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| newsletter@quarkit.com.au | www.quarkit.com.au | issue 8 | may 2005 |
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Update Zone |
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The Latest Virus And Worm Information |
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NOD32 Update - Enhanced Spyware and Trojan Detection |
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ESET have released their latest NOD32 antivirus suite - version 2.5 - which improves on their already stunning track record. NOD32 currently has 31 "VB 100%" Virus Bulletin Awards - a
feat that no other antivirus vendor has managed to match, let alone exceed. The improved heuristics engine (which is the ability to look at a piece of code and determine whether it is likely to be
a new virus even if you don't know which virus) will help it keep its lead in the antivirus market. In addition to this improved antivirus performance, ESET had enhanced NOD32's protection against spyware, adware, phishing and trojans. To date, ESET is one of only two security companies worldwide that have received Checkmark's certification for anti-spyware - the other company being Trend for their PcCillin and OfficeScan products. Not only has ESET received the Checkmark certification for anti-spyware, they have also received it for anti-trojan and anti-virus detection and removal, matched by only Trend's OfficeScan product. |
NOD32 Version 2.5 introduces the ability to scan "alternate data streams" and the ability to clean saved "System Restore points". The new NOD32 engine optionally utilizes what ESET terms "'ThreatSense" technology which uses their early warning system at http://www.ThreatSense.net to allow NOD32 users to immediately and anonymously report back to ESET any newly detected threats, enabling ESET to tune the ThreatSense engine to detect subsequent waves of new malicious software. As with all NOD32 updates, all current valid license holders of any NOD32 product are able to upgrade from their existing version 2.12.3 to the new NOD32 Version 2.5 engine. ESET does not ask for more money when they release engine updates as happens with some other antivirus vendors - a current valid license is all that is needed to obtain this new version. Please contact Quark IT to discuss your network security options. |
Wireless Networking |
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What it is Wireless networking has been around for many years - the first wireless network was implemented in Australia in the 1980s. Affordable wireless networking is another thing entirely! There are three main standards in use today for consumer wireless networking known as 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g. These wireless (WiFi) standards operate in the 2.4 GHz frequency band (802.11b and 802.11g) and the 5.00 GHz frequency band (802.11a) - 802.11a has a shorter effective range than 802.11b and 802.11g and is also more likely to be degraded by walls, floors, trees and other physical objects. Now, not only do your wireless networks operate in these frequency bands, but so do your cordless telephones, microwaves, garage door openers, baby monitors and all other sorts of wireless devices. This may explain why sometimes you cannot get a satisfactory WiFi connection. What you need Your computer (or other device such as a PDA) needs to have a WiFi network card that supports the 802.11a, 802.11b and/or 802.11g standard(s). You also need to have something else to connect to - either another device, or preferably an access point. Allowing devices to connect together without an access point is fraught with danger. More on this in a later article on WiFi security. Some network cards and access points can support multiple standards - 802.11b/g or 802.11a/b/g. There are also some not-quite-standards (such as SuperG) and emerging standards (such as 802.11n) that are available now (or soon will be). |
What you get Wireless networking gives you freedom to roam around the area covered by your access point(s) without losing connectivity. Generally, the further away from the access point (AP) you are the weaker and slower the signal. Walls, floors, filing cabinets and other physical objects will also degrade the signal strength, so you may need multiple APs to cover a particular area. This is where things start getting tricky as there are a number of things that need to be considered to make this work reliably. Wireless networking also allows you to bring your laptop home from work and connect to your home network without having to fumble for cables. It obviously allows you to take it back to work and connect back to the work network without needing to find that pesky blue cable. What others get Well, if you are not careful, they also get the ability to connect to your network. Both at home and at the office. And this is generally something that you don't want to have happen. Securing your WiFi network is something that will be covered in a future newsletter article, however let me say this for now - the majority of WLANs (wireless local area networks) out there are insufficiently secured. This is particularly applicable to those with sensitive data on their networks. And that is everyone of us. If you are considering wireless networking, please contact Quark IT to discuss your wireless networking and security options. For more information on wireless networking: http://www.quarkit.com.au/content/view/41/1/ |
Small Business Server 2003 Features: Shared Fax Service |
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What is the Shared Fax Service? Small Business Server 2003 has an inbuilt fax server. To describe simply what this means, this allows you to utilise your SBS2003 server to send faxes from any computer that is connected to your network and to receive faxes into an Exchange mailbox or into SharePoint. It may be appropriate to use the SBS Shared Fax Service alongside your existing fax machine, however it is quite possible in a number of situations that the standalone fax machine can be replaced completely with the SBS 2003 Shared Fax Service. There are a number of important issues to consider before you decide to replace all of your traditional fax machines and move towards a paperless office solution. Features and benefits of server based faxing:-
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Things to consider:-
What this means to your business If you utilize faxing in your business, you can see where the SBS2003 Shared Fax Service could well suit your business needs and why Windows Small Business Server 2003 is such a cost effective solution for the small to medium business. All things said and considered the Shared Fax Service server in SBS2003 is great at what it does, BUT like most things it has it's limitations. What if you need more If faxing is a major part of your business, maybe a separate fax server or a change in the way you manage your paperwork would be a benefit to your business. If you think that you are a candidate for SBS 2003 and its Shared fax Service or would like to find out more about available Fax Server solutions, please contact us and we will perform a business analysis of your organization's faxing needs and habits and will advise of the right solution that meets your specific needs. |
Signing off |
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That's about all from us for the May Quark IT Newsletter. It is getting close to the end of the financial year and may be time to start thinking about buying those things that can be used to help keep your tax liability down, such as a new HP laser printer, printer cartridges, paper, PDAs, notebooks and other goodies. It is better to have the money sitting on your desk than in the Tax man's pocket. One of the things that we are looking into whilst investigating VoIP technologies is the ability for all incoming and outgoing voice calls to be recorded. In many industries it is required that all communication with your clients be recorded and voice calls to or from a client is one area that can cause a lot of grief. If there's anything else that you would like to have us find out about VoIP technology, please contact us. Also, a timely reminder about power protection because of the recent storms we have had in Brisbane that caused quite a number of properties to be without power. Do you have adequate protection for your sensitive electrical devices at home and at the office? Are your incoming telephone lines also protected from power surges? Please contact us if you would like Quark IT to assist you in ensuring that your equipment is sufficiently protected. | |
