Focus On: Security

After a year of testing, French virus experts have concluded that Microsoft Office is less dangerous than its competitor, OpenOffice. In the short term, this is great news for Microsoft... outside of Europe. More anti-open source FUD will delay some planned migrations. Longer term, OpenOffice will benefit, as France and Germany pour resources into securing the product they now rely upon. The race is, as they say, afoot.

Millions of vets' necks were laid on the chopping block on the third of May, when a hard disk containing their Social Security numbers was stolen from a VA employee's home. Over the next two weeks, a dozen officials of Veterans Affairs found out, yet nobody got around to telling the vets so they could start protecting their bank accounts and credit records. The reasons why are revealing.

A security hacker is unleashing an exploit every day this month. HD Moore claims he's doing it to highlight the fecklessness of browser security, but admits that he also wants to draw attention to his new blog. While both might be noble goals, IT managers scrambling to protect end-points left vulnerable by Moore's publicity initiative may be forgiven if they aren't impressed.

Since a contractor used an FBI agent's password and ancient off-the-web utilities to repeatedly crack the Bureau's network, people are starting to ask questions. Problem is, they're the wrong questions. After blowing $581 million on its failed Trilogy IT boondoggle, the FBI re-badged it, then re-sold it to Congress for another $500 million. Unfortunately, the Inspector General's report shows that the "lack of people who know what they're doing" persists. Does J. Edgar Hoover's old team have the minimal competence required to protect itself in the Internet age?

Microsoft's new push into anti-virus, anti-spyware and security looks great on paper. But many are wondering how it will play out in the trenches. After auditing anti-virus offerings in one Midwestern metro area, Email Battles found that Symantec dominates display space in big box retailers across the board. Nevertheless, there is plenty of space available for the new software line, although somebody won't like it.