detection systems, agreed to be acquired by security vendor Internet Security Systems.
Computerworld | News Brief | May 4, 2001

Schmoozing in the Valley
Looking to make a splash in Silicon Valley quickly? Hang out where the top tech talent goes. Computerworld's Deborah Radcliff offers a guide to the best places to be seen.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 23, 2001

IP Insecurity
The features that make the Net work are also the ones that sometimes allow hackers to shut parts of it down. Defenses against high-level hacks often don't include filters for simpler attacks.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 16, 2001

Intel's Itanium speeds encryption
Speaking at the RSA Computer Security Conference in San Francisco, an Intel executive said faster processing power will eventually lead to wide use of encryption technologies and that fewer accelerators will be needed.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 12, 2001

Think Like a Crook
Deborah Radcliff gives examples of the rise in Internet crime and offers advice on how to stop it.
Computerworld | Opinion Column | April 9, 2001

Firewalls reach out
Just one employee's unprotected computer can allow stealth attacks into the corporate network. New personal firewalls include management features that can help IT managers plug these holes. But the products are still evolving. Are they worth the investment today?
Computerworld | Feature Article | March 26, 2001

No Laughing Matter
With new regulations and and heightened public awareness, Internet companies are being forced to get serious about security and privacy.
Computerworld | Opinion Column | March 12, 2001

Companies move to combine physical, IT security efforts
A big topic of debate at a cybercrime summit being held this week by the American Society for Industrial Security is the creation of information assurance groups that are responsible for both physical assets and corporate data.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 27, 2001

FTC tracks spammers and fraudsters
The Federal Trade Commission has amassed a 300,000-case database, code-named Sentinel, that holds information about spammers and Internet fraudsters.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 14, 2001

University Computers Remain Hacker Havens
A year ago, hackers launched crippling attacks on commercial Web sites from software placed in unsecured university research computers. Today, those computers are still launching pads for denial-of-service assaults. Dave Dittrich, security expert at the University of Washington, says academics get grants for ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 12, 2001

Stuck in a BIND
The latest buffer-overflow vulnerability in BIND highlights a history of problems with these complicated programs that form the "glue" of the Web.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 12, 2001

Calculating E-Risk
Corporations are aware of some of the risks of e-business. But they're only beginning to discover ways to measure those risks.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 12, 2001

InfoWar Games
Can an orchestrated cyberattack wreak havoc throughout the nation's information infrastructure? The federal government isn't taking any chances, and it wants the private sector to prepare for battle.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 22, 2001

The Info Warrior
Major Marcus Sachs is a member of this country's advance guard in the new field of battle known as information warfare. It's a role that requires top technology skills combined with a thorough understanding of military strategy and history.

Computerworld | Feature Article | January 22, 2001

Stop the Spammers
In this Hack of the Month column, Deborah Radcliff gives advice on how to stop spammers from clogging e-mail inboxes and wasting IT staff time at your company.
Computerworld | Opinion Column | January 8, 2001

Pick Your Security Officer's Brain
Distributed denial-of-service attacks, self-replicating e-mail viruses, electronic security insurance, outsourcing: These are just a few of the myriad issues that landed on your information security manager's watch list last year. And even more are expected to arrive in 2001. We polled 35 security vice presidents ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 1, 2001

Trading Nets Give Exchanges A Run for Their Money
It's a classic case of cutting out the middlemen: The new wave of electronic communications networks replaced the market makers on stock-trading floors with subsecond online transactions - and took a chunk of business from the traditional stock exchanges. But now the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | December 18, 2000

Virus Vigilance
A year after the well-publicized spate of viruses raced through the cyberworld, variants of the bugs are still turning up in e-mail in-boxes.
Computerworld | Opinion Column | December 11, 2000

Privacy policies, tools fluster gathering of info-sec specialists
A Microsoft-sponsored meeting yielded little agreement between attendees on guidelines for dealing with information security issues, but the software vendor did announce two new privacy products.
Computerworld | Feature Article | December 8, 2000

Sizing Up Security Services
Do large security services firms or small consultancies deliver the best results? It depends on your needs, users say. Marriott International's Jerry Dixon says the Big Five sometimes act as resellers for specific products, and that bias may not serve his company well.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 27, 2000

Take caution this holiday season
As online retailers gear up for the shopping season, it's important that they shore up site defenses against hacker attacks, fraud and other threats.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 13, 2000

Should You Strike Back?
Experts say the first shots have already been fired in an all-out information war but that relying upon laws to protect your organization may not be enough. Some companies are fighting back with their own style of online vigilantism.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 13, 2000

Keeping Secrets
Mark Lawrence is a rarity in IT - one of a handful of IT professionals holding the title of chief privacy officer. The job is a new one, and one usually held by someone from the legal side. But that's changing, as new privacy regulations affect the storage and handling of customer data.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 13, 2000

Overcoming Software Volatilities
Thinking of installing new software on your network? Take it from the pros: No new commercial program is entirely risk-free. Don't buy anything without an extensive evaluation. And if you can't afford to test the product, check with those who have.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 13, 2000

The ABCs of security team building
Building a good security team means grabbing candidates wherever you can find them. A seminar at recent SANS conference offered a few tips on where to look and what to look for.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 25, 2000

Meet the 'Hactivist'
Take a walk into the underground world of a group of computer hackers. They work in IT by day and fight for cyberfreedoms by night. They're also being called today's version of the '60s counterculture. Computerworld's Deborah Radcliff accepted their invitation to see what they're all about.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 16, 2000

Don't overreact
Hard-line security policies made in reaction to the threat of viruses and Trojan horses can eliminate the use of valuable productivity tools.
Computerworld | Opinion Column | October 9, 2000

Wanted: Security Superman
Finding the right person to oversee an organization's information security efforts can take extra time, money and salesmanship. Pete van de Gohm at Enron Energy Services says he looks for work that offers new opportunities.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 25, 2000

Wireless at risk
The next malicious software on the horizon is likely to attack wireless devices, says Computerworld security specialist Deborah Radcliff. Any device that can be programmed can be hacked, she writes.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 11, 2000

Authorization Management Tools Emerge
Authorization management software tools go beyond simply validating Web-based users to control the level of access users receive within an application. These automated products work well for new projects, but often require substantial work to integrate with legacy applications. New standards may ease the pain.

Computerworld | Feature Article | September 11, 2000

The government wants to know: How do you handle security?
Deborah Radcliff reports that the CIAO is reaching out to IT leaders and is asking them a series of questions about the state of security at their companies. The presidential commission has been meeting with leaders around the country and most recently held a conference in California.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 30, 2000

Got Cyber Insurance?
Few companies seem to know that they can insure themselves against Web shenanigans. Part of the problem is that insurers themselves are just waking up to technology's impact on business liability. Here's how to better protect your firm.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 21, 2000

Secure With Your Security Pros
The growing demand for security professionals is fueling a number of new security skills certifications. Here's a look at the new certifications, their cost and what they'll do for you.

Computerworld | Feature Article | August 21, 2000

Fighting hacks
After Microsoft issued a fix for a security flaw in its Access database, Anchorsign CIO Timothy Mullen found a flaw in the work-around itself. He contacted Microsoft and found a way to turn the vulnerability against itself. 65

Computerworld | Feature Article | August 7, 2000

Diary of An Online Job Seeker
The Internet can quickly open up a wide world of job opportunities, and abusive technical recruiters, to the online job seeker. Consider the recent experiences of Brad Martin, who learned quickly why the Net isn't the recruiting promised land
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 7, 2000

The security community learns how to schmooze like the mainstream
PHILADELPHIA -- The CERT Coordination Center at Carnegie Mellon University here has long had the ear of Congress in matters of computer information security, but last Wednesday was a first in terms of CERT's politicking -- it held a good old-fashion cocktail party at a national convention.
Computerworld | News Article | August 4, 2000

HOPE 2000 hackfest hits New York
Yuppie techies mix with rebels; Cult of the Dead Cow's Sir Dystic reveals a NetBIOS decoder that can trick a machine's NetBIOS name service into thinking its name is already in use, blocking the real machine from getting onto a network. Deborah Radcliff reports.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 21, 2000

Napster gaffes
Last week's Hack of the Month on security vulnerabilities in Napster missed some important points, but the music trading program can still pose a security threat. Deborah Radcliff makes the mea culpas and clarifications.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 17, 2000

First Line Of Defense
Job Watch: Paul Raines knows IT security. First, it was handling the launch keys for Minute Man missiles. Then, responsibility for the Air Force command and control communications. Now, he's chief security officer at the New York Federal Reserve Board.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 14, 2000

Napster trap
All those Napster-using employees in your company aren't just wasting time listening to music. They could be exposing corporate systems to a program that can disguise any files as MP3 files and download them without anybody knowing it.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 10, 2000

Security, the Way It Should Be
Today, security is often slapped on as an afterthought. But there's a better way: Build systems with security in mind at the outset. "The vast majority of network plumbing gear in use today is misconfigured," says Stefan Jon Silverman, a security expert at Scient Corp.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 10, 2000

The Cyber-Mod Squad Sets Out After Crackers
Mission Impossible? Not quite. A Secret Service unit nabs cybercriminals with help from corporate IT.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 19, 2000

Quality Cops
The quality assurance manager is responsible for the success or failure of mission-critical information technology systems -- and sometimes life-critical systems. This is no job for the faint of heart.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 12, 2000

Domain name game
It's almost frighteningly easy for a hacker to steal your domain name, especially if the company which registers your domain allows online ownership changes. One way to protect yourself: Use a registrar which requires phone or paper-based confirmation of ownership changes.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 12, 2000

In Search of Cyberlawyers
Despite the explosion in e-commerce, there aren't enough lawyers expert in the ways of the Internet to advise IT managers on thorny legal issues.
Computerworld | Feature Article | May 20, 2000

Finding That Elusive Chemistry
Premier IT Leaders say the "perfect IT hire" is smart, flexible, willing to learn and fits the company culture. And finding this person is more art than science.
Computerworld | Feature Article | May 8, 2000

E-Strategists
Scott Banister turned an active imagination into a lucrative career as an e-commerce strategist, attracting Microsoft's attention among others.

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 8, 2000

Cobol-to-Web Translation Tools and Services
The third sidebar to security story

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 1, 2000

Security Alert: Moving Cobol to the Web - Safely
As companies have a need to make information from secure mainframes available on the Internet, they are developing a variety of strategies to deal with their new security risks.
Computerworld | Feature Article | May 1, 2000

Digital Signatures
Webster's defines a signature as "the name of a person written with his own hand."
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 10, 2000

Aligning Marriott
By erasing the lines between business and IT, Marriott International has embraced what analysts say will be the key to competitive edge in the 21st century.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 10, 2000

The Real Deal
Data Integrity - The recipient can tell if the data's been tampered with.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 10, 2000

Signing Off in Cyberspace
Business rules
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 10, 2000

Honor thy customers' cards
Denial of service attacks have been getting a lot of attention lately. But meantime, you need to be protecting your systems from credit card theft. Contributing Editor Deborah Radcliff reports on some tough lessons learned.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 10, 2000

Mustering Out
The most common private-sector IT jobs for military vets:
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 10, 2000

Post-Military Maneuvers
Not surprisingly, recent and soon-to-be military veterans with information technology experience are finding the private sector quite lucrative.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 10, 2000

The Web's Master Builders
If you've worked through the paradigm from back-office implementations to Web development and thrown in some project management and business process flow skills, then you may be ripe for a job as an Internet architect -- a lucrative new profession that's earning some as much as $125,000 per year.
Computerworld | Feature Article | March 13, 2000

Fighting the flood
There's no perfect way to protect yourself against a denial-of-service attack (or from unwittingly aiding such an attack.) But some common-sense measures can give you some protection, or at least blunt the impact.
Computerworld | Feature Article | March 6, 2000

Hunting Hackers: How to Fight Back
In police work, sometimes the longest journeys end with the shortest trips. That's what happened to Brian Koref, who spent months at the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) tracking down a pair of Swedish hackers who invaded U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, NASA and other military systems, helping ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 14, 2000

Guardians of your Web security
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 14, 2000

Hunting hackers: How to fight back
As military security gets more effective, it filters out to private sector.
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 11, 2000

Cover your SNMP
Deborah Radcliff/Hack of the Month
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 7, 2000

The Web Meets the Call Center
Companies are moving toward integrating their e-commerce operations with the way they deal with customers over the phone.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 24, 2000

Tales from Boot Camp
Technology training boot camps aren't what they used to be. No longer targeted to the technologically naive, they now shoot for the well-trained IT veteran, with enough prerequisites to almost guarantee your success.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 24, 2000

Vigilante Group Targets Child Pornography Sites
Condemned.org defies legal channels and takes down sites while most law enforcement agencies turn a blind eye.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 17, 2000

Strategist of the Net
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 10, 2000

Y2K's real lessons
The extraordinary attention we paid to security during the year 2000 rollover seems to have scared hackers off, writes Deborah Radcliff. Imagine if we were this careful all the time.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 10, 2000

Vigilante group targets child porn sites
Condemned.org defies legal channels and takes down sites while most law enforcement agencies turn a blind eye.
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 7, 2000

Keep Hackers Out of Your Web Site
Hal Pomeranz sees it all the time: A corporate Web site gets hacked and the business manager calls him to fix it. "The dot-com companies are so busy building a Web infrastructure that security is just an afterthought," says the San Francisco-based information security consultant, who specializes in Internet start ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | January 3, 2000

Evil-code-fix myth
Though Trojan horses hidden in Y2K remediation code are possible, they are extremely unlikely. It is difficult to hide Trojans in Y2K code because the Trojan program would have to be broken up, making it easier to locate the code.
Computerworld | Feature Article | December 13, 1999

Three Industries, Three Security Needs
If your goal is to boost protection of your company's data, first you must know the security problems in your industry.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 29, 1999

'Standard' security is different for every industry
Finance sites worry about data integrity, entertainers worry about piracy, others have their specific concerns.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 23, 1999

Hot Spots
Becton, Dickinson and Co., a $3.1 billion global health services and products company in Franklin Lakes, N.J., is looking for a few good consultants to help with its SAP rollout.
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 15, 1999

The Pay Ain't Enough
Bernie Chandler has more than 20 years of information technology experience under his belt. But for all his experience, he's still earning $17,000 less than his senior systems analyst peers with less experience. Back in 1978, Chandler dumped his career in production control for technology work, but even then, he ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | November 1, 1999

Power Struggle
Size matters in today's deregulating energy industry. At stake is a domestic consumption that amounted to $515.8 billion in 1995, according to the Energy Information Administration in Washington, an information-gathering arm of the Department of Energy.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 25, 1999

Crackers Subvert Servers To Map Web Weak Spots
In a giant leap in attack technology, crackers, possibly from Russia, are mapping the Internet. The fact they use victim's own machines to scan the Web for other vulnerable systems has security experts worried.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 18, 1999

The Hacker in All of Us
"How do you spell pillage?" asks Fred Norwood, manager of information infrastructure technology at El Paso Energy Corp. in Houston.
Computerworld | Feature Article | October 11, 1999

Common Security Standards At Last?
Do you trust vendors and the government to set standards for security products? Or will they further muddle the picture for IT customers?
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 20, 1999

The Making of a Standard
How Common Criteria works: The government issues a protection profile, much the way large-volume customers issue a request for comment or a request for quote. If a vendor wants this high-volume business, it submits its tool for testing against that profile.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 20, 1999

Your PC may be tapped
If you're finding user-installed cameras and/or microphones on Windows NT machines in your enterprise, be afraid. For the past four months, U.S. Army special agents have been showing their commanding officers how to turn microphones and cameras into remote spying devices.
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 20, 1999

Job seekers' best bets
RM is hot. ERP is not. Web page developers are out. Web architects are in. Keeping abreast of the hottest skills sought by information technology employers isn't easy. That's why Computerworld recently spoke with several technical recruiters to determine just which skills are most in demand heading into the next ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | September 13, 1999

Back-to-School.com
As Gene Schulis and his wife were shopping for their son's school supplies in the summer of 1991, a little girl staged a hissy fit right in front of them. Her mom couldn't find the purple folder the girl wanted.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 23, 1999

Hack of the Month: Vendor Defaults Open Doors to Invasions
Corporate networks and cable modem users could be sharing their messages with snoops or losing them altogether to denial-of-service attacks, thanks to a default configuration in Windows and Solaris machines, according to an advisory posted earlier this month by L0pht Heavy Industries.Understanding the hack ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 23, 1999

Taking a byte out of crime
At 17, Rob Clyde liked to play a remote Star Trek game with his buddies who were spread out across the country. To win the game, he wrote a program called "CONTRL," which allowed him to monitor his opponents' computers from afar.
Computerworld | Feature Article | August 9, 1999

Complacency Leads To E-Mail Hacks
Recently, about 40 desktop e-mail applications started acting up at an East Coast telecommunications company. Then the company's mail server ground to a halt. The company called Mike Young, a network security consultant at Thorne Securities, the information security arm of DataStaff Inc., a Schaumburg, Ill., job ...
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 19, 1999

Vendors Post Back Orifice Antidotes
Security software vendors last week claimed to have developed antidotes to the Back Orifice 2000 (BO2K) Trojan horse, which allows attackers to remotely access Windows-based PCs. But the program's ability to change attack signatures may foil efforts to detect it, according to hackers who developed it.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 19, 1999

Antivirus vendors post Back Orifice 2000 antidotes
But hackers who developed the exploit say their polymorphic Trojan Horse will defeat software protection.
Computerworld | Feature Article | July 14, 1999

The high cost of a high-tech education
Peggy Canty lost her $7.50-per-hour job as manufacturing line leader five years ago when her company downsized. So she moved from Georgia to California with her 3-year-old son to start a new career. "But every job I came up with was technology-based," she says. "I realized I had to go back to college."
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 28, 1999

Getting Down to Business
The overwhelming majority of employers say technologists with business skills are the most desired, according to a recent Meta Group study of 400 companies.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 28, 1999

What Makes IT 'Stars' Shine?
Resource-swallowing projects like data warehouses can strike fear in the hearts of even the most seasoned project managers. But not Don Stoller, director of decision-support services at Owens & Minor Inc., a $3 billion hospital supply distributor in Glenn Allen, Va.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 14, 1999

Linux Hack Flies Below Intrusion-Detection Radar
About six weeks ago, I got a call from Gerry Zepp, a former National Security Agency information systems security officer who is now an intrusion-detection analyst at an East Coast Internet service provider.
Computerworld | Feature Article | June 14, 1999

Getting It Together
Staying focused is one of the most fundamental work habits of a star performer, according to Robert E. Kelley, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and author of How to Be a Star at Work.

Computerworld | Feature Article | June 14, 1999

Going for the gold
Last year, "Candy," a programming manager at an East Coast manufacturing company, knew full well she was earning $15,000 less than her male counterpart. She also knew that other women were underpaid at the company. She processed the company payroll.

Computerworld | Feature Article | June 7, 1999

Higher Pay for Senior Female Workers
Women in top technology echelons are making more equitable pay than those in mid- and low-level jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that female systems scientists have nearly caught up with their male counterparts, earning 89.4% of what men earn.

Computerworld | Feature Article | June 7, 1999

Building a better service-level agreement
Two years ago, Naomi Karten did consulting work for a bank. Her job: Figure out why its initial information technology service-level agreement (SLA) had been so ineffective.

Computerworld | Feature Article | June 7, 1999

Russian New Year Article Sparks E-Mail
Thanks to all of you for a most excellent technical education. My article "Russian New Year's Diabolical Twist" CW, May 10 set off such response that I had to follow up.

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 24, 1999

A cry for privacy
The issue of privacy both polarizes and unifies government, cyberactivists, businesses and consumers. "Privacy is something that Americans respond to very emotionally," says industry analyst Jim Balderson at Zona Research Inc. in Redwood City, Calif.

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 17, 1999

Russian New Year's Diabolical Twist
"Suppose it's possible to send an e-mail containing a hidden construct," said an information security director. "And when the user opens that e-mail, the construct will run without the user ever knowing anything."

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 10, 1999

All Work Nets No Play
Tedious work, long hours and average pay. That pretty much sums up the job of a networking professional.

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 3, 1999

Trusting the Net
When Netware International Bank guaranteed 20% interest on savings and near-prime loans, the North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks started getting inquiries. Lots of them. A little research proved that Internet bank was no bank at all. It had no license. No recognition by any regulatory agency. And ...

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 3, 1999

'CIH' Virus Dangerous, But Easy to Avoid
Late last year, network administrators at Lockheed Martin Corp. were hammered with calls from users in an 8,000-node subnetwork.

Computerworld | Feature Article | April 5, 1999

How to make your buildings Y2K OK
David Tucker feels like a fish out of water. As CIO at the 27-facility Seton Healthcare Network, in Austin, Texas, he says he knows little about building-control systems. But he's learning.

Computerworld | Feature Article | March 29, 1999

Elevator Maker: No big plunges on New Year's Day
When the year 2000 rolls around, elevators won't go screaming down their shafts, even if a date-sensitive controller gets overlooked.

Computerworld | Feature Article | March 29, 1999

Silicon Silliness

Computerworld | Feature Article | March 22, 1999

Keep your code clean
You've fixed your year 2000 problem and everything's going smoothly. Then it happens: Payroll shuts down. Or worse, your accounts receivable software can't process invoices.

Computerworld | Feature Article | March 1, 1999

Nothing Could Be Finer . . .
Keith Wood went back to school and snagged a $35,000 help desk position at one of the largest area law firms after only three semesters at Forsythe Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Computerworld | Feature Article | February 15, 1999

Bogus Bargain Boxes?
When Jason Foster took over systems development at ASD Catalogs last year, he inherited a mishmash of more than 200 clone PCs. Since then, he has hassled with inconsistent componentry, poor serviceability and frequent system crashes, all of which take a serious toll on productivity.

Computerworld | Feature Article | February 8, 1999

The Gimmes
Hewitt and Associates LLC pays 70% less for replacement PCs today than it did three years ago. Ernst & Young spends half what it did four years ago for high-end PCs. And they're getting better service, along with four times the speed and hard-disk space.

Computerworld | Feature Article | February 8, 1999

Champions of Women in Technology
When Shelley Hayes, fresh computer science degree in hand, landed her first IT job, she wound up answering phones. That's where the company's owner thought women belonged.

Computerworld | Feature Article | January 18, 1999

Paths to a Better Deal
Kevin Meyd knows how to shop. When he prepares to make a big technology purchase for his company, Baltimore-based mutual funds company T. Rowe PriceInvestment Services Inc., he looks for hungry vendors -- those whose financial performances need alittle boost.

Computerworld | Feature Article | January 11, 1999

Busted!
I was a welfare fraud. I tried to cheat the system. But the system fingered me -- and I've got the rap sheet to prove it.

Computerworld | Feature Article | December 14, 1998

The Price of Web Pizzazz
Six months ago, Mr. Jelly Belly, a red and friendly fellow, couldn't bat an eye. Today, he twirls and leaps like a jumping bean as he guides visitors through the Web site of Fairfield, Calif., candy maker Herman Goelitz Inc.

Computerworld | Feature Article | November 23, 1998

1998 Skills Survey: Matches Made in Heaven
IT managers can't hire enough needed skills. IT professionals are desperate to learn new tricks. All of this attention to training is leading to matches made in heaven.

Computerworld | Careers Feature | November 16, 1998

IT security opportunities: The hackers among us
Faced with a shortage of experienced security pros, many IT managers find they have nowhere else to turnThough he acknowledges the shortage of network security sharpshooters, Rob Clyde, co-founder of $100 million security software and consulting vendor Axent Technologies, Inc. in Rockville Md., says hiring ...

Computerworld | Feature Article | October 5, 1998

IT security opportunities: Sleeping with the enemy
Fred Villella has that hollow, hopeless look of a father trying to rein in a bunch of unruly teen-agers. Villella, former secretary to the national security adviser and founder of New Dimensions, Inc. in Cardiff, Calif., hires hackers to teach information security courses to cops, agents and private-sector ...

Computerworld | Feature Article | October 5, 1998

Cybercop boot camp
El Nino gave California a break overnight, pushing the mercury to a suffocating 99 degrees Fahrenheit and rousting a storm of fat, window-splattering insects along Route 50 to Sacramento. Here, at the headquarters of SEARCH Group, 17 shorts-clad officers of the law had traded their guns for PCs for two weeks in ...

Computerworld | Feature Article | September 7, 1998

Uneasy partners
In February, the information systems department at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, Calif., learned that child pornography was being stored on a server somewhere on campus.

Computerworld | Feature Article | August 17, 1998

Don't forget the guard

Computerworld | Feature Article | June 22, 1998

Click here for gas
Click here for gas

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 11, 1998

The deregulation shuffle
Itýs monday morning. More than 200 wet-behind-the-ears sales representatives for PG&E Energy Services are on the road hard-selling natural gas, billing and metering services, efficiency evaluations and voltage upgrades to businesses and consumers.

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 11, 1998

The undesktop
Shuttle-bus drivers use wireless computers to precheck car-rental customers while lot attendants scan return data directly into reservations computers.

Computerworld | Feature Article | May 4, 1998

Rebel rebel
It's a sticky day in Manila, 1976. A swell of protesting students lurches toward the Malacanang presidential palace, crying out against four years of martial law. But they never reach the palace. Ferdinand Marcos' military forces block the protesters' way with tear gas, batons and water cannons.
Computerworld | Feature Article | April 6, 1998

Power play
When you enter the California Independent System Operator's (Cal-ISO) unmarked facility, located in the oak-studded hills above Folsom, Calif., it's obvious that this is an organization thrown together in a hurry. A shabby desk is the only piece of furniture in the front lobby. Unopened IBM crates are stacked in ...

Computerworld | Feature Article | March 16, 1998

Target: NT
When we reach Nock Nock, we pass between two Philco-era black-and-whites. "Shame" by Evelyn "Champagne" King plays from tinny overhead speakers. Once inside, our pupils madly dilate as we try to ca
Computerworld | Feature Article | February 2, 1998