So I’m trying NOT to freak out here

On September 28, 2004, in Security, by

Boss/partner brings in his HP laptop so I can upgrade it to Windows XP sp2.  [It’s the really cool HP with the built in ten key that all us bean counters go ooooohhhhhhhhhh]  So I boot it up to begin the upgrade process and there’s a spysware scanner program on it.  Oh cool, right? 


Uh…no, not so cool.  I didn’t install it. Where it came from, I’m not exactly sure.  Fortunately I do some hunting that it is a freeware spyscanner so I’m not freaking…. completely…but still it points out that “social engineering” can easily trick someone into downloading a program and installing it. 


Because he has full rights to that machine, he can install anything without thinking of the consequences. 


I/We need to get used to running as a plain user.  There was something I read a night or two ago that Network Quarantine/protection would be huge for us good guys in the year ahead at the same time Social Engineering would be huge for the bad guys.

 

One Response to So I’m trying NOT to freak out here

  1. Henry Craven says:

    So did -you- install the Viewpoint media player to see the 3D inage if the HP ?

    🙂