Dennis Fisher

A security patch issued by Microsoft Corp. last Thursday contains an error that can cause Windows 2000 systems to become unstable. The patch has been removed from the companys security site, and Microsoft is in the process of rebuilding the code to fix the error. A similar patch for systems running Windows NT 4.0 is […]

As Network Associates Inc. struggles to absorb yet another strategic realignment, the security industry is poised for a shakeout that could mark the beginning of the end for all-in-one security vendors. NAI, in Santa Clara, Calif., and Symantec Corp. have long been the go-to vendors for IT managers looking for everything from anti-virus software to […]

A newly discovered flaw in Apple Computer Inc.s OS X operating system could enable an attacker to gain root privileges on a vulnerable machine. The problem is in the NetInfo Manager, an application that is used to set up multilevel hierarchies. By opening the application and performing several simple steps, an attacker can easily gain […]

A feature in Microsoft Corp.s upcoming Windows XP operating system could potentially send sensitive personal information to the software company, according to a government warning. The feature, called Error Reporting, sends data on program crashes and debugging operations back to Microsoft in order to help detect and fix bugs in the software. As part of […]

Mazu Networks Inc. on Monday will begin shipping the second piece of its anti-DDoS product line, TrafficMasterEnforcer. The new component of the TrafficMaster line acts as the active filtering mechanism used to guard against distributed denial of service attacks against Web sites. TrafficMasterEnforcer is able to differentiate between attack traffic and normal traffic to a […]

Certicom Corp. on Tuesday announced the availability of the latest version of its MovianVPN product, which now includes support for devices using the 802.11b wireless LAN protocol. The product arrives at a time when WLANs are proliferating at a pace outstripped only by the rate at which crackers are finding new holes in the protocol […]

Baltimore Technologies PLC.s new CEO is wasting no time in putting his stamp on the struggling security vendor. Days after taking the job last week, Bijan Khezri said that he is exploring the possibility of selling some of the companys less profitable divisions and that he wouldnt be surprised to receive takeover offers as well. […]

Microsoft Corp. has unveiled a new vulnerability rating system that company officials hope will help systems administrators evaluate which problems need immediate attention and which ones can wait. The severity rating system, announced by the companys Security Response Center, divides bulletins into three categories: critical, moderate and low. They are further subdivided by operating environment: […]

A newly discovered vulnerability in the software that manages one of the most widely deployed firewalls on the Internet could enable an attacker to gain full access to the firewall, and by extension, the network it protects. Some versions of Cisco Systems Inc.s PIX Firewall Manager, or PFM, software save the enable password in cleartext […]

Network Associates Inc. on Thursday announced that it is eliminating its PGP Security division, a move that will result in 250 layoffs. The company also announced that it is discontinuing its PGP desktop encryption and Gauntlet firewall products and putting them up for sale. PGPs remaining encryption products will be integrated into the companys McAfee […]