Re: [Amc-list] Completely OT: wireless networks

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: "Ross Guistino" <rossg@xxxxxxxxx>
" 
" Does your son have Limewire or some other file sharing software installed?
"  Get rid of it ASAP; it is designed to make certain folders shared so that
" anybody can trade files with your son's laptop.  Kids install Limewire to
" snag music files from each other.  Legal?  Not really.  Did they pay for
" any of those 100s of songs on their laptop and mp3 player?  Maybe a small
" percentage but mainly they were stolen.

that won't stop the kid from reinstalling it the second he 'needs' it
again.  probably the warning that he's sharing far more than the
designated folder won't stop him either.  [i get an e-security mailing
list; there was a recent item of confidential data - including account
numbers for some prominent folks - leaked through limewire when a
corporate moron installed it on his work desktop, and the leak was
discovered by someone -outside- the company.  if the leak detector had
decided to rifle those accounts instead...  afaik all file sharing s/w
has this exposure]

the riaa has beek going after - and getting convictions of - music
filesharers.  your kids won't think it can happen to them, until the
fbi comes knocking.

it's possible in xp pro to close most or all of the holes, but it
takes me 2-3h and i've practiced it a few times.  [see cisecurity.org
if you want details]  and there is still some crappy s/w out there
that won't run on a secure machine.  games seem to be out in front...

the easiest thing you can do is take admin privs away from your kids'
accounts, but that means you have to create a wizard account with a
password/phrase they can't guess or crack, but which you can remember
without notes.  that will last until they figure out how to reinstall
the machine...

sorry for the rant, but i see a lot of computer usage today as the
internet equivalent of sleeping naked in the middle of the street.
there is no such thing as security through obscurity.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought
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