The Malware Evolution: A Change of Intent How to stay safe in today's world by Mary Landesman The summer of 2003 marked a turning point in malicious code. It was a particularly prolific period that debuted the likes of Blaster, Welchi, Dumaru and Sobig.F. It also signaled the end of a threat landscape littered with traditional threats. Unlike previous evolutions, the change was not one of vector or type of threat but rather an evolution of intent.

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A Darwinian view of malware Anyone whose job is to protect the network and battle the likes of Blaster and Sobig.F, has seen the changing environment of malware firsthand. Unfortunately, getting hit by more than one malware isn't unusual today. The feature story looks at how malware has evolved and the intent of the people behind it. Large companies usually have the resources to hire on specialists in different areas of IT and security. Small businesses don't have that luxury. Instead, the IT department could be one person. This person has to keep computers working AND protect them — a tall order for even the most experienced professional. Readers offer suggestions on how to manage security from a generalist perspective. While big organizations have the luxury of having specialists, they also face communication challenges, especially with multiple offices. As a result, people in headquarters might criss-cross their communications with employees in smaller offices. These debacles are not necessarily anyone's fault and can simply be an oversight from having overwhelming resources. If you've found a way to help all parts of an organization better communicate, we'd love to hear about it. Your response can be anonymous if you prefer. We enter your name in a drawing for a 256 MP3 player every time you write to answer a reader's question, ask one or simply leave feedback. Let us know if you’re finding what you need. Two resources you might find valuable are the archives of past issues and the forums. Thanks for staying in touch. Best, Meryl K. Evans To unsubscribe instantly or change your preferences, see links at the bottom

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Last Issue's Security Dilemma: Securing the small business with limited staffing IT employees working for a small business almost always do everything, from Exchange Server and SQL queries to network and user management to phone security. What is the best way for a small staff to get everything done? How should you handle security from a generalist point of view? — Wesley, Tech Read the best advice from readers of The Remediator Digest   This Issue's Security Dilemma: Earth to headquarters, I'm not hearing you … How can a middle manager in a regional office convince managers and staff in national headquarters not to circumvent communications protocol? Headquarters tends to bypass the managers and communicate to subordinates. That means I miss out on crucial information. How do you best enforce your company's communications protocol? — Jane, Regional Manager Can You Help? Share your experience. You could win a 256 MB MP3 Player. Congratulations to this month's winner of a 256 MB MP3 Player: R. Spencer Van Pelt, CIO, Republic Mortgage, LLC

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