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| ABN 23 114 975 772 | newsletter@quarkgroup.com.au | www.quarkgroup.com.au | issue 13 | october 2005 |
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Update Zone |
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The Latest Malware Information |
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Security, onions and tears We've all seen those television shows where people are blindfolded, have their nose blocked and are then fed a piece of apple and a piece of onion and they usually cannot tell the difference. Well security is somewhat like this in a number of ways. First, many of us are blind to the number of threats that are lurking on the Internet - it really isn't a nice place to play if you are too naive. We stumble around, reading this website, clicking on that link, forwarding on an email warning that AOL has detected the latest virus, we click a link to install some new anti spyware application because a warning was displayed that told us we had spyware detected on our machine... We have other "senses" dulled by the number of spam emails we receive asking us to buy various body improvement or other products and that some person we've never met in some country we've never been to has decided to trust us with their life savings because their government is corrupt. We then get fed some line by some marketing company that a particular product is the bee's knees and that if we run this, then our life will be complete (or at least completely secure). Because we are now suffering (common) sensory deprivation, we believe this - it tastes sweet, just like an apple does. Oh, this is wonderful! Now the blindfold comes off (usually by finding that we have lost some sensitive data, we have a non-functioning computer or server or that our ISP has suspended our account because of excessive traffic and/or our IP address appearing in some anti-spam blacklist), we exhale, and eeewwwwww - that odor isn't apple, it is onion!! And then the tears start. Just like there's no way that we can know everything about cars, coffee machines, embroidery, the risks in setting a compound fracture of the tibia or exactly how much Nitrous Oxide is safe to administer to a patient (or parent-in-law), there's no way you can be expected to know all about firewalls, spam, spyware, VLANs, viruses, worms, trojans, phishing scams, NAT, stateful inspection, QoS, DNS poisoning, patching, denials of service, IP spoofing, WEP cracking, RADIUS authentication, content filtering, VPNs, rootkits or 14 year old sociopaths with a genetic code that simply forces them to hack. |
The people at Quark IT are those who can tell the difference between things that look like apples but are actually made from onion. A number of large "security" companies produce applications exactly like this. We ourselves use and recommend a number of products that we know actually do what they say they do, some of them are from big name companies and others are from the small guys who are outstanding at what they do - small businesses, just like yours and just like ours. Quark IT takes this taste test regularly - because we rely on the Internet for our business we need to ensure that we are as protected as we can be from all of this garbage that's out there trying to do damage. We bring this knowledge to your business as your IT solution providers - we wouldn't do something at your site that we wouldn't be comfortable doing at our own. If you've been with Quark IT for a while now, you know that we don't have a problem letting you know our feelings on certain pieces of software, certain software companies, certain security practices, certain pieces of hardware (hey, I have to be careful in here, this goes out to quite a few people, and it is in writing). We have strong beliefs and many, many years dealing with computer and network security issues. We will not put in something we don't believe in. If you know of someone else who may not be as resilient to all of this malicious garbage as your network now is, please mention Quark IT to them - we'd be happy to help your friends and colleagues know they are as safe and secure (and smell as nice) as you do. |
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Licensing: Counterfeit Software & Piracy |
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Counterfeit software Many people have seen the spam sent out by various companies claiming to be able to sell you "OEM" or other software at heavily discounted prices. The pricing often seems to good to be true. There's a reason for that! Much of this software is counterfeit software - it has been manufactured in cheap CD pressing plants so it looks and feels legal, it seems to have the right EULA and product stickers attached, but if you look closely, you will be able to see differences between this and legitimate software. if the price seems too good to be true, then you can generally accept that it is too good to be true. Online auction sites Although sites such as eBay have strict policies about selling items that you do not own the copyright for or that are being sold against the manufacturer's conditions of sale, it is impossible for them to check every item that is listed for sale. Purchasing software through an online site is often a dangerous thing. Just because the seller says it is legitimate doesn't make it legitimate, and the possession of this software, should it it turn out to be a counterfeit may even get you into strife. Upgrade and OEM software If you purchase an Upgrade License, then you will be required to keep and not use the pre-qualifying product - an Upgrade License is invalid if you don't retain ownership of the previous version. For example, if you purchase a Windows XP Professional upgrade and have previously purchased a Windows 98 SE upgrade and prior to that had been running a Windows 3.11 OEM product, then you will need to retain receipts, Licenses and often media for these previous products if you want to have your Windows XP Professional Upgrade License remain valid. OEM software can generally only be sold with a fully assembled computer system and the license is not valid if the computer is upgraded (generally, the motherboard is the "core" component that must remain, here). So, if the Windows 3.11 OEM product above has been "transferred" to another computer, then neither that OEM nor any of the upgrades are correctly licensed. |
Shades of grey We all know that stealing money out of the cash register is wrong. We all know that stealing stock off the floor (or elsewhere) is also wrong. These are obviously "black" things. We know that returning a lost wallet with all the cash intact is right. This is a "white" thing. Many people consider running "unlicensed" software to sit somewhere in the grey between these two extremes. Well, can I just say that the Federal Police and the Australian Copyright Act 1968 will both disagree and define this as wrong - black. There are no shades of grey when it comes to the Copyright Act 1968 (nor the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000). As was mentioned last month, every piece of software ever released is covered by at least one License, so there is no such thing as "unlicensed" software - that term should really be called "pirated", "stolen" or "illegal" software. How do I know my software is legal? Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it may appear to be. Unless you know the licensing conditions of all the software applications you have purchased and have kept abreast of the changes as they have happened, then you cannot be 100% certain that all of your software is being used according to its License agreement. Companies like Microsoft, Adobe and Macromedia have failed utterly when it comes to License Management - there is no Licensing Server for a Windows-based network that can properly track the licenses in use. The only real way that your software Licence compliance can be verified is by running a full software audit and then having this brought up to date on a regular basis - such as when new software is purchased, new computers are purchased, or when Licensing conditions change. Quark IT keeps up with the software that most of our clients run on a regular basis and we are able to relatively quickly find out pertinent information on the various line of business applications that are in use - we can then perform a software audit, compare its results with the current License agreements and let you know where you stand in terms of software License compliance. If you have any concerns about the number or type of Software Licenses that you have purchased, please contact Quark IT and we can assist you to determine if you are correctly and adequately licensed. |
Quark Automation |
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Automation and the Smart Home Home Automation is a term that we often hear, but what does it really mean? Automation, whether used in the context of business or the home, is probably one of the most misunderstood phrases used in the industry today. Automation is not just the B&D roller door going up and down when you press a button, automation is about bringing together a range of technologies to enhance your lifestyle. Automation is about Integration, making technology work for you. Just as Home Theatre and the Internet have made their way into the mainstream, so too Automation is becoming the expected standard for comfort, convenience, energy-saving and communication in the home and workplace. Home Automation is about creating a Smart Home, combining technology with convenience. Ideally, a Smart Home design will enhance the everyday experience of home life. When thoughtfully designed, these systems will often improve not only how we interact with our home environment, but can also be beneficial to re-sale property value. Business Automation is about creating a user-friendly environment with energy-efficiency, convenience and productivity as the primary focus. Quark Automation provides a complete range of Automation services based on the gold-standard for electrical automation - Clipsal® C-Bus™. For over 10 years, C-Bus™ has provided commercial industry with straight-forward, but powerful systems control. During this time, C-Bus™ has grown from an advanced lighting and control system to become a world-leading platform for electrical Automation control. Quark Automation can design, deliver and install a complete integrated solution for your home or business including:
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 Our team of experts come together from a range of specialised backgrounds, combining skills in AudioVisual consultation, electrical and hardware engineering, control systems software development, Information Technology, Industrial Psychology, and Project Management. With extensive combined industry experience, use of only proven products, and each system design tailored to your specific needs; Quark Automation has quickly established a reputation for quality solutions that simply work. Through their respective specialisations, Quark Automation team members have worked on some of the most prestigious residential and commercial installations spanning Brisbane, the Gold and Sunshine Coasts. Of recent note, Quark Automation was contracted as Chief Program Designer for the Big Brother House at Dreamworld, working on behalf of Clipsal® Integrated Systems. Our contracted installation teams bring a wealth of experience in AudioVisual installation, commercial and residential electrical (including medical installations such as hospitals) and datacomms. Our direct association with AudioVisual engineers, security specialists, electrical and data experts, Microsoft® Certified Professionals, and Clipsal® C-Bus™ certified professionals assures you that by choosing Quark Automation for your integrated systems solution, you are receiving the utmost attention to detail from staff with the experience and backing of some of the most respected names in the industry. If you would like to receive some more information or make an appointment to discuss how Quark Automation can design a Clipsal ® C-Bus™ system to suit your home or office needs, please contact us to discuss your automation needs. 
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Next Month |
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Software Licensing We continue this series of articles with a look at the limitations that OEM software licenses generally come with. Because of the reduced price of this software, the limitations are quite important to be aware of. |
Back to our regular programming We'll return again to our regular informative articles about the technology that affects our daily lives. Again, if there is anything you'd like to see covered in future Newsletters, please email us with any suggestions or comments. |
Signing off |
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Well, that is pretty much it for the October 2005 Quark Group Newsletter. It looks like we are in for a rather nasty storm season this year. If you want to ensure that your sensitive electrical and electronic equipment is adequately protected, please don't hesitate to ask the Quark Group to perform a site survey and present you with your best options. Commiserations to Liz Ellis, the Australian Netball captain who has just been ruled out of the Commonwealth Games after injuring her ACL in the recent Australia v New Zealand Test Match. We all need to remember that security is like setting out to reach the horizon - you're always making progress, but you'll never, ever reach a state of oneness with your goal. It may be more apparent with IT security than building and home security, but both will always be a work in progress. If you know anyone else who would like to receive this Newsletter, please feel free to forward this edition to them and also ask them to email us asking to subscribe. Please contact us if you would like Quark Group to assist you in ensuring that your home as well as your office computing environment is as functional as it can be. | |
