Sam Costello

The challenges and problems of computer and network security won't be adequately addressed until companies can be held liable for their software and the use of their computer systems and until insurance companies begin to offer computer intrusion insurance, says one expert.

With an eye towards helping small and medium-size businesses contain costs associated with implementing up-to-date security technology, Symantec Corp. Tuesday unveiled its Symantec Gateway Security appliance which combines intrusion detection, a firewall, antivirus software and other security technologies into a single box.

Flaws in how SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) version one is implemented in a raft of products could allow attackers to stage denial of service attacks, take over systems and threaten the Internet, according to a new alert from the federally funded computer security body CERT/CC (Computer Emergency Response Team/Coordination Center).

Microsoft Corp. confirmed Friday that its instant messaging programs MSN Messenger and the Windows Messenger included with the company's Windows XP operating system can allow users' names and e-mail addresses, as well as those of all their chat buddies, to be viewed. The issue was first mentioned in an alert posted to the Bugtraq security e-mail list on Feb. 2.

In mid-January, Russian law enforcement, with help from the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, arrested a computer hacker who had attempted to extort US$10,000 from a U.S. bank, according to a Secret Service agent.

In mid-January, Russian law enforcement, with help from the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), arrested a computer hacker who had attempted to extort US$10,000 from a U.S. bank, according to a Secret Service agent.

In mid-January, Russian law enforcement, with help from the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), arrested a computer hacker who had attempted to extort US$10,000 from a U.S. bank, according to a Secret Service agent.

A security hole in America Online Inc.'s ICQ chat program could allow attackers to run the code of their choice on a computer using the program, the U.S. federally-funded computer security organization Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (CERT/CC) said in an advisory Thursday.