October 2004 - Posts
A friend just emailed me this - watch out!!!!
As you know fraud from cash machines is becoming an increasing problem around the UK and recently gangs of criminals have been targeting the cash machines on London Underground premises. The pictures below were taken at Hammersmith Tube Station in the past week. The first picture details how the Barclays cash machine normally looks. The criminals have been fitting portable card readers to the machines which clone the card details.
The second picture details how the cash machine looks after the cloning device has been fitted with double sided tape.
Please be aware of this scam which may also be used on other machines around the country. If you become aware that a device has been fitted to a cash machine, please bring it to the attention of any staff where the machine is located and/or contact the local police immediately.
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Humm interesting ... and cool
Source: http://research.microsoft.com/displayArticle.aspx?id=1036
If you've never seen some of the ingenious ways that researchers have invented to make viewing data on a small screen easy, you might say, "I'll never do all my computing on a PDA or Smartphone." You might concede that it would be nice, handy even, but refuse to believe that it's practical.
Patrick Baudisch is one of the researchers who could convince you otherwise. An expert in the human-computer interaction field, Baudisch is exploring how to shrink large amounts of content into a small space and keep the content useful.
One of his projects, called Fishnet, takes two known techniques and combines them to come up with a solution for Web page browsing on a small device.
"Fishnet combines fisheye views with search and highlighting. Search and highlighting is currently available for desktop machines using MSN Toolbar," said Baudisch
Damm, a shed load of webcasts coming our way - better get the beer and pizza in quick!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/seminar/events/series/tnexchangeserver.mspx
Source: http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/10/25/HNmsvagueaboutexchange_1.html
SAN FRANCISCO - After removing the 2006 "Kodiak" release of Exchange Server from its product road map earlier this year, Microsoft (Profile, Products, Articles) Corp.'s plans for the messaging software have gotten even cloudier
Microsoft in May said it would deliver in 2005 an addition to Exchange called Edge Services, an intelligent message transfer agent for the edge of a company's network that offers security, spam and virus protection. The software maker is now backpedaling on that commitment, which was the only announced release for Exchange beyond 2004.
Bit scary!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2005/01/AnatomyofaHack/default.aspx
This article is not intended to show you how to hack something, but rather to show how attackers can take advantage of your mistakes. This will enable you to avoid the common pitfalls that criminal hackers exploit.
Before I get started, there are several things you need to know about penetration testing. First of all, a penetration test gone wrong can have dire consequences for the stability of your network. Some of the tools used by hackers (criminal and otherwise) are designed to probe a network for vulnerabilities. Hacking tools and exploits used against a system can go wrong, destabilize a system or the entire network, or have other unintended consequences. A professional knows where to draw the line and how far she can push the network without breaking it. An amateur usually does not.
A healthy infusion of paranoia tends to be remarkably useful when protecting networks. One of the worst mistakes a security administrator can make is to assume everything is OK. Be aware of the mythical "your network is secure" statement. With alarming frequency, security consultants will leave you with a report that claims that your network is secure, based on the fact that they were unable to get into anything. This certainly does not mean your network is secure! It only means they couldn't find a way to break it, but someone else still could.
Is this you? +o(
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/28/it_xmas_party/
Four in ten IT workers have been sick at their Christmas party while more than third admit to snogging their boss or a colleague, according to research from Sussex internet outfit Sigmer Technologies. The research doesn't reveal what proportion of people threw up before snogging their boss.
Although the annual yuletide festivities may seem like an age away, IT departments around the UK are already booking their parties. Yet this survey reveals just what goes on when workers let down their hair.
Source: http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=2611
Adobe® PDF IFilter is designed for technically savvy users or administrators who wish to index Adobe PDF documents with Microsoft indexing clients. This allows the user to easily search for text within Adobe PDF documents.
Key benefits:
- Integrates with existing operating systems and tools within your company
- Provides an easy solution to search within Adobe PDF documents located on your computer, your company network, and your company intranet
- Greatly increases your ability to accurately locate information
Adobe PDF IFilter 6.0 is an update to Adobe PDF IFilter 5.0 and includes the following improvements:
- Support for all versions of PDF files including those created with Adobe Acrobat® 6.0 (PDF 1.5)
- Support for additional operating systems (see system requirements)
This quite a good article
Source: http://www.msexchange.org/articles/Properly-Configure-file-system-antivirus-Exchange.html
Improperly configured file system antivirus software on Exchange server can cause you serious problems. This article will show you how to properly configure file system antivirus software on Exchange server and avoid most common pitfalls.
Humm interesting
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888534
We are investigating reports of a security issue with Internet Explorer that is known as Click and Scroll. This security issue affects all supported versions of Windows. This security issue could make it possible for an attacker to put a malicious file on your computer if you visit a malicious Web site. As of October 26, 2004, Microsoft is not aware of this security issue affecting any customers. Microsoft will continue to investigate this security issue to determine the appropriate steps to help protect our customers. Additionally, Microsoft is providing steps that you can use to help protect your computer against this security issue
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2215EEAB-41D7-423D-9F54-01F0DF4647E9&displaylang=en
The Exchange Server Management Pack Guide for MOM 2005 explains how to use the Exchange Management Pack to monitor and maintain messaging resources.
This guide introduces Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 and explains how the Exchange Management Pack integrates with MOM 2005. You can then read about deployment and upgrade options and the configuration of the Exchange Management Pack. You will also learn how the Exchange Management Pack monitors the performance, availability, and security of your Exchange servers. There is also a section on troubleshooting the Exchange Management Pack.
source: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=841668
When a Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server user sends a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) e-mail message with an attachment to a mail-enabled contact in the Global Address List, the mail-enabled contact may receive a Winmail.dat file attachment with the e-mail message instead of receiving the correct file attachment.
CAUSE
This issue may occur if the following conditions are true for the mail-enabled object on the Exchange computer:
- The default message format is set to Rich Text Format (RTF).
- The mAPIRecipient attribute is missing, is set to null, or is set to true.
Note This typically occurs if the mail-enabled contact is added by using a script.
RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, change the settings in Active Directory Users and Computers so that the mail-enabled contact does not use RTF as the default message format. To do this, follow these steps:
-
Open Active Directory Users and Computers. To do this, click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.
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Click the container where the mail-enabled contact is located.
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Right-click the mail-enabled contact in the right-pane, and then click Properties.
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Click the Exchange Advanced tab, and then click to clear the Use MAPI rich text format check box.
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Click Apply, and then click OK.
The Migration Wizard in Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack 1 (SP1) and in later versions of Exchange includes the ability to migrate user accounts and mailboxes from Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 to a native-mode Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 organization or to a native-mode Exchange 2000 organization.
The table in the "More Information" section describes how accounts and mailboxes are created and mapped during migration. You can migrate accounts and mailboxes whether or not the Active Directory Connector (ADC) is installed. If the ADC is installed, it must be configured with inter-organizational connection agreements. The Exchange Migration Wizard is not designed for use in a single Exchange organization. Additionally, the ADC must be configured to create contacts in the Active Directory directory service.
Changes that the Migration Wizard makes if the ADC is not installed
| Source Windows account |
New mailbox |
New Windows account |
Security identifier (SID) |
Comments |
| Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 |
Yes. |
User account that is disabled. |
MsExchMasterAccountSID. |
A user who is logged on to Windows NT 4.0 will be able to log on to the new Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003 mailbox. |
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Server or Microsoft Windows Server 2003 |
Yes. |
No. |
None. |
The user will have access to both mailboxes. |
| Windows NT 4.0 resource |
Yes. |
User account that is disabled. |
MsExchMasterAccountSID.
Set SELF.
The Windows NT 4.0 account
has access to the mailbox. |
None. |
| Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 resource |
Yes. |
User account that is disabled. |
MsExchMasterAccountSID.
Set SELF.
The Windows account has access to the mailbox. |
None. |
| None |
Yes. |
User. |
None. |
None. |
| Windows NT 4.0 with no trust configured |
Yes. |
User account that is disabled. |
MsExchMasterAccountSID. |
Trust is required to log on to the mailbox. |
Changes that the Migration Wizard makes if the ADC is installed
| Source Windows account |
New mailbox |
New (target) Windows account |
SID |
Comments |
| Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 ADC objects |
Yes. |
User account that is disabled. |
MsExchMasterAccountSID. |
The account will duplicate the accounts in Active Directory unless the contacts are configured. |
| Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 |
Yes. |
No. |
MsExchMasterAccountSID. |
The account will match users by SID. |
This could be Interesting. I wonder how long it will be until it gets hacked?
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/25/firefox_countdown/
Mozilla will today launch the nearly-final version of Firefox, its open source web browser, ahead of the 1.0 product launch on 9 November. The organisation says it aiming for 10 million downloads in the 100 days after inauguration, sparking much discussion of a return to the days of the browser wars, when Microsoft, AOL and Netscape battled for market share.
Bart Decrem, spokesman for Mozilla, was in London last Friday to promote the browser. He noted: "When you look at how many people are downloading Firefox already, the 10m downloads target starts to feel very safe."
Excellent, and I would recomend it to all Small companies
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/25/sbs_2003_bundle/
It’s been nearly a year since Microsoft launched a Small Business Server - a strategic move into a market that everyone wants a piece of.
For those who missed the announcement, SBS 2003 is a normal Microsoft server with a load of extra stuff bundled in – Exchange and SharePoint Services, and for anyone who still uses such things, Shared Fax.
.... “It sold more in its first four months than SBS 2000 sold in a year, and this year it has 262 per cent more SBS 2000 sold in 2002
This made me laugh
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/25/robot_breaks_wind/
A toy robot designed by a former NASA engineer has been named Britain's toy of the year by Hamley's, the nation's finest/most expensive toy shop.
The Robosapien claims to be the first robot based on "biomorphic robotics". It is also almost definitely the first robot capable of both farting and belching. If these forms of communication fail him the robot can also manage "fluent international 'caveman' speech". We're not entirely sure what that means either - answers on a postcard, please.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/oct04/10-26MSDeliversLCS2005PR.asp
REDMOND, Wash. -- Oct. 25, 2004 -- Microsoft Corp. today announced the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Microsoft® Office Live Communications Server 2005. Part of the Microsoft Office System, Live Communications Server 2005, available for the first time in both Standard and Enterprise Editions, enables organizations to extend the benefits of enterprise instant messaging and presence awareness to remote business partners, customers, co-workers and suppliers, empowering them to quickly find and communicate with each other and ultimately make better decisions more quickly.
"The release to manufacturing of Live Communications Server 2005 marks an important milestone in delivering on our vision for extending the value of Microsoft Office System to encompass rich real-time collaboration capabilities, empowering people to work together more effectively," said Anoop Gupta, corporate vice president of Real-Time Collaboration at Microsoft. "This is a powerful upgrade to our standards-based enterprise instant messaging platform and delivers native federation capabilities, instant messaging and presence integration with the security and scalability requirements that are so critical for our enterprise customers."
Damm a whole week of what could be death my Live Meeting ;-|
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/webcasts.mspx
Webcast Week
November 15-18 is Windows Mobile Webcast Week! The webcasts will cover a variety of Windows Mobile-related topics. Join us and learn.
Wednesday, November 3, 2004 9:00 - 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs help you stay in touch with available e-mail messaging, Web browsing, even reading and editing of Word and Excel docs on the go. Join us for this webcast to learn how you can stay connected with Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC.
Monday, November 15, 2004, 10 - 10:30 AM Pacific Time
Solutions built on Windows Mobile 2003 software can have a positive impact on the bottom line in two ways: a quick Return on Investment (ROI) for line of business applications such as sales force automation, and a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) using built-in mobile messaging and Personal Information Management with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. Learn more!
Monday, November 8, 2004 8:00 - 9:30 AM Pacific Time
This TechNET webcast will provide an overview of wireless technologies that enable mobile desktop, Windows Mobile, and small device access.
Monday, November 15, 2004, 10 - 10:30 AM Pacific Time
Solutions built on Windows Mobile 2003 software can have a positive impact on the bottom line in two ways: a quick Return on Investment (ROI) for line of business applications such as sales force automation, and a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) using built-in mobile messaging and Personal Information Management with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. Learn more!
Tuesday, November 16, 2004, 9 - 10 AM Pacific Time
The need for timely and effective access to business-critical information while away from the workplace continues to be a significant factor for enterprise success. Learn about the benefits your organization or customers can receive by implementing a Windows Mobile solution.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004 11 - 12 PM Pacific Time
Learn about the strategies for identifying the value of a Windows Mobile deployment and the technology options available for developing an effective and complete Windows Mobile solution.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004, 8 - 9:30 AM Pacific Time
Are you looking for a way to stay in touch with e-mail messaging, Web browsing, even reading and editing of Word and Excel files on the go? This discussion will cover the value propositions of Windows Mobile devices and even explore some of the innovative and newly available devices based on this platform.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004, 10 -10:30 AM Pacific Time
Find out what it takes to configure Windows Mobile-based devices to connect to a Microsoft Exchange Server infrastructure.
Friday, November 18, 2004, 8-9:30 AM Pacific Time
Join this IT-Pro-focused presentation on Microsoft Exchange 2003 Scalability for Mobile Messaging and learn the best practices for planning and deploying your mobile messaging environment.
Friday, November 18, 2004, 10 -10:30 AM Pacific Time
This webcast will cover the recommended strategies to effectively deploy, maintain, and troubleshoot a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 environment offering mobile messaging functionality to Windows Mobile devices.
On Demand Webcasts
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/business/whitepapers/scalability.mspx
By designing Exchange Server 2003 mobile messaging and Windows Mobile 2003 devices for scalability, Microsoft has created a mobile messaging solution that meets the requirements of Business Decision Makers as well as IT Professionals. This solution does not require additional server hardware or software, nor does the solution require additional device hardware or software. Thus there is no incremental cost to expand the service to newly-hired employees or to existing employees that obtain Windows Mobile devices, and cost concerns for initial deployments can be minimized. Read the white paper to learn more.
I don't know how many of you would have seen this utility, but it is just excellent.
Souce: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/pss/tools/Exchange%20Support%20Tools/PFDavAdmin/
This utility can be used to fix permissions problems on Exchange 2000 and Exchange 2003 resulting from scanning the M: drive and such. It can force DACLs into canonical order and force valid MAPI access masks as well, and can remove item-level permissions from every item in every folder and mailbox in bulk. PFDavAdmin can also be used to propagate single permissions (instead of overwriting the whole ACL like ESM dos) across both public folders and mailboxes, and propagate replica list changes as well, such as adding or removing specified servers from the replica list on a batch of public folders. It also exports and imports permissions from mailboxes and public folders, and replica lists for public folders. It takes imports in the old pfadmin format, so you can import files generated with OutlookFolders and such.
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=884422
When you use the Internet Mail Service Wizard in Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 3 (SP3) on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, the Exchange Internet Mail Service may not start successfully. Additionally, you may receive the following error message:
The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.
Microsoft Windows NT
ID no: 0xc002041d
When this issue occurs, the following events are logged in the application event log:
Event ID: 4004
Source: MSExchangeIMC
Category: Initialization/Termination
Type: Stop
Description: The following error occurred while trying to retrieve TCP/IP service information ((11004)).
Event ID: 4020
Source: MSExchangeIMC
Category: Initialization/Termination
Type: Stop
Description: Unable to start the service because WINSOCK could not be initialized.
This issue may occur if the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) entry in the Services file is missing or is commented out.
To resolve this issue, verify that the Services file exists in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers\Etc folder. If the Services file does not exist in this folder, you must copy the Services file into this folder from another computer on your network.
To verify that the SMTP entry exists, follow these steps:
-
Open the Services file by using a text editor such as Notepad.
-
If the SMTP entry exists but is commented out, remove the number sign (#) at the beginning of the line.
-
If the SMTP entry does not exist, use one of the following methods:
-
In Windows NT 4.0, position your cursor on a new line at the end of the file, and then type the following text on that line:
smtp 25/tcp mail
Note Press the TAB key after you type smtp and after you type 25/tcp.
-
In Windows 2000, position your cursor on a new line at the end of the file, and then type the following text on that line:
smtp 25/tcp mail #Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
Note Press the TAB key after you type smtp, after you type 25/tcp, and after you type mail.
-
Save the file.
-
Quit Notepad.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=51E6EF23-0BA3-4F55-BFC0-7727DD1E74E8&displaylang=en
The Solution Accelerator for Exchange Consolidation and Migration helps you accelerate the design, planning, and deployment of Exchange Server 2003 messaging systems deployed as upgrades to, or replacements for, your existing Exchange Server 5.5 or Exchange 2000 Server messaging systems. Business agility and efficiency depend on messaging systems deployed by organizational IT operations; to deliver the required functionality, IT operations themselves must be able to quickly adapt to changing business requirements, then implement secure, efficient solutions to meet these requirements. These solutions require not only great technologies, but also efficient and effective operations with all application and system services driven by mature processes and delivered to the business at an acceptable cost.
Now I have seen and heard of something like this before a couple of years back ... if it takes off it's gonna be excellent!
Source: http://www.splashpower.com/solution/overview.html
Splashpower is a wireless power solution:
- It enables you to power up your mobile phone and other portable devices, simply by dropping them on a mouse-mat-sized pad, called a SplashPad™
- No physical connection is required between the SplashPad and the device – power is transferred wirelessly
- Different devices can be charged on a single SplashPad at the same time
- Splashpower spells an end to hunting for the right charger, finding free socket spaces or fiddling with connectors and offers a solution to the charging problem of current and next generation portable products
The Splashpower solution comprises two parts: the SplashPad charging base and the SplashModule power receiver.
SplashPad™ Charging Base
This is a universal wireless charging platform which delivers power to mobile devices. The SplashPad is a portable flat surface powered from any electric outlet. Put as many devices as you can fit on it and charge up - it's that simple. It can easily be built into cars, desks, coffee tables and airplane tables.
- Generates inductive field to power any enabled device placed on the pad.
- Sizes can vary from one-device to many-devices
- Stand-alone and integrated (e.g., in a car) versions demonstrated
- Customisable appearance including use of a variety of casing materials
- Designed for international standards and regulations (including CE, UL etc.)
SplashModule™ Power Receiver
All mobile devices fitted with a SplashModule are ready to receive wireless power from a SplashPad charging base. The thin receiver module is customized to the shape, size and power requirements of the device and can be easily integrated into the host device or add-on accessories.
- Receives power from the SplashPad charging base
- Versatile implementation. Virtually any area/shape - customised to device
- Flexible. Accommodates a range of curvatures
- Efficient
- Straight-forward integration
Products using the Splashpower solution are not yet available in the shops. We are currently working with top-tier consumer electronics companies to incorporate Splashpower wireless power technology into their devices and aftermarket products. Exact product launch timescales have not yet been announced, but we would expect first products to be announced in 2005.
Source: http://www.nasdaq.com/asp/quotes_news.asp?cpath=20041024\ACQPRN200410241800PR_NEWS_B_NWT_SF_SFSU002.htm&symbol=MSFT&selected=MSFT&kind=&mode=stock&formtype=&mkttype=&pathname=&page=news
ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- One year after the release of Microsoft(R) Exchange Server 2003, Dave Thompson, corporate vice president of the Exchange Server Product Group at Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), highlighted the product's success in his keynote address at the Microsoft Exchange Connection here. Speaking to a sold-out audience of information technology (IT) professionals, Thompson thanked customers and partners for their support over the past year. With Exchange Server 2003, IT professionals are experiencing impressive cost savings associated with ease of management, improved support for mobile users, better security, server consolidation and increased uptime in their organizations. In addition, partners have benefited from the new business opportunities derived from customer demand for Exchange Server 2003.
"Exchange Server 2003 is experiencing broad adoption; over 55 percent more licenses have been sold for this version of Exchange than for the previous version in the same period," Thompson said. "With all these improvements, we had high hopes for this version of Exchange, so we're very pleased to see it has now surpassed our expectations with over 20 percent growth in revenue."
Doh!
Source: http://www.msmobiles.com/news.php/3212.html
By "smartphone" most analysts usually mean both smartphones (without touch screen but with keypad) and PDA phones (with touch screen or with full QWERTY keyboard).
While we, contrary to many other Windows Mobile websites, have been pointing out mitakes of Microsoft clearly - we always had Symbian (and the factor ruler of Symbian: Nokia) in mind as the main adversary of Microsoft powered cell phones. However now it appears that Microsoft's perfomance in the smartphone market is so lousy that even Palm OS powered smartphones are performing better! Maybe Microsoft should start listening to our critique...
Here are the current market share numbers in smartphone market:
Symbian: 87 percent. PalmSource (makers of Palm OS operating system): 7 percent. Microsoft: 4 percent. Please note also that RIM Blackberry devices are very strongly raising... and are considered by many also as "smartphones".
Cool
Source: http://www.brentfordtw8.com/default.asp?section=info&page=areacom04.htm
The Brentford and Isleworth Area Committee sat on Thursday 21 Oct to decide on a series of planning applications, including a number of advertisement hoardings. ....
Approval was granted to a 20 metre 'Smart Car' tower on the Mercedes Benz site opposite Wallis House on the M4. The tower, which will rise 12m above the height of the M4, will contain 4 Smart Cars on each storey with an illuminated sign at the top. An important part of the Smart corporate image in Europe, it will be the first of its kind in the UK. The Brentford Community Council had recommended refusal, calling it an 'advertising gimmick'.
Not tried it yet, but as soon as I do I'll update up
Source: http://www.msmobiles.com/news.php/3206.html
Not only Orange was the first cellular network operator, that started selling Microsoft Smartphone cellphones, but it is, until now, the best: shortly after commercial release of Orange SPV C500 smartphone, Orange just released a ROM upgrade, that brings many improvements and fixes some problems noticed by the community of smartphone users.
Unfortunately this ROM upgrade doesn't bring Windows Media Player 10 Mobile - the contemporary, much improved version over current, awkward and clumsy Windows Player 9. It is worth mentioning, that Windows Media Player 10 Mobile is tightly coupled with underlying operating system and it cannot be delivered just as a separate installation, but it must be delivered with wholly new build of the smartphone platform. Hopefully Orange will release yet another ROM upgrade for C500, this time with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile - otherwise upcoming T-Mobile SDA Music smartphone - that has 3 additional music playback dedicated buttons, will steal the show from C500... some information from Orange about this upgrade follows.
[Update] I Ran this last night and it all went okay - it took a long time to come back up (it usually does) but it works okay - First impression are that it does seem a bit quicker, but I do need to play a bit more
Hummm
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3762910.stm
BSkyB has launched a free digital satellite TV service which offers 140 channels for a one-off fee of £150.
The service, freesat from Sky, is being seen by many as an attempt to rival the success of Freeview, the equivalent service for digital terrestrial TV.
It has been launched with little fanfare by Sky, as the company continues to focus on pay-TV.
Viewers will get a digital set-top box, satellite dish, with free installation and a remote control in the deal.
The service will initially be only available directly from BSkyB
Oh wow!
Source: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996559
14:42 20 October 04
Engineers have moved a step closer to batch producing miniaturised, jet engine-based generators from a single stack of bonded silicon wafers. These chip-based “microengines” could one day power mobile electronic devices.
By spinning a tiny magnet above a mesh of interleaved coils etched into a wafer, David Arnold and Mark Allen of the Georgia Institute of Technology, US, have built the first silicon-compatible device capable of converting mechanical energy - produced by a rotati
Damm! - Thanks Marc for the heads up
Source: http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39125123,00.htm
Is your desktop protected?
IM profile photos could allow hackers to penetrate otherwise secure computer networks, say experts
Security experts are warning users that hackers can use JPEG profile photos on instant messenger to attack networks.
According to security company WhiteHat UK, hackers can use an exploit in JPEGs which enables them to embed malicious code into profile photos on instant messenger. When a recipient sees the photo on their instant messenger (IM) client, it can cause an exploit code, such as a Trojan or worm, to automatically execute.
Jason Hart, security director for WhiteHat UK, said: "Potentially, the photos that are sent with instant messenger could be used with the Microsoft JPEG exploits already out there. Essentially you can say it's the same as any JPEG using the IM protocol as a portal to come through."
IM travels on port 80, which is often regarded as a trusted channel because internet traffic also uses it. Hart said any company using IM that allows JPEGs was open to attack: "The majority of times, desktop computers are the last to be secured by big corporations. So a company with instant messenger enabled could be penetrated. A computer could be exploited, and that would bypass all controls within a corporation."
Mikko Hypponen of F-Secure said the JPEG exploit can work on a variety of image related files, such as .gif or .icon. He added that it would be hard to detect viruses in JPEGs because antivirus software mainly searches for .exe files.
Hart advised companies should secure their IM environment: "The message is to disable instant messenger unless you have the added security controls."
Last week, Hart warned that hackers could also use an nmap bot over IM to carry out denial-of-service attacks on companies.
In September, two reports of a worm that downloaded from websites linked to AOL's Instant Messenger were reported to US security body SANS.
I heard about this on the radio last night - You can now send a text message to a BT Landline. I tried it using my o2 phone and it works a dream - It's is such an excellent idea and cost the same as a normal text message.
I'll do some investigation in to what networks are supported - I spoke to neil today and he is on Orange and he couldn't send one :-(
This is my first book review, check it out: http://flaphead.com/blog/articles/510.aspx
This is interesting .. honest
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=883407
This article describes what you have to do before you remove your Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 computers from a site and after you migrate to Exchange 2000 Server or to Exchange Server 2003. You have to perform a routing change for outgoing and incoming Internet e-mail before you remove your Exchange Server 5.5 computers.
To do this, you have to do the following tasks:
- Remove address spaces from the Internet Mail Service on the Exchange Server 5.5 computers.
- Restart the Internet Mail Service as needed.
- Force directory replication as needed.
- Verify that outgoing e-mail queues have cleared.
- Install an SMTP connector on the Exchange 2000 Server computer or on the Exchange Server 2003 computer.
- Force Active Directory Connector (ADC) replication as needed.
- Verify that the SMTP connector is seen in your Exchange Server 5.5 configuration.
- Recalculate routing on the Exchange Server 5.5 computer.
- Remove the Internet Mail Service connector.
I have to ask WHY! would you bother!?
Source: http://www.msmobiles.com/news.php/3197.html
October 19, 2004 [MS Smartphone]
Now that very fast Microsoft Smartphone cell phones like HTC Typhoon (branded as Audiovox STM5600, Orange SPV C500, i-mate SP3, etc) and Motorola MPx220 are on the market, we would like to turn your attention to the fact that they are very well suitable for watching DVD movies on the go!
To show you how to do it, we are hereby presenting mini review of DVD-to-Mobile software.
For some reason I thought this was already out :-|
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=FD3AB750-C622-4488-BD06-8F5D8347E3D2&displaylang=en
Microsoft® SharePoint® Portal Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) contains significant security enhancements, in addition to stability and performance improvements.
SP1 includes stability improvements developed as a result of user input from the Microsoft Online Crash Analysis in Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 and from Microsoft Product Support feedback.
You can get specific information about this update in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Description of the SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Service Pack 1
Interesting, and I didn't know the doc referenced actually existed!
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=872897
INTRODUCTION
After you apply Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Outlook clients that use remote procedure call (RPC) over HTTP connections to a server that is running Exchange will use the DSProxy process to access information from global catalog servers. Therefore, if you view server connections in the Exchange Server Connection Status dialog box in the Outlook client, you will see the Exchange computer listed in the Server Name column for the item where the Type column lists Directory. These changes are intentionally made by Exchange 2003 SP1 so that global catalog servers no longer have to be published through the RPC Proxy server.
The registry value that is described in the "More Information" section lets you control this feature so that it can be disabled if it is required.
MORE INFORMATION
To override this new behavior, create and set the following registry value on your back-end server that is running Exchange 2003. If this registry value is set, the RFR Service behavior will revert to the pre-SP1 method of returning a global catalog to the referral interface.
To create and to set the registry value, follow these steps:
- Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
- Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MsExchangeSA\Parameters
- Right-click Parameters, click New, and then click DWORD Value.
New Value #1 is selected.
- To rename this value, type Do Not Refer HTTP to DSProxy, and then press ENTER.
- Double-click Do Not Refer HTTP to DSProxy, and then type a value other than zero (0) in the Value box. For example, type 1 in the Value box.
Note If you set the Do Not Refer HTTP to DSProxy value to zero (0), or if this value does not exist, the Exchange computer will use the Exchange 2003 SP1 referral process of using the DSProxy process.
When this registry value has been set, an application event that is similar to the following is logged on the server that is running Exchange:
Event Type: Information
Event Source: MSExchangeSA
Event Category: RFR Interface
Event ID: 9240
Date: 7/1/2004
Time: 2:35:29 PM
User: N/A
Computer: Exchange
Description: The Referral Interface will not refer HTTP clients to DSProxy as per registry setting System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeSA\Parameters\Do Not Refer HTTP to DsProxy.
For additional information about the DSProxy process, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c976433f-f979-4745-b7a6-9d8446ef6409&DisplayLang=en
Interesting Mr Bond!
Source: http://go.theregister.com/feed/2004/10/14/okin_quits_ms/
Published Thursday 14th October 2004 12:44 GMT
Stuart Okin, Microsoft UK's chief security officer, has resigned from the software giant after more than two years as the public face of its efforts to make its software more secure. Okin is to move to Accenture, where he'll become an associate partner looking after the management consultant's Microsoft practice, starting next month.
Okin told El Reg that he wasn't headhunted. He says he is moving on after eight years at Microsoft to develop his career. During his time heading up Microsoft UK's security efforts, Okin actively supported industry and government partnerships to improve basic IT security. He was well-respected by his peers and maintained his sense of humour, even in the face of pointed questions by journalists over worm outbreaks or IE security problems that punctuated his time as a senior MS security spokesman.
Microsoft is yet to appoint a replacement for Okin, who became Microsoft UK's first chief security officer in February 2002. In the meantime, Nick McGrath, Microsoft's head of platform strategy, will step into the breach
Oh dear!
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=871194
Looks like there are a few issues with Sony Ericsson phones :-|
- A blank space appears at the beginning of the first line in all Outlook Mobile Access pages on a Sony Ericsson mobile device
- The Simplified Chinese character ? is changed to a square (?) when you post a message or when you view a message in Outlook Mobile Access on a Sony Ericsson P800/802 mobile device
- The text covers more space than you expect, and the horizontal scroll bar or the vertical scroll bar appear in Outlook Mobile Access on a Sony Ericsson P802 mobile device
- The insertion point stays on the screen in the same location after you visit the Change Password page, and then you visit another page in Outlook Mobile Access on a Sony Ericsson P802 mobile device
- A list of items that each have an option button in Outlook Mobile Access appear in a table on a Sony Ericsson T300 mobile device
- The telephone call does not complete when you try to telephone a contact by using Outlook Mobile Access on a Sony Ericsson T300 mobile device
- An e-mail message cannot be opened in Outlook Mobile Access on a Sony Ericsson T310 mobile device
- The Sony Ericsson T610/T616/T618 toggling Mark Read/Unread feature does not function. When you delete an item, you may receive an “Item not found” error message. When you save a draft of a message to the drafts folder, the draft of the message is saved two times
- Some double byte character set characters do not appear correctly on the Chinese version of the Sony Ericsson T610 mobile device that supports double byte characters
- The telephone call does not complete when you try to telephone a contact by using Outlook Mobile Access on a Sony Ericsson T68i mobile device
- Some items do not open in Outlook Mobile Access on a Sony Ericsson T68i mobile device
- An additional space appears at the beginning of every task item in the Tasks list in Outlook Mobile Access on a Sony Ericsson T68i mobile device
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;870824 and http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/ex2k3ad.mspx
This guide is written for Microsoft Exchange architects and Active Directory directory service deployment planners. It provides these administrators with the information that they need to understand the permissions that are required to install and manage Exchange. Additionally, architects and planners can use the information provided about the split permission model to develop a detailed permissions strategy that fits the administration model of their organization. By using the included DSACLS command-line text file code, administrators can implement the permissions strategy.This guide answers the following questions:
- How does Active Directory store and manage permissions for Exchange user and configuration data?
- What permissions are set by the Exchange Administration Delegation Wizard, and what are "effective" rights or permissions?
- What permissions are set during Exchange Setup?
- What permissions do I need to perform various Exchange and Exchange service installations?
- What permissions do I need to manage the various Exchange features?
- How can I customize Exchange-related permissions in Active Directory to fit my organization's administrative model?
- What tools are available to modify Exchange permissions in Active Directory, and how do I use them?
Humm this is interesting .. honest .. well maybe not ;-)
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;867703 and http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/pop3exwn.mspx
This document focuses on two key areas:
- A comparison of the POP3 service in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and the POP3 service in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.
- An explanation of Windows Server 2003 POP3 service and Exchange Server 2003 coexistence.
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;867708 and http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/cliaccgde.mspx
This guide describes the new features for Exchange Server 2003 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, in addition to improvements in Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access 2003. It contains configuration information, such as how to help secure your messaging environment, deploy the server architecture, and configure the server running Exchange Server for your supported client access methods. Finally, this guide describes how to manage protocols, the Exchange Server Virtual Server, Outlook Web Access, Exchange Server ActiveSync, and Microsoft Outlook Mobile Access.
Exchange Server 2003 provides users with increased client messaging functionality. Exchange Server 2003 builds on the technologies of earlier versions of Exchange Server and now includes several significant messaging capabilities. New for Exchange Server 2003 are the following:
- Outlook 2003 cached mode
- Outlook 2003 using RPC over HTTP
- Mobile device support using Outlook Mobile Access and Exchange Server ActiveSync
- Improved Outlook Web Access for Exchange Server 2003
The new and improved clients help you provide your users with a simplified remote access, more access options, and an improved user experience.
Found this today and thought I would share it!
BTW: I have not check the person's work! - so don't take this as gospel - unless you want to try and let the rest of us know for sure! ;-)
The Situation:
The question.
- Will the server copy of the mailbox get updated with the additional items in the cached copy of the mailbox ?
- Or the cached copy will get synchronised as per the server content ?
- Which component takes precedence ?
Local copy or Server Copy ?
The answer:
After the client reconnects to the server, the messages in the client are:
XXXXXXXXXYYYYYYYYYZZZZZZZZ
Where:
XXX : messages in the backup
YYY : messages that are in the client and were in the server but are not in the backup
ZZZ : messages that arrived after the server was restored and the client was connected to it
The restored server will only have the messages XXX and the messages ZZZ. The messages YYY will be missing.
To force the YYY messages to be sync’ed up - you use the scanost tool found in C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033\scanost.exe
Did you know that there are 27 powertoys for the TabletPC ... cool hey!
Check them out: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/tabletpc.mspx
They're here! PowerToys are additional programs that developers work on after a product has been released to manufacturing. They'll add fun and functionality to your Tablet PC experience.
Note: We've taken great care to ensure that PowerToys operate as they should, but they are not part of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and are not supported by Microsoft. For this reason, Microsoft Technical Support is unable to answer questions about PowerToys. PowerToys are for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition only.
Check out your PowerToy choices:
Art Tool for Tablet PC: Use this coloring book and your imagination to create awesome pictures. The Art Tool for Tablet PC has a variety of templates included, and you can also load your own pictures to color.
Calculator for Tablet PC: Use the Calculator for Tablet PC in place of your handheld calculator. Simply use your pen to write the numbers for calculations.
Dictionary Tool for Tablet PC: To improve your handwriting recognition results, you can customize the dictionary your Tablet PC uses to interpret your handwriting. You can add your own words or import them from a text file or the Microsoft Office dictionary. You can also use the Dictionary Tool to remove words from the dictionary.
Drawing Animator Toy for Tablet PC: Free your imagination and enjoy colorful animated images you create. The Drawing Animator Toy for Tablet PC lets you draw your own doodles and animate them, including picture rotation, bounce, and more.
Extended Desktop for Tablet PC: If you like using an extended desktop with your Tablet PC, then this utility is for you. The Extended Desktop for Tablet PC allows you to use the tablet pen to access the portion of the extended desktop that displays on an external monitor. This PowerToy will create a window on your Tablet PC that shows a duplicate image of the desktop on the external monitor. You can then manipulate the objects on the extended desktop within this window.
Handwriting Analysis Tool for Tablet PC: Ever wondered how your handwriting represents you? Well, here's tool you can use to find out. The Handwriting Analysis Tool examines the characteristics of the your handwriting and reports what it reflects about the your personality.
Hold Tool for Tablet PC: Annoyed by the press and hold functionality of your tablet pen? Download the Hold Tool for Tablet PC and turn off the press and hold functionality for certain controls. Scrollbars, push buttons, check boxes, radio buttons, spinner controls, slider controls, and tab controls will respond immediately when the pen tip touches them.
Hoop Strategy Game for Tablet PC: If you enjoy unconventional games, you'll want to download the Hoop Strategy Game for Tablet PC. In this game, you build your own strategy to get the ball in the hoop. Draw a path and be creative—but keep in mind that gravity, velocity, and trajectory will play a big part in your success.
Ink Screen Saver for Tablet PC: Use your pen to create a personalized ink screensaver! Plus, The Ink Screen Saver can run as a stand-alone application, too.
Letteris PowerToy for Tablet PC: Check out this Tetris-like game of cascading letters and words, where letters fall from the top of the screen and start stacking at the bottom. You must make words using those letters and get points based on how many words you can guess. Start playing Letteris today!
Maze Game for Tablet PC: Try this classic Maze Game—Tablet PC style. Try to escape this maze as fast as you can by using your pen to draw a line from start to finish.
Microsoft Dots! PowerToy for Tablet PC: Microsoft Dots! is a new interactive strategy game for the Tablet PC. The objective: Connect four adjacent dots with the pen to form a complete square. Your opponent—another player or the computer—has the same objective. The player who completes the most squares when the grid is filled wins the game!
Microsoft Phraseology PowerToy for Tablet PC: Similar to the popular TV game show "Wheel of Fortune," Microsoft Phraseology for Tablet PC presents pieces of sentences along with a category name. To win you must guess the correct phrase, letter by letter, using ink!
Microsoft Physics Illustrator for Tablet PC: Bring your drawings to life with the Physics Illustrator, a motion simulator for the Tablet PC. Simply draw two-dimensional bodies, connect them in various ways, and apply forces, then watch as animation makes the bodies move, collide, and interact.
My Font Tool for Tablet PC: Tired of using those regular fonts? Want to create your own fonts? My Font Tool for Tablet PC turns your handwriting into a true type font and allows you to use it in any Windows program.
New York Times Crossword Puzzle for the Tablet PC on MSNBC.com: A must for fans of crossword puzzles and Tablet PC, this challenging game lets you use the tablet pen instead of a keyboard to solve puzzles. Get the latest crossword puzzle from MSNBC.com and take it with you on the go. Save puzzles in progress then continue them at your leisure. The New York Times Crossword Puzzle for the Tablet PC features two levels of difficulty: get clues and reaffirmation at the regular level, or play the old-fashioned way.
Pool for Tablet PC: Download the pool game optimized for Tablet PCs. Using your tablet pen, compete against the computer or another person. You can even play Pool for Tablet PC against another Tablet PC user in real-time across a wired or wireless network.
Power Paint Tool for the Tablet PC: Become a Tablet PC Picasso with Power Paint! With imagination as your muse and a pen as your ink brush, you can sketch, paint and draw to your heart's content. Create pictures in layers, save masterpieces to show to friends and family or edit the work of your students, all with a pinch of pressure from your stylus!
Puzzle Game: Like jigsaw puzzles? Puzzle Game lets you drag and click pieces together using the tablet pen. You can choose from the default pictures, or use your own pictures to create a customized puzzle. Different levels of difficulty make this game as challenging as you want it to be.
Snipping Tool for Tablet PC: Snipping Tool for Tablet PC allows you to easily "cut out" anything on screen and share it with other people. The whole screen becomes an "inkable" surface that you can add comments to and mark up however you like. You can then save that annotated image to use later, or send it to someone else in an e-mail message.
Tablet PC Music Composition Tool: With this Music Composition Tool, you can create and play your own music files. Use your pen to write notes on the staff and then play your tune.
Thumbnail View: View your journal files in a new light. Use the Windows Explorer Thumbnail View to preview your journal files. Navigate to your journals with quick visual recognition for .jnt and .jtp files.
Tic Tac Toe: How about a game of Tic Tac Toe? Put a twist on this classic game as you play against the computer. Just use your tablet pen to write your selection instead of typing it.
Web Search Power Tool for Tablet PC: The Web Search Power Tool for Tablet PC allows you to search the Web using Tablet's inking capabilities. Instead of typing in your search, write a word or a phrase in the "inkable" area and your results will show up using your favorite search engine.
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 Energy Blue Theme Pack: Brighten the look of your Tablet PC with the new Energy Blue Theme Pack from Microsoft! The new theme changes the default Windows colors on your Start menu, windows, and toolbars. It also includes a new Energy Bliss wallpaper. Simply download the free package and install it on your computer. Then select Energy Blue from the Theme drop down list in the Display Properties of your computer.
Word Search Game for Tablet PC: Challenge yourself with the Tablet PC version of the Word Search Game. Create games using your own choice of words and difficulty levels! Save the puzzle and send it to a friend.
Writing Practice Tool for Tablet PC: Help your children practice their writing skills by using the Writing Practice Tool for Tablet PC. Youngsters can practice writing words and then watch as the letters animate to show a picture of the word. Teachers or parents can create words and pictures to make the game even more challenging.
Writing Recognition Game: Have fun practicing and improving your writing recognition. To score points, write the letters before they hit the ground. The higher your score goes, the faster the letters drop, making the Writing Recognition Game even more challenging and fun.
Being an Exchange Bod, I thought I would provide the full details of this one!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-035.mspx
Who should read this document: System administrators who use Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003, or Windows Server 2003
Affected components:
- Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 SMTP component
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SMTP component
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 64-Bit Edition SMTP component
- Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Routing Engine component
This update resolves a newly-discovered vulnerability.
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the Windows Server 2003 SMTP component because of the way that it handles Domain Name System (DNS) lookups. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by causing the server to process a particular DNS response that could potentially allow remote code execution. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. The vulnerability also exists in the Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Routing Engine component when installed on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.
Workarounds:
Microsoft has tested the following workaround. This workaround will not correct the underlying vulnerability but will help block known attack vectors. Workarounds may cause a reduction in functionality in some cases - in such situations this is identified below.
Use a firewall to block incoming TCP protocol network traffic on port 53 for Windows Server 2003 systems using the SMTP component, regardless of if Exchange is installed.
Use a firewall to block TCP protocol network traffic on port 53. Do not block UDP traffic on port 53 or the server will be unable to make any DNS queries to resolve domain names.
Impact of Workaround: Port 53 is used for DNS queries and responses. By blocking the TCP protocol on port 53, all DNS name resolution must be done through the UDP protocol. Large DNS responses sent through TCP can be split between multiple packets, while responses sent through UDP must fit within a single UDP packet. This means that if you rely only on UDP for DNS name resolution, you may be unable communicate with domains that return more IP addresses than can fit in a single UDP packet. Typically, each entry in a DNS response requires 16 bytes. Therefore, a single UDP response packet can contain approximately 30 IP addresses.
Note It is possible to minimize potential disruptions of DNS name resolution by implementing a metabase key. For detailed information about this, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 820284.
Setting the metabase key will allow SMTP to use partial UDP name resolution responses to route mail. It will not prevent TCP responses from being sent to the server, and setting the metabase key is not a substitute for blocking TCP on port 53. This metabase key affects only SMTP, and it will not affect the name resolution behavior of other services and applications.
Block TCP protocol network traffic on Windows Server 2000 Service Pack 3 or Service Pack 4 systems with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with no service pack installed.
If you have defined External DNS Servers, you can block TCP protocol network traffic on port 53 between the Exchange server and all external DNS servers. Follow these steps to check if External DNS Servers have been configured on your Exchange server:
Start the Exchange System Manager and for each server:
- Expand the Protocols container.
- Expand the SMTP container.
- For each SMTP virtual server:
- Open the SMTP virtual server Properties.
- Select the Delivery tab.
- Click the Advanced button.
- Click the Configure button.
Block TCP traffic on port 53 between any external DNS servers listed and the Exchange server. If there are no external DNS servers listed, you do not have to take any action. However, Microsoft strongly recommends that you apply the security update or service pack for Exchange 2003 so that you will protected if the configuration of your server changes in the future.
Impact of Workaround: This workaround will affect only SMTP traffic on the Exchange system. It will not affect name resolution by other applications and services. The external DNS servers configured in Exchange System Manager are used only by the SMTP and Exchange Routing services. With TCP traffic from these servers blocked on port 53, Exchange will automatically use partial UDP name resolution responses to route mail. There is no need to set a metabase key as described above for Windows Server 2003 in order for SMTP to take advantage of partial responses. It is possible that some mail will still be unable to be delivered. This will happen only if a valid email server IP address is not found in a partial UDP response.
- Do not block both TCP and UDP for port 53. Doing so will cause all DNS name resolution to fail on the server.
- If your server hosts applications that are configured to use only TCP for DNS responses, then this workaround will cause those applications to be unable to resolve domain names to IP addresses.
- If your server is used primarily as an SMTP-based email server or Exchange server, messages addressed to domains that return large DNS responses may not be processed or delivered.
FAQ
What is the scope of the vulnerability?
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the Windows Server 2003 SMTP component because of the way that it handles DNS lookups. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. The vulnerability also exists in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 when installed on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.
What causes the vulnerability?
An unchecked buffer in the Windows SMTP component and in the Exchange Routing Engine component.
What is SMTP?
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is an industry standard for delivering e-mail messages over the Internet, as defined in RFC 2821 and in RFC 2822. The protocol defines the format of e-mail messages, the fields that are in e-mail messages, the contents of e-mail messages, and the handling procedures for e-mail messages.
What is the Exchange Routing Engine component?
The Exchange Routing Engine component is part of the Exchange Routing Engine Service. The Exchange Routing Engine Service implements the Routing Engine API and determines how e-mail messages are routed through an Exchange system.
Why are there updates for both Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2003?
The reason that this issue is addressed in both products is that name resolution functionality that was previously available only in the Exchange Server 2003 Routing Engine component was added to the Windows Server 2003 SMTP component. This is why you should install the update for Windows Server SMTP component update (KB885881) on Windows Server 2003 regardless of whether you have Exchange Server 2003 installed.
The update for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 when installed on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (KB885882) addresses the issue that is described in this bulletin in the Exchange Server 2003 Routing Engine component.
On Windows 2000, you should install Exchange Server 2003 Routing Engine component update only if you are running Exchange Server 2003 and you have not yet installed Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1.
On Windows Server 2003, Exchange uses the Windows Server 2003 SMTP component and bypasses the Exchange Server 2003 Routing Engine component for certain name resolution functions. On Windows 2000 Server, Exchange uses the functionality its Exchange Routing Engine component because this functionality is not available in the Windows 2000 SMTP component.
|
Windows and/or Exchange software |
KB885881 |
KB885882 |
|
Windows Server 2003 |
Important |
Not Applicable |
|
Windows Server 2003 64-Bit Edition |
Important |
Not Applicable |
|
Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 |
Important |
Not Applicable |
|
Exchange Server 2003 when installed on Windows Server 2003 |
Critical [1] |
None [2] |
|
Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1 when installed on Windows Server 2003 |
Critical [1] |
Not Applicable |
|
Exchange Server 2003 when installed on Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 |
Not Applicable |
Critical |
[1] This is the Windows Server 2003 update.
[2] This update can be installed on these systems but is not necessary to be protected from this vulnerability. See the next FAQ for more information.
Is it possible to install the Exchange Routing Engine component update (KB885882) on Windows Server 2003-based systems?
Yes.It is possible to install the Exchange Routing Engine component update on Windows Server 2003-based systems if you haveExchange Server 2003 installed, but you have not yet installed Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1. However, you may not want to because doing this does not help protect against this vulnerability on Windows Server 2003-based systems. It only helps protect against this vulnerability on Windows 2000-based systems. To help protect against this vulnerability on Windows Server 2003-based systems, you must install the Windows Server 2003 SMTP component update (KB885881).
What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of the affected system or could cause the SMTP component, and other services that are hosted by Internet Information Services on the same system, to repeatedly fail.
Who could exploit the vulnerability?
On Exchange Server 2003, or on systems that use the Windows Server 2003 SMTP component, any anonymous user who could deliver a specially crafted message to the affected system could try to exploit this vulnerability.
How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
An attacker could attempt to exploit the vulnerability by creating a specially crafted DNS response message and sending the message to an affected system, which could then cause the affected system to execute code.
What systems are primarily at risk from the vulnerability?
Systems using Windows 2000 are only vulnerable to this issue when they use Exchange Server 2003. When Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1 is installed, systems using Windows 2000 are no longer at risk from this vulnerability.
Systems using Windows Server 2003 are at risk from this vulnerability when they use the native SMTP component that is provided as part of the operating system, when they run Exchange Server 2003, or when they run Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 1.
Is the Windows 2000 SMTP component affected?
No. The vulnerability does not affect the Windows 2000 SMTP component.
Could the vulnerability be exploited over the Internet?
Yes. An attacker may be able to exploit this vulnerability over the Internet.
What does the update do?
The update removes the vulnerability by modifying the way that the SMTP component validates the length of a message before it passes the message to the allocated buffer.
When this security bulletin was issued, had this vulnerability been publicly disclosed?
No. Microsoft had not received any information indicating that this vulnerability had been publicly disclosed when this security bulletin was originally issued.
Microsoft has released 10 security bulletins for newly discovered vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Exchange.
Summaries for these new bulletins may be found at the following pages:
- http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-oct.mspx
Important
MS04-029: Microsoft Windows - An information disclosure and denial of service vulnerability exists that could cause the affected system to stop responding or could potentially read portions of active memory content.
MS04-030: Microsoft Windows - A Denial of Service vulnerability exists that could cause the affected system to stop responding to requests.
MS04-031: Microsoft Windows - A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the NetDDE services because of an unchecked buffer.
Critical
MS04-032: Microsoft Windows - A remote code execution vulnerability, two elevation of privilege vulnerabilities, and a denial of service vulnerability exist in Windows. The most severe vulnerability could allow remote code execution on an affected system.
MS04-033: Microsoft Office - A vulnerability exists in Microsoft Excel that could allow remote code execution on an affected system.
MS04-034: Microsoft Windows - A vulnerability exists in the way that Windows processes Compressed (zipped) Folders that could allow remote code execution on an affected system
MS04-035: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Exchange - A vulnerability exists in the Windows SMTP component and Exchange Server Routing Engine component that could allow remote code execution on an affected system.
MS04-036: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Exchange - A vulnerability exists in the Windows NNTP Component that could allow remote code execution on an affected system.
MS04-037: Microsoft Windows - A vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows Shell launches applications. A vulnerability exists in Program Group Converter because of the way that it handles specially crafted requests. Both could allow remote code execution on an affected system.
MS04-038: Microsoft Windows - Five remote code execution and three information disclosure vulnerabilities exist in Internet Explorer.
Re-issued Updates
In addition, Microsoft is re-releasing updates for Microsoft Office XP.
MS04-028: Microsoft Office XP, Project 2002, Visio 2002,Windows Journal Viewer - A buffer overrun vulnerability exists in the processing of JPEG image formats that could allow remote code execution on an affected system
This revised update is ONLY for customers running Office XP, Visio 2002 and Project 2002 on Windows XP Service Pack 2. This re-release does not affect any other products. This re-release also does not affect customers running Office XP, Visio 2002 and Project 2002 on platforms other than Windows XP Service Pack 2, including Windows XP SP1. This new update is for Windows Journal Viewer ONLY.
I have been abused my a number of people (ROB!) on how I created this blog site - so I will share it with you all (if your interested)
Basically I have stolen an application created by a guy called Scott Watermasysk. It is basically a .net web application with a sql backend. You can configure the blogs sites to house single or multiple blogs and it really is quite simple to setup. I run it at home on an SBS2003 Standard box, using msde, and I have installed the sql admin tools to make life a bit easier
Setup instructions can be found here: http://dottextwiki.scottwater.com/default.aspx/Dottext.InstallationHowTo156 and do download the app: http://www.gotdotnet.com/workspaces/workspace.aspx?id=e99fccb3-1a8c-42b5-90ee-348f6b77c407
I Downloaded .95 from here: http://www.gotdotnet.com/workspaces/releases/checkfordownload.aspx?id=e99fccb3-1a8c-42b5-90ee-348f6b77c407&ReleaseId=a489e6ee-bbd1-4d4a-a10b-0e564e94ac05
Just follow the instructions and create the sql tables and your all done!
A newer version is planned, and it is expected to hit the web sometime in November / December, but Scott has been well busy doing proper work, so that could slip
If you want to give it ago yourself it's not too hard, but I had some issues with WSS, but found a workaround that makes it work.
For support check out the old forums here: http://asp.net/Forums/ShowForum.aspx?tabindex=1&ForumID=149
and the new forums here:h ttp://www.communityserver.org/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=30 or just post feedback here and i'll try and help
Enjoy!
Interesting!!!
Source: http://www.jobserve.com/News/W2699.news
New laws to improve the way individual employment disputes are handled in Britain came into force on 1 October 2004.
The Employment Act 2002 (Dispute Resolution) Regulations 2004 make it mandatory for every UK employer to have in place statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures, and to use them correctly when workplace disputes arise.
The new regulations set out a basic three-step statutory procedure that should be followed before a case can be heard by an employment tribunal.
The behaviour and conduct of workers is the most likely cause of employment disputes, followed by performance and attendance issues. Bullying/harassment is one of the main causes of disputes least likely to be settled internally and is most likely to escalate to an employment tribunal application.
The regulations should promote better communication in the workplace and encourage people to talk through disputes when and where they occur, using employment tribunals as a back up rather than a first port of call.
Under the new rules, the following procedure must be followed:
Initial Letter. The issue must be set out in writing.
Face-to-Face Meeting. A meeting is held between the relevant parties to discuss the matter and work towards a resolution/agreement.
Appeal Meeting. An appeal meeting is held if the matter has still not been resolved.
Failure by either party to follow the procedure will mean they could incur financial penalties if the dispute goes to an employment tribunal.
The employee has a statutory right to be accompanied to workplace dispute/disciplinary meetings by a trade union official or work colleague. Clarifications to the role of a companion in these meetings are laid out in the Employment Relations Act 2004 and also came into effect on 1st October 2004.
Employment Relations Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said, "Nobody wants to go through tribunal proceedings unless they have to, and yet research has shown that nearly two thirds of applications come from employees who have not discussed the problem with their employers first.
"Naturally, there will always be cases when the issue cannot be resolved without a tribunal hearing - but there are also many which are sorted out almost on the steps of the tribunal, before the hearing. This cannot be good for either party involved.
"Many good employers already have and use grievance and disciplinary procedures. But there are some who either don't use existing procedures, or don't have any in place."
In addition to the dispute resolution regulations, new procedures for handling employment tribunal claims have also come into force.
The new, plain English claim and response forms take into account the new dispute resolution regulations and new procedures; and from April 2005, the use of these forms will become mandatory.
Â
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Further information on the Employment Act 2002 (Dispute Resolution) Regulations SI 2004 can be found at http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/
Â
Is this you?
Source: http://www.jobserve.com/e2695.news
Nearly 40% of workers say reliability is the ultimate quality in a co-worker and a fifth would prefer a straight talking and honest colleague, according to research. The office clown and agony aunt fared poorly in the poll with very few saying they would make ideal work mates.
British workers will not tolerate being let down by office slackers, claims new research. Almost four in ten people surveyed said their ideal colleague’s strongest trait would be reliability - a dependable colleague who’s always on time and never misses a deadline. Conversely, sycophants need to rethink their position in the office popularity stakes: despite being regular providers of teas, coffees, cakes and treats, these eager to please colleagues would only be chosen by 1% as the ideal co-worker.
Straight talking, honest colleagues came second in the poll, receiving one fifth of the votes, closely followed with 18% of the votes, by colleagues who are willing to put in extra effort to help out, for example by working through a lunch hour or staying after 5pm.
And there’s bad news for David Brent “The Office” wannabes - the office clown was the ideal colleague of only 12% of voters. The survey also shows that just one in ten workers rate the agony aunt who provides a shoulder to cry on as the ideal colleague.
Charles Ashworth of Manpower said, “Good co-workers are fundamental to our happiness in our jobs. A colleague who injects laughter into the workplace is always a ‘nice to have’ but being able to rely on a colleague to deliver on promises and not slack off is clearly far more important. We depend on our colleagues to fulfil their work commitments so that we in turn can fulfil our own.”
Source: http://www.jobserve.com/e2705.news
Employee discontent is on the increase as 40% are considering a new job in the next 12 months, according to Watson Wyatt, but a lack of honesty about the real causes for leaving could mean companies are focussing on the wrong reasons.
Watson Wyatt's Total Reward Survey 2004 found the real reasons given include a poor working relationship with their manager, a lack of opportunity to be creative and a lack of career development and promotion prospects.
"This contrasts with the more politically correct reasons given by employees when they actually leave such as better pay, better opportunities and job satisfaction," said Eddie Hodgart, head of total reward consulting at Watson Wyatt.
The research revealed that two out of five employees are considering leaving their current employer within the next 12 months and it is the non-financial elements rather than just pay that serve as a more effective means of keeping staff.
Career development and increased working flexibility all scored highly with employees, as well as a pay structure truly aligned to performance.
Thinking of jumping ship? Check out www.jobserve.com to find the perfect job to float your boat!
Humm, it is just me or does it look like Microsoft have updated the http://support.microsoft.com. The kb pages look different and it has a fresh feel to it!
The KB articles also have a translate option?! Check out http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270836 and then click on translate
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270836
This article describes how to enable Microsoft Exchange earlier-version MAPI client computers (either Exchange client computers or client computers that use Microsoft Outlook in Corporate or Workgroup mode in Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server and in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003) to connect to Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003 through a firewall.
If you make these changes on an Exchange 2000 computer or an Exchange 2003 computer that is installed onto a global catalog server, you must also implement the steps in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
298369 How to configure a Global Catalog server to use a specific port when servicing MAPI clients
Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To enable earlier-version MAPI client computers to connect to Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003 through a firewall, you must add entries to the registry to make the ports that are assigned to these connections static. To do this, follow these steps:
| 1. |
Start Registry Editor. |
| 2. |
Locate, and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeSA\Parameters |
| 3. |
Add the following entry for the Microsoft Exchange SA RFR Interface:
Value name: TCP/IP Port
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data: Port number to assign
Make sure that you assign different port settings to each of the registry keys. If you run the command netstat -an from a command line, you can view all TCP/IP connections and listening ports in numeric format. You must use an unused port for the static mappings.
Note Microsoft recommends that you assign ports from the 5000 - 65535 decimal range. For additional information about the guidelines for static port assignment of Exchange Server services, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
194952 Statically mapped port limitations for Exchange Server |
| 4. |
Add the following entry for the Microsoft Exchange Directory NSPI Proxy Interface:
Value name: TCP/IP NSPI Port
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data: Port number to assign |
| 5. |
Locate, and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\ParametersSystem |
| 6. |
Add the following entry for the Microsoft Exchange Information Store Interface:
Value name: TCP/IP Port
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data: Port number to assign |
| 7. |
Locate, and then click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeSRS\Parameters |
| 8. |
Add the following entry for the Microsoft Exchange Site Replication Service (SRS):
Value name: TCP/IP
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data: Port number to assign |
| 9. |
Quit Registry Editor. |
| 10. |
Restart the computer for these changes to take effect. |
After you complete these steps, configure the packet filter (or firewall) to enable TCP connections to be made to these ports and to port 135.
Note If you use Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 to connect to the Exchange computer through a firewall on your internal network, you must use the following ports because these ports are hard-coded into the Outlook 2003 client:
| • |
Microsoft RFR Interface: Port 6002 |
| • |
Microsoft Exchange Directory NSPI Proxy Interface: Port 6004 |
| • |
Microsoft Exchange Information Store Interface: Port 6001 |
For additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
148732 Setting TCP/IP port numbers for Internet firewalls
256976 How MAPI clients access Active Directory For additional information about how Outlook 2000 accesses the Microsoft Active Directory directory service, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
302914 How Outlook 2000 accesses Active Directory
APPLIES TO
| • |
Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Standard Edition |
| • |
Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition |
| • |
Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition |
Microsoft have release an update to the exBPA tool. Version 1.5.7.1 was released on the 11th October 2004
The updates include: Improved baseline rules output. Introduced new rules which detect recently modified changes. Updates to existing rules in the following areas: server name resolution, operating system version detection, cluster heartbeat configuration, content indexing, SBS2000, SBS2003, virtual memory, debug settings.
You can download the update from: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4f2f1339-cbcd-4d26-9174-f30c10d7ec4c&displaylang=en
No too sure how I found this guys (Sean Daniel) Blog, but he has posted some bloody good tips and tricks.
This is my favorite: Lock your workstation, with just the mouse? (http://seanda.blogspot.com/2004/10/lock-your-workstation-with-just-mouse.html )
In Windows 2000, locking your workstation was pretty tedious: CTRL+ALT+DEL, then press ENTER (or "k"). Windows XP took it to the next level, you press the Windows Key and then "L" (Why can't you change these Windows shortcuts, I can think of 26 more shortcuts).
Well, what happens if your primarily a mouse user? How do you lock your workstation then?
Well, now you can! Here are the steps:
- Create a New Shortcut, say, on the desktop, by right clicking and choosing New, Shortcut.
- For the location of the item, enter this string: %windir%\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
- Name the Shortcut, in this case I'm going to use Lock Workstation
You can also change the icon to say, the windows lock? Now you can put this handy shortcut in the Quick Launch bar, in the Start Menu or wherever else you feel like putting it.
Execute the icon and lock your workstation with a click of the mouse!
Check him out here: http://seanda.blogspot.com/ and add him to your feeds
From MsExcahange.org
Nobody likes to start from scratch. This is especially true if you have a well established network and firewall infrastructure that’s working for you. Why would you want to go and change everything just to add a new application layer intelligent firewall to your setup? Things are working already and you haven’t been successfully attacked for at least 6 weeks. This article shows how you can place an ISA 2004 firewall on your network to protect your Exchange Servers with minimal changes to your current network topology. Check it out!
Source: http://www.msexchange.org/articles/2004protectexch.html
Found this and thought I would share it
This article discusses a software update that you can install to help prevent the enumeration of e-mail addresses in your Microsoft Exchange organization. You can install this update if you run Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 on a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based computer.
Exchange Server 2003 provides a recipient filtering feature that can block an e-mail message that has been sent to a recipient that does not exist. The recipient filtering feature blocks the e-mail message by rejecting the recipient that does not exist. The recipient filtering feature blocks the e-mail message at the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) level. A side effect of this feature is that a malicious sender or a sender of unsolicited commercial e-mail can enumerate e-mail addresses that do exist by using a technique that is known as a directory harvest attack.
If you click to select the Filter recipients who are not in the Directory check box when you configure recipient filtering, directory lookup for recipients is enabled. If directory lookup is enabled, senders of unsolicited e-mail may discover valid e-mail addresses in your Exchange organization.
This software update adds a feature that you can use to delay the SMTP address verification responses for each address that is not valid that is submitted. This feature is referred to as the tar pit feature. This feature makes it extremely expensive in terms of time and cost for an attacker to try to obtain the Global Address List by using a directory harvest attack against an SMTP server that has the tar pit feature enabled. You can control the delay time by setting the value of the TarpitTime registry entry. By default, this feature is disabled.
Note Only anonymous connections are affected by the TarpitTime registry entry. Therefore, we recommend that you only enable this registry entry on the Internet-facing mail gateway servers.
Software update information
A supported feature that modifies the default behavior of the product is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to modify the behavior that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that specifically require it. This feature may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by the lack of this feature, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Windows Server 2003 that contains this feature.
To obtain this feature immediately, download the feature by following the instructions later in this article or contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
Prerequisites
You must install this software update on a Windows Server 2003-based computer.
Restart requirement
You must restart your computer after you apply this software update.
Software update replacement information
This software update does not replace any other software updates.
File information
The English version of this software update has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
Date Time Version Size File name Platform
----------------------------------------------------------------------
22-May-2004 00:19 6.0.3790.175 457,216 Smtpsvc.dll x86
22-May-2004 00:10 6.0.3790.175 1,177,088 Smtpsvc.dll IA-64
Configure the registry to use the tar pit feature
Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To enable the tar pit feature, you must add the TarpitTime entry to the registry and then configure the delay time value. To do this, follow these steps.
Note If the TarpitTime registry entry does not exist, Exchange behaves as if the value of this registry entry were set to 0. When the registry entry has a value of 0, there is no delay when the SMTP address verification responses are sent.
| 1. |
Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK. |
| 2. |
Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SMTPSVC\Parameters |
| 3. |
On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. |
| 4. |
Type TarpitTime as the registry entry name, and then press ENTER. |
| 5. |
On the Edit menu, click Modify. |
| 6. |
Click Decimal. |
| 7. |
In the Value data box, type the number of seconds that you want to delay SMTP address verification responses for each address that does not exist, and then click OK. |
| 8. |
Quit Registry Editor. |
| 9. |
Restart the computer. |
For additional information about the recipient filtering feature, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
823866 How to configure connection filtering to use Realtime Block Lists (RBLs) and how to configure recipient filtering in Exchange 2003 For additional information about Microsoft software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates
Susan blogged this over the weekend - It is just excellent!
When you could type in MSKB into your Internet Explorer and it would immediately jump to the Microsoft Knowledge base article?
Oh yes I do remember that and blogged about it before. But I just found a better one!
Internet Explorer Address Bar Tweaks for Techies:
http://www.commandline.co.uk/searchurl/
Source: http://msmvps.com/bradley/archive/2004/10/09/15337.aspx
This must be the 3rd or 4th article I have seen in the past few weeks about dumping IE. Check this one out!
Source: http://mcpmag.com/features/rss.asp?editorialsid=439
Internet Explorer is the Swiss Cheese of software—it's full of holes. Holes in software are never good, but when the browser is so integrated with the OS as to be as one—you've got problems. Add to that the sheer ubiquity of the Microsoft browser, and it's no wonder IE has become the hackers' No. 1 playground.
I saw this and I thought ... hummm I have always wanted a Tablet PC ... and I think, that now I have one that they rock!?!
Source: http://www.engadget.com/entry/5449225145623224/
While Tablet PCs have intrigued the marketplace, there’s been a lot of speculation why they haven’t sold better commercially. Conventional wisdom would state that price is the leading issue but as usual, conventional wisdom is wrong
Saw this up on Dan's Blog and thought I would pass it on!
Source: http://silverstr.ufies.org/blog/archives/000703.html
Alright... I've had enough.
I typically try not to slag services which I think are a great service to the industry, but I quite frankly have had enough of this now that its time I rant.
If you are using SORBS, I would like you to reconsider your options in the face of the fact that they DON'T manage their blacklist with any sort of integrity.
Looks like Microsoft has released some Active Directory Step-by-Step Guides. You can find a full list here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/technologies/directory/activedirectory/stepbystep/default.mspx
These guides step through the fundamentals of the Windows Server 2003 operating system, with emphasis on features enabled by Active Directory. Learn about common scenarios, including desktop and server management, the Group Policy Management Console, and using Active Directory to strengthen security. Whether you support a small, medium, or large enterprise, these guides help you take advantage of Active Directory's key benefits: increased operational efficiency, improved security, and enhanced productivity.
- Installing Windows Server 2003 as a Domain Controller
This document is the first in a series of step-by-step guides explaining how to build a common network infrastructure for deployment of the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system. Subsequent guides build upon this base infrastructure by detailing the configuration of common customer use scenarios. This guide begins with the installation of the Windows Server 2003 operating system and Active Directory.
- Installing a Windows XP Professional Workstation and Connecting It to a Domain
This document is the second in a series of step-by-step guides explaining how to build a common network infrastructure for deployment of the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system. Subsequent guides build upon this base infrastructure by detailing the configuration of common customer use scenarios.
- Setting Up Additional Domain Controllers
This guide describes how to create the first domain controller for a new child domain and how to configure an additional domain controller for replication within a child domain.
- Managing Active Directory
This guide introduces you to administration of the Windows Server 2003 Active Directory service and the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.
- Understanding the Group Policy Feature Set
This step-by-step guide presents a brief overview of Group Policy, and shows how to use the Group Policy snap-in to specify policy settings for groups of users and computers.
- Using the Group Policy Management Console
This step-by-step guide provides general guidance for using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) to support Group Policy Objects (GPOs) in an Active Directory environment. This guide does not provide guidance on the implementation for GPOs.
- Enforcing Strong Password Policies
This step-by-step guide details methods for defining strong password policies using Group Policy objects (GPOs) to extend the security of a computing environment.
- Using the Delegation of Control Wizard
This step-by-step guide details the process of delegating administration of objects in a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory service container.
- User Data Management and User Settings Management through Group Policy
This document contains information about the User Data Management and User Settings Management features that are available in the Windows Server 2003 operating system.
- Configuring a Dial-Up Remote Access Server
This step-by-step guide provides guidance for configuring a Routing and Remote Access Services (RRAS) infrastructure to support dial-in remote access connections.
- Building a Site-to-Site Virtual Private Network Connection
This step-by-step guide provides guidance for building a Routing and Remote Access Services (RRAS) infrastructure supporting Site-to-Site Virtual Private Network (VPN) through demand-dial connections.
- Using the Encrypting File System
This document provides sample procedures that demonstrate the end-user and administrative capabilities of the Encrypting File System (EFS) included with the Windows Server 2003 operating system.
- Digitally Signed and Encrypted E-Mail
This document provides sample procedures for deploying and configuring the E-Mail Services included with the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system. In conjunction with Microsoft Certificate Services, E-Mail Services build a foundation of support for digitally signing and encrypting e-mail traffic within, or external to, an organization.
- Active Directory Sites and Services
This guide explains how to use the Active Directory Sites and Services snap-in to administer replication topology both within a site in a local area network (LAN) and between sites in a wide area network (WAN).
- Active Directory Bulk Import and Export
This guide introduces batch administration of the Active Directory service, using both the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Data Interchange Format (LDIF) utility and several sample programs written using the Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) development system.
Saw this and thought I would share it .... I supect quite a few small business will!
Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/exchange/archive/2004/10/08/240074.aspx
The NT Backup team is looking for feedback from customers who use it to back up Exchange databases today, to help improve it in the future.
If you use NT Backup with Exchange and have time to exchange email with us and answer some questions about how you use it today, send an e-mail to Mark Sterin at msterin AT microsoft DOT com and tell him you heard about this request via the Exchange blog.
I received this spam today ... it looks quite a good idea!
Did you ever imagine what interesting possibilities you could have if a TV could be integrated in every mirror ?
- as a television & information - system for bathrooms, kitchens, Pools, Saunas, for Yacht-cabins or Hotel-suites
- as an information system in elevators, in public bathrooms, and much more
All all this without using any space !!!!!
Because it's behind the mirror and it's thinner than thin (2cm thin)!
Out of this reason it cannot:
- cannot get dirty
- cannot be stolen
- cannot be reprogrammed by the guest and
- cannot get wet (fire and water proofed)
- one and only approved TV for bathrooms (wet areas) !
- very easy installation and maintenance (magnetic system)
- Installable in every mirror
Exactly these systems we have developed and internationally patented.
More information and pictures you will find under www.ad-notam.tv and www.ad-notam.com
http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=lastupdatekinda&p;=763400
It isn't literally the last update of course, since there's lots to do and say between now and November 9th, but I can honestly say that there's no more updating on the progress of the game, since the game is done. Finished and shipped to a nebulous region known as RTC (Release To Certification) where it will be dumped from eight digital tapes onto a DVD and go through some final testing. Usually that's just a matter of routine, but we'll be watching our email carefully through next week…
Â
Roger handed off the tapes in LA yesterday, and as I write this, Alta, the Bungie Princess, is picking some discs up at Seatac Airport. And the office is eerily quiet – the calm broken intermittently by the rustle of a tumbleweed, or the rhythmic "barrrrrump" of a Parsons Sushi fart. Terrifying as it is to me, Parsons ordered Sushi for the celebratory lunch today.
Â
There are still many steps between now and the game's arrival on shelves, including the not-insignificant process of actually manufacturing MILLIONS of copies of the game.
Â
Yesterday was a total loss – everyone who was here simply sat around playing Halo 2 all day. There were some epic CTF battles, lots of Assault games and a ridiculously long fight between Artists and Programmers (thanks for booting me out of the game, Noguchi. You just made yourself a terrible enemy.) that ended  with a programmer victory. Now I know why Noguchi (programmer) kicked me off the ART team. Actually he has a point. The only game style I can win regularly is Swords. As a matter of fact I have a Halo 2 profile on the Xbox called "Stabby," with sensitivity jacked up to like, a squillion.
Yeah Baby - Not long to go now!
Source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002055180_xbox06.html
Microsoft's Xbox division is gearing up for what could be the best-selling holiday season in its history, at least as far as games go, with "Halo 2" among several upcoming titles that are exclusive to the console.
About 1 million copies of "Halo 2" have been pre-ordered so far, making it the highest presale in the history of video games, the company said yesterday. The game, which launches in North America on Nov. 9, could be the top-selling game of this year.
Microsoft has sold 5 million copies worldwide of the original "Halo," which launched with the Xbox debut in 2001
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=867711
Microsoft has released a technical article that explains how to deploy Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Feature Pack 1 as your advanced firewall server to help protect your Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 messaging environment.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/uisaex03.mspx
Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 are designed to work closely together in your network environment to provide a more secure messaging environment than previous versions of Exchange. When you use ISA Server to handle all inbound requests from client applications, such as Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 and Outlook Web Access, your Exchange front-end servers no longer need to be located in the perimeter network.
This article describes how to deploy ISA Server 2000 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Feature Pack 1 as your advanced firewall server to protect your messaging environment. This article does not explain how ISA Server functions or its underlying technologies. Additionally, you must familiarize yourself with ISA Server and fully test ISA Server in a test environment before deploying ISA Server in your corporate infrastructure.
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=867646
Microsoft has released a guide that explains how to migrate non-Exchange messaging systems such as Lotus Notes, Lotus Domino, and Novell GroupWise to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/library/interopmig.mspx
The Exchange Server 2003 Interoperation and Migration Guide was created to help messaging administrators and consultants to connect and migrate non–Exchange Server messaging systems to Exchange Server 2003. It describes the process by which you design an efficient Exchange Server 2003 interoperability and migration strategy. It includes prerequisites and actual procedures for connecting Exchange Server 2003 to common non–Exchange Server messaging platforms, including, but not limited to, Lotus Notes (and Lotus Domino) and Novell GroupWise. Connector components including Exchange Connector for Lotus Notes, Exchange Connector for Novell GroupWise, Calendar Connector, and general connectors based on SMTP and X.400 are described. The Exchange Server Migration Wizard, the fundamental tool for migrating user data, is discussed at length. There is also a troubleshooting chapter to consult if you encounter issues with interoperability and migration.
I found a list of updated whitepapers, and thought I would share it with you
New Whitepapers
Optimizing Storage for Exchange Server 2003 - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c6084d20-9730-4ffc-805d-b957327604c6&DisplayLang=en
Are you planning to deploy Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003? Are you concerned about availability, fault tolerance and performance? If so, it is critical that you understand how to optimize your storage system for Exchange Server 2003, regardless of the size of your organization.
Disk subsystem bottlenecks cause more performance problems than server-side CPU or RAM deficiencies, and a poorly designed disk subsystem can leave your organization vulnerable to hardware malfunctions. Specifically, your disk subsystem is performing poorly if it is experiencing:
- Average read and write latencies over 20 ms.
- Latency spikes over 50 ms that last for more than a few seconds.
High disk latency is synonymous with slow performance. To reduce costly disk latency issues, at a minimum, you should:
- Invest in high performance disks and spindles.
- Consider performance before capacity.
- Align your disks by using DiskPar.
All of these topics are discussed in this guide. In general, to optimize your storage system and avoid high disk latency issues, you need to understand:
- The causes of Exchange disk I/O.
- How to calculate your disk I/O requirements.
- How to optimize your specific storage architecture.
- How to verify the performance of your storage system.
Writing Managed Sinks for SMTP and Transport Events - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0cd7f344-cad6-416e-9bc1-0d7c214e1d0b&DisplayLang=en
This download includes documentation and source code that provide developers an overview of how to write event sinks for SMTP and Transport events in managed code using wrappers that obscure some of the details of communicating with the unmanaged server.
Updated Whitepapers
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=483B6E22-8ED2-420B-915E-96D469347FB2&displaylang=en
Step-by-step instructions include completing a new installation of Windows Small Business Server 2003 or upgrading from Small Business Server 2000, Windows 2000 Server, Standard Edition, or Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, to Windows Small Business Server 2003.
Additional information includes:
- System requirements
- How to choose an Internet service provider
- How to obtain a domain name
- Basic network concepts related to a small business network
- How to configure an existing firewall device or DHCP server device on your network
- Details about how Setup configures the operating system and applications for the needs of a small business
- Information about backing up and restoring the server
Before You Begin
To ensure your network is configured for Windows Small Business Server 2003, see Chapter 2 for detailed instructions on configuring your small business network.
Completing a New Installation
If no previous operating system exists or you are replacing an operating system that is not supported for an upgrade, see Chapter 3A.
Completing an Upgrade
To replace Small Business Server 2000, Windows 2000 Server, or Windows Server 2003 with Windows Small Business Server 2003 on the same computer while saving data and settings, you can complete an upgrade. If you are upgrading from Small Business Server 2000, see Chapter 3B. If you are upgrading from Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003, see Chapter 3C.
You can download the individual chapters or the whole document
Well you can still get them - yes you can. I was listening to JazzFM on the way in to work this morning and they mentioned this website http://www.aquarterof.co.uk/
It is really cool you can get all your old favorites!..... This section is quite good too: Whatever Happened to? I didn't know you could still get Space Dust!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7C3FFFE1-3761-4E7A-B6CA-F31FE957C024&displaylang=en
This book explains how to configure Microsoft® Exchange 2000 Server for sending and receiving Internet mail. Although Exchange supports many Internet protocols and features, this book mainly focuses on Internet mail and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5C76219A-4E30-4B51-A963-4A3896C9BB78&displaylang=en
PUBLISHED August 2003. Microsoft IT had operated a complex, worldwide messaging infrastructure at Microsoft that used over 100 mailbox servers running in 75 locations worldwide, using a variety of non-scalable hardware configurations. Microsoft IT upgraded to use Exchange Server 2003 on clustered Windows Server 2003 servers attached to Storage Area Network systems. As a result, Microsoft IT consolidated mailbox servers, improved mobile messaging, and enhanced its ability to backup and restore mailbox data to better meet its Service Level Agreements.
The download includes a powerpoint and word document
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=A1D0AF69-1287-4225-BD8B-59C89F44984B&displaylang=en
This document provides step-by-step instructions for moving each of the data folders for Windows Small Business Server 2003. The data folders include the Users Shared Folders, SharePoint and Monitoring databases, Exchange databases and log files, Sent Faxes folder, and ClientApps shared folder. You can use the instructions in this document to move one or all of the data folders.
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=487736F8-F6F5-436D-A82D-0C8D66E2A634&displaylang=en
Windows Small Business Server 2003 provides a reliable way to perform regular server backups to a tape drive, external hard drive, or network share. The Backup Configuration Wizard allows you to easily configure your backup. After a system failure or other disaster, you can restore your server from your latest successful backup. You can use the Backup Configuration Wizard to configure storage for individual files and e-mail messages, so that they can be restored in the event they are permanently deleted, without restoring the entire server. You can also configure backup of your company Web site, so that you can easily restore files and list items to the site.
This is an interesting looking document!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0A06E845-57EF-43EB-802F-F274FD937400&displaylang=en
By adding an additional server to your Microsoft® Windows® Small Business Server 2003 network, you can enable Terminal Server. Using Terminal Server, you can host your users' desktops. This can save your organization money by allowing you to extend the life of your desktop hardware.
After you have installed Windows Small Business Server 2003 and have completed the To Do List, you can join an additional server to your network and configure it as a terminal server.
And the first update hits the streets!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4F2F1339-CBCD-4D26-9174-F30C10D7EC4C&displaylang=en
Configuration, rule and help updates for the Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer 1.0
|
Date Published: |
9/24/2004 |
|
Version: |
1.5.6.1 |
This download contains the latest ExBPA.Config.xml and ExBPA.chm files. Use this package to update your existing installation of the Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer. NOTE: If Internet connectivity is available, the Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer will attempt to automatically update itself from the Internet. Where updates are being applied automatically, there is no need to download the Web Update Pack.
Interesting, but you need to have SQL Server Reporting Services
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=108C2B01-2CC9-4A84-A669-EB22533FA5E2&displaylang=en
A set of 13 Microsoft Exchange-based reports with a sample database that lets you easily visualize and author managed reports for e-mail administration.
Overview
The SQL Server 2000 Report Pack for Microsoft Exchange is a set of 13 Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services reports that work with a Microsoft Exchange sample reporting database.
With the Report Pack, you have the choice of using the sample reports either as-is or as templates for designing new reports using the SQL Server Reporting Services Report Designer.
This Report Pack includes the following reports:
- Current - All Mailboxes (By Folder)
Shows folder statistics over all folders. Tip: Be on the lookout for especially large mailboxes.
- Current - Folder Tree Sizes (By User)
Shows the folder tree and size of items contained within each folder of a specific user's folder. Drill down for breakdown. Tip: Find the largest folders and the largest items so you can free up space.
- Folder Tree Sizes (All)
Shows the folder tree and size of items contained within each folder for all user's folders since the last extraction. Drill down for breakdown. Tip: Find the largest folders and the largest items so you can free up space.
- Outgoing - Sent E-mails for User (Plain Table)
Compares the number of items found in users' Sent Items box. Tip: The highest send the most e-mail, which often correlates to the hardest workers.
- Outgoing Sent E-mails for User (With Graph)
Compares the number of items found in users' Sent Items box. Tip: The highest send the most email, which often correlates to the hardest workers.
- Outgoing Sent E-mails for User (With Bar Chart)
Compares the number of items found in users' Sent Items box. Drill down for breakdown. Tip: The highest send the most email, which often correlates to the hardest workers.
- Outgoing - Busy Receivers of Our E-mail
The top 50 people who were sent email from members of our organization.
- Incoming - Received E-mails for User (By Date)
Compares the number of items found in users' Sent Items box. Drill down for breakdown. Tip: The highest receive the most e-mail, they probably stress out the most.
- Incoming - Busy Receivers of Incoming E-mail
Shows how many emails were received into peoples' inbox.
- Outgoing - By Keyword
Examines the content of mail items to indicate which key phrases are being used by employees based on items in their Sent Items folders. Tip: Configure with your product names to see the e-mail activity by product.
- Outgoing - Largest E-mail Senders
Shows the people who sent e-mail with the largest sizes.
- Extraction Log (All Records)
Shows all of the Extraction Log records, including time to extract data from Exchange and store to the database for each user.
- Extraction Log (Last Extraction)
Shows the Extraction Log records for the most recent extraction, including time to extract data from Exchange and store to the database for each user.
This is handy!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5B7D2110-A322-4947-9EAF-3D6A9A99CB42&displaylang=en
This download contains all Exchange 2000 technical articles produced by the Exchange team.
You get 48 files, which are a combination of pdf's and doc's
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Best Practices for Deploying Full-Text Indexing.pdf
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Client Network Traffic with Exchange 2000.pdf
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Configuring SMTP in Exchange 2000.doc
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Customizing Microsoft Outlook Web Access.pdf
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Deploying and Maintaining Microsoft Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server.doc
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Deploying Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Clusters.pdf
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Deploying Policy Control with Microsoft Windows Messenger version 4.6 for Exchange Instant Messaging Deployments.pdf
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Disaster Recovery for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server.pdf
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Exchange 2000 Capacity Planning & Topology Calculator.pdf
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Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server and H 323.PDF
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Exchange 2000 Recipient Management.pdf
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Exchange Instant Messaging Over the Internet.pdf
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ForestPrep and DomainPrep.pdf
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How_To_Install_Mobile_Information_Server_2002_ActiveSync.pdf
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In-Place Upgrade from Microsoft Exchange 5.5 to Microsoft Exchange 2000.pdf
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Installing Microsoft Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server in a Mixed Site.pdf
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Instant Message Polling and Fixed Port Callback Delivery.pdf
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Lotus ccMail and Exchange 2000 Server Coexistence and Migration.doc
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Mailbox Recovery for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 and Lotus Domino Coexistence and Migration.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 and Novell GroupWise Coexistence and Migration.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 Front-End Server and SMTP Gateway Hardware Scalability Guide.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 Instant Messaging Setup.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 Mailbox Folder Structure.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Back End Mailbox Scalability.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Design and Implementation for Woodgrove Bank.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Installation and Setup.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack 2 Deployment Guide.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Service Pack 3 Deployment Guide.pdf
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Microsoft Exchange Scalability Testing.pdf
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Migrating Mailboxes from Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.5 to Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server.pdf
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Migration and Coexistence of Lotus Notes Applications using Microsoft Application Services for Lotus Notes.pdf
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Monitoring Exchange 2000 Server with Microsoft Operations Manager 2000.pdf
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Outlook Web Access in Exchange 2000 Server.pdf
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Public Folder Permissions in a Mixed Mode Microsoft Exchange Organization.pdf
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RSA SecurID and Microsoft MIS Server 2002 Integration.doc
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Storage Solutions for Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server.doc
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The Role of Groups and Access Control Lists in Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Deployment.doc
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The Role of Groups and Access Control Lists in Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Deployment.pdf
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Troubleshooting Exchange 2000 Performance.doc
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Troubleshooting Outlook Web Access in Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server.doc
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Understanding and Deploying Exchange 2000 Active Directory Connector.doc
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Understanding and Troubleshooting Directory Access.pdf
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Understanding Microsoft Outlook 2002 Improvements.doc
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Upgrading from Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 to Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server A Six-Step Case Scenario.doc
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Upgrading Public Folders.doc
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Using Microsoft Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server over the Internet.doc
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Using Microsoft Exchange Server Load Simulator 2000.doc
I presume this means that Microsoft will no longer be releasing Techincal Documents for Exchange 2000 :-|
Yeah baby!
Source: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/oct04/10-05PalmOnePR.asp
palmOne Customers to Get "Out-of-the-Box" Compatibility With Exchange Server 2003 Data, Including Wireless E-Mail and Calendar
MILPITAS, Calif. and REDMOND, Wash. -- Oct. 5, 2004 -- palmOne, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLMO) today announced that it has licensed Microsoft Corp.'s Exchange Server ActiveSync® protocol to enable the delivery of security-enhanced, wireless and direct synchronization between Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003, part of Windows Server System, and future Palm OS®-based Treo (TM) smartphones. palmOne intends to use the technology to extend the company's device support for Microsoft Exchange Server by adding capability for wireless server-based synchronization.
The relationship between palmOne and Microsoft underscores the market demand to make deploying mobile e-mail access easier for companies of all sizes. Many mobile e-mail solutions require a third-party server to be installed to act as a conduit between an e-mail server and a mobile device. By integrating the Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol into its devices, palmOne eliminates the need for a third-party server and provides customers with a solution for security-enhanced, wireless e-mail that is cost-effective and can be deployed quickly and easily. End users will benefit by having out-of-the-box capability to link to Exchange Server 2003 data, including e-mail and calendar information, using palmOne's easy-to-use VersaMail (TM) client.
"palmOne has built its brand on making complex technologies easy to use, and having wireless synchronization to Exchange 2003 available out of the box will enhance our Smartphone customers' experience while slashing company IT costs," said Ed Colligan, president, palmOne. "Key to offering the premier mobile e-mail access device is our open-platform approach, resulting in a full spectrum of choices for individuals to CIOs at the largest enterprises."
"The combination of the Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol and mobile solutions from palmOne provides customers with a direct means of extending wireless access to corporate e-mail from their palmOne devices in the field," said Dave Thompson, corporate vice president of the Exchange Server Product Group at Microsoft. "We believe that the combination of Treo smartphones and Exchange Server 2003 can significantly enhance end-user productivity by providing a direct, easily implemented wireless e-mail while simultaneously lowering IT costs by eliminating the need for middleware."
E-mail is the obvious application required by mobile workers who want to remain connected while away from the office. Between 2002 and 2006 the number of mobile workers in the United States will grow from 10 million to a total of 104.5 million individuals, and the No. 1 application organizations plan to spend money on in 2004 is e-mail. According to IDC, 84 percent of businesses will look to deploy e-mail first and then follow with personal information management, calendar applications and customer relationship management or sales force automation applications at the same time or soon after. Converged devices, like the Treo line of smartphones, are poised to capitalize on this growth in mobility with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 47 percent worldwide by 2006.
The 28th September saw the updated release of a few of Microsoft Product Support's Reporting Tools. In particular I would like to draw your attention to the updated Exchange tool [only because I wrote it ;-)]
You can find the full download list here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=cebf3c7c-7ca5-408f-88b7-f9c79b7306c0&displaylang=en
Updates to v1.0.7.0 include the following:
- Included exBPA within the tool to generate an exBPA reports
- Fixed some issues with reporting on clusters
- Report some additional IIS information
- Generate a summary file of the OS and Exchange version
- Gather additional Disk information
- Copy the Exchange 5.5 Gwart's
It includes everything that was in the last release tool (v1.0.6.0). You can find out more here: http://flaphead.dns2go.com/blog/archive/2004/07/13/169.aspx
Source: http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,1522,,00.html?orig=/bluetoothsecurity
Nokia published an update to it's schedule for cellphone Bluetooth vulnerability
Nokia is closely following the laboratory test attempts to hack Bluetooth and is aware of consumer concerns about security issues related to malicious attempts by hackers to access mobile devices. The potentially affected Nokia models include the Nokia 6310, 6310i, 6650, 8910 and 8910i mobile phones, the Nokia 610 car kit phone, and the Nokia 810 car phone.
Even though Nokia believes the real security risk is minimal, we are introducing a software upgrade to ensure security in Bluetooth devices in the above mentioned phone models, scheduled as follows:
| Phone |
Upgrade Schedule |
| Nokia 6310 |
Beginning the week of October 4 |
| Nokia 6310i |
Available now |
| Nokia 8910 |
Beginning the week of September 27 |
| Nokia 8910i |
Available now |
| Nokia 6650 |
Available now |
| Nokia 610 |
Beginning the week of October 18 |
| Nokia 810 |
Beginning the week of October 18 |
Damm!
Source: http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1659818,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535
MSN, citing spam-abuse concerns, has decided to end free access to Hotmail via Outlook and Outlook Express. In Microsoft's defense, Hotmail was one of the few Web e-mail services that offered such a service for free. And a relatively small number of users (five to seven percent) signed up for the service. But now you can't access Hotmail through Outlook unless you pony up for a paid Hotmail subscription.
Well after 3 weeks in India, and a week off recovering, I'm back to blog the living daylights out of you.
I'll write up a summary of India over the next couple of days ... It will be interesting REALLY!
L8tr