Tech Buzz 03/02 Protecting your Internet Information Server and self-regulating on the Net
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Microsoft Spots
Uh-oh, is somebody hacking into your Internet Information Server(IIS) again? Microsoft programmers may not have a good excuse forthe many bugs in its breach-prone software, but now you don'thave a good excuse for not cleaning up after them. Microsoft'sStrategic Technology Protection Program is a multifaceted approachto making its software safer for businesses. Found at www.microsoft.com/security, the program makes fixesavailable for download.
Businesses that suffered at the hands of the Nimda virus or theIIS-munching Code Red worm can take the first step and try out atrial version of Microsoft Security Tool Kit. The kit includessecurity information, service packs and patches to fix softwareholes many viruses have exploited. Free virus-related phone supportis also being offered to business customers.
Microsoft is also trying to shore up its reputation by makingIIS a little more bulletproof. Entrepreneurs who invest in thelatest version will notice that the product ships in a default"lock down" mode to provide the strongest level ofsecurity straight out of the box. You will also be able to getsecurity fixes more easily through Windows Update. But in the end,it's up to you to turn your server from a virus welcome matinto a virus repellent.
Tower of Label
Online rivals AOL, MSN and Yahoo! make unlikely bedfellows, butthe big three have banded together to support a Net initiative fromthe nonprofit Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA). The ICRAis a proponent of a content-labeling system designed to aid parentsin filtering out objectionable Web sites. Use of the labels isentirely voluntary, but this show of support from large Internetcompanies ups the pressure for growing businesses to play along,because surfers can also set their software to block out unratedsites.
One purpose of the labeling campaign is to head off potentiallegislation by proving the effectiveness of self-regulation on theInternet. With the backing of Net giants like AOL, the system isgetting a boost toward widespread usage. Entrepreneurs interestedin tagging their Web sites can visit the ICRA at www.icra.org and use theonline content questionnaire to generate an HTML filteringlabel.
