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Aug. 2nd, 2002
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I just love a morning when email like this has to be sent to All Staff, don't you?
Morning, folks.
This is just a note to let you know that I got here this morning and had thirty-four notices from Exchange of suspicious emails trying to get in - plus three emails with attachments from people I didn't know. Even assuming that one-fifth of those notices were false alarms from well-meaning people sending us emails using programs that attach pictures or signature files that set off the detectors, that means we had something like twenty-nine or thirty attempted intrusions last night...
and while I was typing that sentence another warning came in.
All I'm asking is that you guys remember the basic safe email principles. Don't open email with attachments from people you don't know. Don't open email with attachments from people you *do* know unless you are *expecting* email with an attachment from them. If you get an email with an attachment from someone you know, phone them or send them a new email asking if they meant to send that. Do not reply to their email with the attachment; don't even open the email. Our a/v software updates regularly, but sooner or later some clever little punk is going to come up with something it doesn't recognize. I'll be a much happier person if everybody behaves in a safe, responsible fashion and avoids the kind of behaviors that could get them infected.
... yeah, I know, it sounds like an HIV prevention class... same idea, really.
That having been said, have a great day!
For the record, yet ANOTHER notification of attempted intrusion came in while I was looking up the HTML small tag. I swear to Fnord, Klez is like an electronic version of the herpes family of viruses. Widely distributed, fscking difficult to get rid of, and causing endless embarrassment. (Although the simile kind of breaks down when you realise that Klez doesn't exactly come in 'cold sore' and 'STD' varieties, you get the idea.)
Today's pulp survival tip is #33. Check your shoes, hat, jacket, and anything else with pockets or sleeves before putting it on.
Morning, folks.
This is just a note to let you know that I got here this morning and had thirty-four notices from Exchange of suspicious emails trying to get in - plus three emails with attachments from people I didn't know. Even assuming that one-fifth of those notices were false alarms from well-meaning people sending us emails using programs that attach pictures or signature files that set off the detectors, that means we had something like twenty-nine or thirty attempted intrusions last night...
and while I was typing that sentence another warning came in.
All I'm asking is that you guys remember the basic safe email principles. Don't open email with attachments from people you don't know. Don't open email with attachments from people you *do* know unless you are *expecting* email with an attachment from them. If you get an email with an attachment from someone you know, phone them or send them a new email asking if they meant to send that. Do not reply to their email with the attachment; don't even open the email. Our a/v software updates regularly, but sooner or later some clever little punk is going to come up with something it doesn't recognize. I'll be a much happier person if everybody behaves in a safe, responsible fashion and avoids the kind of behaviors that could get them infected.
... yeah, I know, it sounds like an HIV prevention class... same idea, really.
That having been said, have a great day!
For the record, yet ANOTHER notification of attempted intrusion came in while I was looking up the HTML small tag. I swear to Fnord, Klez is like an electronic version of the herpes family of viruses. Widely distributed, fscking difficult to get rid of, and causing endless embarrassment. (Although the simile kind of breaks down when you realise that Klez doesn't exactly come in 'cold sore' and 'STD' varieties, you get the idea.)
Today's pulp survival tip is #33. Check your shoes, hat, jacket, and anything else with pockets or sleeves before putting it on.
Whoever invented the preview pane for MS Outlook should be drug into the street and shot. Multiple times. We're talking John Woo gunfight-in-the-church kind of shot. One of my users had an email coming in to her machine and the preview pane open and the email insisted on trying to open some file whose entire name wouldn't even fit in the 'do you REALLY wanna?' window because it was part of the message being previewed. Saying 'no, go'way' triggered a fatal error in Outlook...
It's dead now, I managed to kill the message. Along with all 3111 messages in her deleted items folder. (She's not so good with computers, but she's not the kind to grovel or make giggly noises about how bad she is, so I can deal with her infinitely better than a lot of my users.) But damn - the preview pane creator needs to be sweeping up the renovation between the pews when Jeffrey goes to town, that's all I'm sayin'.
It's dead now, I managed to kill the message. Along with all 3111 messages in her deleted items folder. (She's not so good with computers, but she's not the kind to grovel or make giggly noises about how bad she is, so I can deal with her infinitely better than a lot of my users.) But damn - the preview pane creator needs to be sweeping up the renovation between the pews when Jeffrey goes to town, that's all I'm sayin'.
Oh... kay...
Aug. 2nd, 2002 02:18 pmIf y'all ever catch me whining about how being a sysadmin is a thankless task and ain't nobody grateful, slap me, okay? 'cos, see, that board member whose machine I purged yesterday came intoday and was all gushythankful in person as she took her computer away. This is a good thing, thnk I, and I am happy as I go about my work.
A little while ago someone walked up to me who normally asks for a lot of computer help (but is at least brisk about it, rather than 'ha ha, isn't it cute how little I know, please don't hurt me Mr. Rattlesnake'). "What?" I snapped at her - which I shouldn't have done, but I was in the middle of something else. Going to lunch, as I recall.
"$BOARD_MEMBER came to get her computer today, right?" she asked, unphazed by my little display of temper. I nodded. "Here, these are from her, for you." And she handed me two envelopes, and smiled, and added, "She was really, really happy that you were able to get her computer to work again." And she went to get her own lunch.
Envelope #1: a thank you card. An actual thank you card, with a note from the board member to the effect that her work had been paralyzed without it and she was really grateful and would I please enjoy an international lunch on her.
Envelope #2: $50 gift certificate and menu from Ninja Sushi.
Wow.
A little while ago someone walked up to me who normally asks for a lot of computer help (but is at least brisk about it, rather than 'ha ha, isn't it cute how little I know, please don't hurt me Mr. Rattlesnake'). "What?" I snapped at her - which I shouldn't have done, but I was in the middle of something else. Going to lunch, as I recall.
"$BOARD_MEMBER came to get her computer today, right?" she asked, unphazed by my little display of temper. I nodded. "Here, these are from her, for you." And she handed me two envelopes, and smiled, and added, "She was really, really happy that you were able to get her computer to work again." And she went to get her own lunch.
Envelope #1: a thank you card. An actual thank you card, with a note from the board member to the effect that her work had been paralyzed without it and she was really grateful and would I please enjoy an international lunch on her.
Envelope #2: $50 gift certificate and menu from Ninja Sushi.
Wow.
