Forewarned is Forearmed

Or... A Patch in Time Saves Nine! No joke. The current online environment actually breeds and rewards, in some interesting ways, those who create and distribute malicious code. It is interesting to note that some big players in the Infomation Technology Industry have chosen to reward people who have caused the biggest grief. These people (not uncommonly teenagers) get notoriety for pulling what amounts to a huge practical joke. The viruses they unleash opon the internet cause companies to scramble to patch servers, close security holes and in the process generate huge losses of productivity. Internet Security Providers in turn hire these "Young Guns" to help assess and create protection from others who are doing the same thing. Where the whole thing goes full circle is when a young computer "geek" figures to him/herself "This is how I will get one of those six-figure jobs" and goes ahead and starts the whole sequence to begin anew.

 

The rest of us, while just trying to get tasks accomplished need to now become "Security Guards" ourselves, at least in terms of our own systems, and we need to hire (purchase) protection from the very folks that are emplying the scoundrells. If all this makes you want to go back to a typewriter or better still, a pad and pencil you are probably not alone in that desire.

 

Otherwise, your best line of defence seems to be a strong, strategic and constant offensive. Be prepared to stay ever-vigilant and informed of what latest, greatest spooky threat is coming to get you and your data. 

 

With this in mind, this page is a good place to check the newest and ongoing threats that are "In The Wild" and to check your protection levels against them.