5 Nov
Have you ever wondered how much data Google stores in your account? Check out the Google Dashboard, a new tool that shows you a list of every service that you use and provides links for managing your preferences. This tool will be tremendously helpful in figuring out exactly where your data is. Check it out!
17 Oct
This blog post from the Internet Storm Center over at SANS highlights the need to pay attention to the setup of your server systems. We aren’t using this particular blacklist but it still highlights the point. This is why I spend so much time following mailing lists and keeping up with my feed reader. This kind of thing is easily avoidable.
Aaron let us know about a discussion thread on the NANOG mailing list about issues with the blackholes.us DNS block list (DNSBL):
The issue is the maintainer of the blackholes.us DNSBL shut the list down some time back and the IP address space that the DNS servers for it were on was given back to ARIN. That address space has since been re-allocated to a new company and they are getting tired of the continual inbound DNS queries to the IP address of the old server. Apparently they have now stood up a DNS server to answer those queries with a wildcard record that effectively returns “yes, the IP you are inquiring about is a spammer”. As a result, lots of mail relays that are still configured to do lookups against this DNSBL are now being told that everyone on the Internet is a spam source.
According to this post in the news.admin.net-abuse.email Usenet newsgroup, the DNSBL was shutdown 2 years ago.
If you are an email administrator, please check your RBLs to see if you are still submitting queries to blackholes.us and remove it from your configurations if you are. You should also review any other RBLs you are using to ensure that they are still in operation as well.
27 Sep
Looks like this ad company doesn’t know their target audience that well…
20 Sep
The FCC will be unveiling new rules on network neutrality at a presentation for The Brookings Institution tomorrow. This is a very exciting development for the protection of consumer rights on the Internet. It was also a major plank of President Obama’s technology platform. We should all be watching the outcome of this important development.
The top U.S. communications regulator plans to unveil proposals Monday for ensuring Web traffic is not slowed or blocked based on its content, sources familiar with the contents of the speech said on Friday.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski will announce plans to ask his fellow commissioners to adopt as a rule net neutrality and four existing principles on Internet access issued by the agency in 2005, one of the sources said.
12 Sep
As the IT Director for the NC Methodist Conference I belong to the United Methodist Information Technology Association (UMITA). We meet once a year and discuss issues affecting technology and the United Methodist Church. This year’s meeting will be held next week in Norcross, GA. I will be presenting on why churches need a web presence and how to get one established.
I covered this topic with my coworker Derek Leek at annual conference a few months ago and have built off of the same materials. This presenation will focus exclusively on using open source software and free online tools to accomplish the job. No church should have to spend lots of money to create their place online.
I am looking forward to seeing old friends again and catching up with the other conferences. It will be interesting to see and hear about their current issues.
28 Aug
There is a bill now being written behind closed doors that would give the President the power to exert emergency control of the internet in times of emergency. If you are fortunate enough to be a company that is designated as a critical interest you could be subjected to forced removal from the internet when an emergency strikes. Why is the government trying to get into the business of controlling these companies? Shouldn’t they be cleaning up their own house first? These companies hire entire departments of people who are in charge of protecting their digital assets. It’s their job. Why is the government concerned with the operation of private property? It frankly is none of their business how large companies operate their networks. Who thinks this is a good idea?
Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.
They’re not much happier about a revised version that aides to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, have spent months drafting behind closed doors. CNET News has obtained a copy of the 55-page draft of S.773 (excerpt), which still appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency.
The new version would allow the president to “declare a cybersecurity emergency” relating to “non-governmental” computer networks and do what’s necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for “cybersecurity professionals,” and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license.
Here’s the real kicker:
Probably the most controversial language begins in Section 201, which permits the president to “direct the national response to the cyber threat” if necessary for “the national defense and security.” The White House is supposed to engage in “periodic mapping” of private networks deemed to be critical, and those companies “shall share” requested information with the federal government. (“Cyber” is defined as anything having to do with the Internet, telecommunications, computers, or computer networks.)
Now we see the true purpose of this bill. The government wants to know what is on our computer networks. Imagine the possibilities for a moment. Let’s say there is another (God forbid) terrorist attack. The government already has the power to ground all air travel. Now they can pull the plug on the internet as well. What better way to suppress dissent could their be? The government already effectively controls the majority of the mass media. Oh wait, this is for our safety. There I go being paranoid again…
27 Aug
Great video from the NC State Office of Information Technology on the need to purchase complete care coverage on your computer equipment. We purchase it on all of our new computers at work!
27 Aug
The NC State Office of Information Technology has produced a video outlining the importance of installing antivirus software on your computer. You may not qualify for their software but you should run something!
