Security news
Security news16 September 1998
'Lewinsky' viruses threaten as Net guards go down
Inexperienced Net users most at risk.
Sophos is warning IT managers about the potential risks of unauthorised web access. Uncontrolled Internet surfing, which may violate company security policies, has recently increased dramatically as users hit websites for information on the Monica Lewinsky story.
Virus developers are known to lay traps for unsuspecting users and target areas which will allow their viruses to spread particularly quickly. News breaking on the Internet which attracts widespread interest can often lead to lapses in company security measures, such as punching holes in firewalls to allow access to such sites. The CIH virus was spread in just this way during the World Cup.
"The most successful viruses are those which don't reveal themselves until it is too late," said Paul Ducklin, head of research at Sophos. "The best policy to avoid consequences of 'Net fests' such as the Lewinsky story, is to ensure security policies are not ignored. Companies shouldn't tolerate relaxation of Net rules just because all their staff suddenly want to surf the web."
"Inexperienced users should be equally vigilant," continued Ducklin. "Many users may not know the exact addresses for these 'hot' websites and so conduct searches. They may end up drifting to all sorts of threatening sites. At times like these, security policies should be strict, not lax."
In response to potential problems, Sophos has strengthened its 24-hour support team and has placed more staff on immediate standby.
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About Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises all over the world to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Sophos's network access control, endpoint, web and email solutions simplify security to provide integrated defenses against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, Sophos protects over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with its reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognized for its high level of customer satisfaction and powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, Sophos has received many industry awards, as well as positive reviews and certifications.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com
