Windows & .NET Magazine UPDATE--June 24, 2003

This Issue Sponsored By

NetIQ
http://www.netiq.com/f/form/form.asp?id=2258&origin=NSWinnetmag_update_062303

Executive Software
http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp?ad=wandnetnl7

===============

1. Commentary: Security, Patch Management, and the Future 2. Hot Off the Press
- Microsoft Unleashes Office 2003 Beta 2 Technical Refresh 3. Keeping Up with Win2K and NT
- Win2K SP4 News
- RPC Bug in Hotfixes and IIS Security Rollups
- Print Spooler Bails Out 4. Announcements
- Guide to Securing Your Web Site for Business
- New Active Directory Web Seminar! 5. Instant Poll
- Results of Previous Poll: Linux
- New Instant Poll: SBS 2003 6. Resources
- Featured Thread: Windows XP Text Search
- Tip: How Can I Prevent Windows XP from Reminding Me to Enter Microsoft Passport Details? 7. Event
- Storage Road Show Event Archived! 8. New and Improved
- Protect from Inside Attacks
- Learn More About Windows Server 2003, XP, and AD
- Submit Top Product Ideas 9. Contact Us
- See this section for a list of ways to contact us. ==== Sponsor: NetIQ ====
CIO eBook for Managing and Securing the Enterprise - Need in-depth best practices for systems and security management? Register now for the FREE ebook, "From Chaos to Control: The CIO's Executive Guide to Managing and Securing the Enterprise," brought to you by NetIQ and Realtimepublishers.com. Topics covered include: Top 10 Corporate Manageability Policies; Top 10 Overlooked Vulnerabilities; Top 10 Corporate Security Breaches. Take your enterprise systems and applications from chaos to control now.
http://www.netiq.com/f/form/form.asp?id=2258&origin=NSWinnetmag_update_062303

==========

==== 1. Commentary: Security, Patch Management, and the Future ====
by Paul Thurrott, News Editor, [email protected] I've spent the past 2 weeks traveling the country with fellow columnist Mark Minasi, speaking about security matters as part of the Windows & .NET Magazine Security Road Show. We're hitting five cities on this particular jaunt: San Jose/Mountain View, California; Denver; Anaheim, California; San Diego, and Chicago, We’re also stopping over in Redmond for a mind-meld with various security-related groups. (We took the show to six other cities in late 2002 and early 2003--visit http://www.winnetmag.com/roadshows/security2003 for more information about the road shows.)
Since last fall, I've modified my presentation, "The Future of Microsoft Security," in minor ways to adjust to changes in Microsoft's product lines and release schedules. If we do an expected 20-city tour in the second half of 2003, I'll modify my presentation even more. When it comes to security and Microsoft, things change every day.
As Microsoft customers, we like to think we made the right bet technologywise, and certainly Microsoft's applications, servers, and services have been extremely successful for many reasons. However, only the least cynical among us would list security as a reason for adopting Microsoft software. Indeed, I'm astonished to report a sharp dive in the percentage of people at the road show who claim to trust Microsoft, when compared with last fall's shows. In both Mountain View and Denver, no one in the audience raised his or her hand when I asked who trusted Microsoft. Yikes.
The reasons people don't trust Microsoft are complex and, in some cases, a bit disingenuous. One bit of advice I often dole out to Microsoft customers is that they need to remember which side of the equation they fall on: Microsoft's job is to do what its customers want, not vice versa. If we had all been clamoring for integral security in Microsoft's products, the company would have complied years ago. Instead, the Windows OS has evolved into an ever-teetering mountain of software code that's been patched, bandaged, and melded into almost unrecognizable form. Such software is tough to harden, which is one reason Microsoft is developing a new system--Next-Generation Secure Computing Base (NGSCB--formerly Palladium)--that breaks technological ties with the past in a bid to create a new secure environment. In the meantime, we have work to do, so we have to use today's software, no matter how it was developed.
And that brings us to what is, perhaps, the most miserable task facing the people who support Microsoft software--patch management. Security experts blithely cite statistics that place the blame for most security vulnerabilities square on the shoulders of the administrators who should be keeping all their various servers current with security patches. After all, most viruses, worms, and other attacks exploit vulnerabilities that have already been fixed, they say. However, such people have clearly never tried to administer a complex enterprise. Patch management just isn't that easy.
When Microsoft first deployed Windows Update with Windows 98, I thought I was seeing the future. I thought Microsoft would add its other products to this system and eventually open the system to third parties. I pictured the service providing me with updates to Microsoft Office and any other applications I had installed on any system. And as its capabilities grew to include Software Update Services (SUS), Systems Management Server (SMS), Critical Updates, and Automatic Updates, I figured the most egregious vulnerabilities in any software product installed on my systems would be fixed silently and automatically, in the background, perhaps while I slept and the systems sat unused. The boon to enterprises would be almost immeasurable.
Today, this scenario is still a dream. During the ensuing years, I've spoken with many Microsoft representatives about Windows Update; they've reiterated that the company does plan to centralize patch management. But that hasn't happened. Recently, at a Microsoft Exchange 2003 Reviewer's Workshop, one Microsoft program manager confirmed that the next Exchange release, code-named Kodiak and due alongside the next Windows Server version (code-named Blackcomb) in 2006 or later, would indeed integrate with Windows Update. That's a long wait, but at least it's coming. Presumably other products will be likewise integrated, perhaps sooner.
The reason the integration can't happen immediately is architectural. Windows and Microsoft's other products aren't "componentized," so Microsoft must release patches in separate installations for each language version and edition of a product. The first product to overcome this limitation will be Longhorn, the next major Windows version, due in late 2005--but that's more than 2 years away.
So which patch-management options do administrators have today? Next week, I'll look at some interim solutions from Microsoft, including SUS and SMS, as well as some third-party software with which I'm familiar. If you have a patch-management strategy that's more involved than simply cursing Microsoft every time the company releases a security patch, please let me know. I'll pass along the advice. Small Business Server Follow-Up
Last week's mention of Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 garnered a lot of responses, most of them from people who seem enthusiastic about this version of the product. Your anticipation isn't misplaced: I feel that SBS 2003 is going to be a watershed version of the server and a huge success. This week, during our Security Road Show stopover in San Diego, I'm getting an in-depth SBS 2003 briefing and demo, so I'll have more details to report soon. The contents of the talk will be under nondisclosure agreement (NDA) for a short time, however, so I'm not sure when I can write my follow-up; rest assured, we'll publish it as soon as possible. If you have any specific SBS 2003 questions, however, please fire away; the briefing is Thursday morning.

==========

==== Sponsor: Executive Software ====
Undelete file server data protection tool
Another great product from the makers of Diskeeper. The recycle bin does not capture deletions made over a network. Undelete does! What if your customer database suddenly disappeared and you couldn't recover it? Even those files that can be recovered from backup take time to retrieve, if they are there. Recover them instantly, remotely, across the network. Don't leave a gap in your data protection. Undelete is extremely affordable. Just one recovery often saves more than Undelete costs. Try it free. Click here.
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==========

==== 2. Hot Off the Press ====
by Paul Thurrott, [email protected] Microsoft Unleashes Office 2003 Beta 2 Technical Refresh
Last weekend, Microsoft released the long-awaited Microsoft Office System 2003 Beta 2 Technical Refresh to 15,000 beta testers, a small subset of the more than 600,000 users who signed up for the public beta release. The technical refresh addresses problems with the beta 2 code, offers several new features, and provides some fit-and-finish improvements, Microsoft said. The company told me it will provide the technical refresh code to all Office 2003 Beta 2 users by the end of the month. For the rest of the story, visit the following URL:
http://www.wininformant.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=39347 ==== 3. Keeping Up with Win2K and NT ====
by Paula Sharick, [email protected] Win2K SP4 News
I heard from Tony Pedretti, one of the Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4) beta testers, and wanted to pass along his comments. As of June 18, beta testers are working with the second refresh of the SP4 release candidate. Pedretti is testing the service pack on workstations in a non-Microsoft network environment. Overall, he's pleased with the current version, giving the update a rating of excellent. According to Pedretti, the second refresh eliminates slow application performance and shutdown problems present in the first cut. He also said the SP4 beta forum has posted no new bugs during the past few weeks. Even better, he said, "Microsoft has not given us a hard date for release (i.e., the 'It'll be released when its ready' stance). Feedback from the tester's forum and third-party beta sites like neowin.net are hinting at the end of June as a possible release date." Let's hope Microsoft holds to the "release when ready" position so that we don't have to deal with post-SP3 hotfixes that are incompatible with SP4, security hotfixes that break, and a host of other unnecessary problems. WEB-EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES: The following items are posted on the Windows & .NET Magazine Web site. For the complete story, use the following link and scroll to the appropriate article.
http://www.winnetmag.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=39378 RPC Bug in Hotfixes and IIS Security Rollups Print Spooler Bails Out ==== 4. Announcements ====
(from Windows & .NET Magazine and its partners) Guide to Securing Your Web Site for Business
Download VeriSign's new whitepaper, "Guide to Securing Your Web Site For Business," and discover the practical business benefits of securing your Web site. You'll also learn more about the innovative processes and technologies VeriSign uses to address Internet security issues. Download your free copy now!
http://www.verisign.com/resources/gd/secureBusiness/index.html New Active Directory Web Seminar!
Discover how to securely managing Active Directory in a multiforest environment, establish attribute-level auditing without affecting AD performance, enhance secure permission management with "Roles," and more! There's no charge for this event but space is limited--register today!
http://www.winnetmag.com/seminars/securead ~~~~ Hot Release: Unipress Software ~~~~ Unipress Software
Reduce support costs & improve workflow quickly with FootPrints, the 100% web-based service desk software from UniPress Software. Get running in a day with centrally managed customer issue tracking, online self-service, knowledge management, asset discovery, and more.
Free demo and guided walkthrough at http://www.unipress.com/cgi-bin/download_winnet.pl ==== 5. Instant Poll ==== Results of Previous Poll: Linux
The voting has closed in Windows & .NET Magazine's nonscientific Instant Poll for the question, "Do you run any Linux machines in your organization?" Here are the results from the 77 votes:
- 56% Yes
- 44% No
- 0% I don't know New Instant Poll: SBS 2003
The next Instant Poll question is, "Does your organization plan to roll out Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2003?" Go to the Windows & .NET Magazine home page and submit your vote for a) Yes, as soon as Microsoft releases it, b) Yes, but not right away, c) No, we have no plans to roll out SBS 2003, or d) I don't know.
http://www.winnetmag.com/magazine ==== 6. Resources ==== Featured Thread: Windows XP Text Search
Reader JEA1965 wants to know why his Windows XP machine won't search the "full text" of HTML files. How can he change this behavior? If you can help, join the discussion at the following URL:
http://www.winnetmag.com/forums/rd.cfm?cid=36&tid=60464 Tip: How Can I Prevent Windows XP from Reminding Me to Enter Microsoft Passport Details?
by John Savill, http://www.windows2000faq.com After you install XP, the OS prompts you to enter a Passport account to enable access to certain Internet communication features. To turn off this reminder, perform the following steps:
1. Start a registry editor (e.g., regedit.exe).
2. Navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftMessengerService registry subkey.
3. If the PassportBalloon registry value doesn't already exist, go to the Edit menu; select New, Binary Value; enter a name of PassportBalloon; then press Enter.
4. Double-click the PassportBalloon value, set it to 0A 00 00 00, then click OK.
5. Close the registry editor. ==== 7. Event ====
(brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine) Storage Road Show Event Archived!
Couldn't make the HP & Microsoft Network Storage Solutions Road Show? View the taped event archives from your Web browser!
http://www.winnetmag.com/roadshows/nas ==== 8. New and Improved ====
by Carolyn Mader, [email protected] Protect from Inside Attacks
SmartLine announced PortsLock 1.3, a security solution that lets you set permissions on TCP/IP connections. The software protects corporate networks against attacks from the inside. PortsLock is a firewall with user-level access controls for Windows 2003/XP/2000/NT. Pricing is $50. Contact SmartLine at [email protected].
http://www.portslock.com Learn More About Windows Server 2003, XP, and AD
Sybex announced "Mastering Windows Server 2003," by Mark Minasi, et al, for $59.99; "Mastering Active Directory for Windows Server 2003," by Robert R. King, for $49.99; and "Mark Minasi's Windows XP & Server 2003 Resource Kit," by Mark Minasi, Peter Hipson, and Robert R. King, for $139.96. To order, contact Sybex at [email protected].
http://www.sybex.com Submit Top Product Ideas
Have you used a product that changed your IT experience by saving you time or easing your daily burden? Do you know of a terrific product that others should know about? Tell us! We want to write about the product in a future Windows & .NET Magazine What's Hot column. Send your product suggestions to [email protected]. ==== Sponsored Links ==== FaxBack
Integrate FAX into Exchange/Outlook (Whitepaper, ROI, Trial)
http://www.faxback.com/w2ksponsorlink AutoProf
Jerry Honeycutt Desktop Deployment Whitepaper
http://www.AutoProf.com/Update_TextLinks_2003_06_23.html

==========

==== 9. Contact Us ==== About the newsletter -- [email protected] About technical questions -- http://www.winnetmag.com/forums About product news -- [email protected] About your subscription -- [email protected] About sponsoring UPDATE -- [email protected]

==========

This email newsletter is brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine, the leading publication for IT professionals deploying Windows and related technologies. Subscribe today.
http://www.winnetmag.com/sub.cfm?code=wswi201x1z Copyright 2003, Penton Media, Inc. ==== This Issue Sponsored By ==== NetIQ
http://www.netiq.com/f/form/form.asp?id=2258&origin=NSWinnetmag_update_062303 Executive Software
http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp?ad=wandnetnl7

==========

1. Commentary: Security, Patch Management, and the Future 2. Hot Off the Press
- Microsoft Unleashes Office 2003 Beta 2 Technical Refresh 3. Keeping Up with Win2K and NT
- Win2K SP4 News
- RPC Bug in Hotfixes and IIS Security Rollups
- Print Spooler Bails Out 4. Announcements
- Guide to Securing Your Web Site for Business
- New Active Directory Web Seminar! 5. Instant Poll
- Results of Previous Poll: Linux
- New Instant Poll: SBS 2003 6. Resources
- Featured Thread: Windows XP Text Search
- Tip: How Can I Prevent Windows XP from Reminding Me to Enter Microsoft Passport Details? 7. Event
- Storage Road Show Event Archived! 8. New and Improved
- Protect from Inside Attacks
- Learn More About Windows Server 2003, XP, and AD
- Submit Top Product Ideas 9. Contact Us
- See this section for a list of ways to contact us. ==== Sponsor: NetIQ ====
CIO eBook for Managing and Securing the Enterprise - Need in-depth best practices for systems and security management? Register now for the FREE ebook, "From Chaos to Control: The CIO's Executive Guide to Managing and Securing the Enterprise," brought to you by NetIQ and Realtimepublishers.com. Topics covered include: Top 10 Corporate Manageability Policies; Top 10 Overlooked Vulnerabilities; Top 10 Corporate Security Breaches. Take your enterprise systems and applications from chaos to control now.
http://www.netiq.com/f/form/form.asp?id=2258&origin=NSWinnetmag_update_062303

==========

==== 1. Commentary: Security, Patch Management, and the Future ====
by Paul Thurrott, News Editor, [email protected] I've spent the past 2 weeks traveling the country with fellow columnist Mark Minasi, speaking about security matters as part of the Windows & .NET Magazine Security Road Show. We're hitting five cities on this particular jaunt: San Jose/Mountain View, California; Denver; Anaheim, California; San Diego, and Chicago, We’re also stopping over in Redmond for a mind-meld with various security-related groups. (We took the show to six other cities in late 2002 and early 2003--visit http://www.winnetmag.com/roadshows/security2003 for more information about the road shows.)
Since last fall, I've modified my presentation, "The Future of Microsoft Security," in minor ways to adjust to changes in Microsoft's product lines and release schedules. If we do an expected 20-city tour in the second half of 2003, I'll modify my presentation even more. When it comes to security and Microsoft, things change every day.
As Microsoft customers, we like to think we made the right bet technologywise, and certainly Microsoft's applications, servers, and services have been extremely successful for many reasons. However, only the least cynical among us would list security as a reason for adopting Microsoft software. Indeed, I'm astonished to report a sharp dive in the percentage of people at the road show who claim to trust Microsoft, when compared with last fall's shows. In both Mountain View and Denver, no one in the audience raised his or her hand when I asked who trusted Microsoft. Yikes.
The reasons people don't trust Microsoft are complex and, in some cases, a bit disingenuous. One bit of advice I often dole out to Microsoft customers is that they need to remember which side of the equation they fall on: Microsoft's job is to do what its customers want, not vice versa. If we had all been clamoring for integral security in Microsoft's products, the company would have complied years ago. Instead, the Windows OS has evolved into an ever-teetering mountain of software code that's been patched, bandaged, and melded into almost unrecognizable form. Such software is tough to harden, which is one reason Microsoft is developing a new system--Next-Generation Secure Computing Base (NGSCB--formerly Palladium)--that breaks technological ties with the past in a bid to create a new secure environment. In the meantime, we have work to do, so we have to use today's software, no matter how it was developed.
And that brings us to what is, perhaps, the most miserable task facing the people who support Microsoft software--patch management. Security experts blithely cite statistics that place the blame for most security vulnerabilities square on the shoulders of the administrators who should be keeping all their various servers current with security patches. After all, most viruses, worms, and other attacks exploit vulnerabilities that have already been fixed, they say. However, such people have clearly never tried to administer a complex enterprise. Patch management just isn't that easy.
When Microsoft first deployed Windows Update with Windows 98, I thought I was seeing the future. I thought Microsoft would add its other products to this system and eventually open the system to third parties. I pictured the service providing me with updates to Microsoft Office and any other applications I had installed on any system. And as its capabilities grew to include Software Update Services (SUS), Systems Management Server (SMS), Critical Updates, and Automatic Updates, I figured the most egregious vulnerabilities in any software product installed on my systems would be fixed silently and automatically, in the background, perhaps while I slept and the systems sat unused. The boon to enterprises would be almost immeasurable.
Today, this scenario is still a dream. During the ensuing years, I've spoken with many Microsoft representatives about Windows Update; they've reiterated that the company does plan to centralize patch management. But that hasn't happened. Recently, at a Microsoft Exchange 2003 Reviewer's Workshop, one Microsoft program manager confirmed that the next Exchange release, code-named Kodiak and due alongside the next Windows Server version (code-named Blackcomb) in 2006 or later, would indeed integrate with Windows Update. That's a long wait, but at least it's coming. Presumably other products will be likewise integrated, perhaps sooner.
The reason the integration can't happen immediately is architectural. Windows and Microsoft's other products aren't "componentized," so Microsoft must release patches in separate installations for each language version and edition of a product. The first product to overcome this limitation will be Longhorn, the next major Windows version, due in late 2005--but that's more than 2 years away.
So which patch-management options do administrators have today? Next week, I'll look at some interim solutions from Microsoft, including SUS and SMS, as well as some third-party software with which I'm familiar. If you have a patch-management strategy that's more involved than simply cursing Microsoft every time the company releases a security patch, please let me know. I'll pass along the advice. Small Business Server Follow-Up
Last week's mention of Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 garnered a lot of responses, most of them from people who seem enthusiastic about this version of the product. Your anticipation isn't misplaced: I feel that SBS 2003 is going to be a watershed version of the server and a huge success. This week, during our Security Road Show stopover in San Diego, I'm getting an in-depth SBS 2003 briefing and demo, so I'll have more details to report soon. The contents of the talk will be under nondisclosure agreement (NDA) for a short time, however, so I'm not sure when I can write my follow-up; rest assured, we'll publish it as soon as possible. If you have any specific SBS 2003 questions, however, please fire away; the briefing is Thursday morning.

==========

==== Sponsor: Executive Software ====
Undelete file server data protection tool
Another great product from the makers of Diskeeper. The recycle bin does not capture deletions made over a network. Undelete does! What if your customer database suddenly disappeared and you couldn't recover it? Even those files that can be recovered from backup take time to retrieve, if they are there. Recover them instantly, remotely, across the network. Don't leave a gap in your data protection. Undelete is extremely affordable. Just one recovery often saves more than Undelete costs. Try it free. Click here.
http://www.execsoft.com/undelete/undelete.asp?ad=wandnetnl7

==========

==== 2. Hot Off the Press ====
by Paul Thurrott, [email protected] Microsoft Unleashes Office 2003 Beta 2 Technical Refresh
Last weekend, Microsoft released the long-awaited Microsoft Office System 2003 Beta 2 Technical Refresh to 15,000 beta testers, a small subset of the more than 600,000 users who signed up for the public beta release. The technical refresh addresses problems with the beta 2 code, offers several new features, and provides some fit-and-finish improvements, Microsoft said. The company told me it will provide the technical refresh code to all Office 2003 Beta 2 users by the end of the month. For the rest of the story, visit the following URL:
http://www.wininformant.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=39347 ==== 3. Keeping Up with Win2K and NT ====
by Paula Sharick, [email protected] Win2K SP4 News
I heard from Tony Pedretti, one of the Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4) beta testers, and wanted to pass along his comments. As of June 18, beta testers are working with the second refresh of the SP4 release candidate. Pedretti is testing the service pack on workstations in a non-Microsoft network environment. Overall, he's pleased with the current version, giving the update a rating of excellent. According to Pedretti, the second refresh eliminates slow application performance and shutdown problems present in the first cut. He also said the SP4 beta forum has posted no new bugs during the past few weeks. Even better, he said, "Microsoft has not given us a hard date for release (i.e., the 'It'll be released when its ready' stance). Feedback from the tester's forum and third-party beta sites like neowin.net are hinting at the end of June as a possible release date." Let's hope Microsoft holds to the "release when ready" position so that we don't have to deal with post-SP3 hotfixes that are incompatible with SP4, security hotfixes that break, and a host of other unnecessary problems. WEB-EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES: The following items are posted on the Windows & .NET Magazine Web site. For the complete story, use the following link and scroll to the appropriate article.
http://www.winnetmag.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=39378 RPC Bug in Hotfixes and IIS Security Rollups Print Spooler Bails Out ==== 4. Announcements ====
(from Windows & .NET Magazine and its partners) Guide to Securing Your Web Site for Business
Download VeriSign's new whitepaper, "Guide to Securing Your Web Site For Business," and discover the practical business benefits of securing your Web site. You'll also learn more about the innovative processes and technologies VeriSign uses to address Internet security issues. Download your free copy now!
http://www.verisign.com/resources/gd/secureBusiness/index.html New Active Directory Web Seminar!
Discover how to securely managing Active Directory in a multiforest environment, establish attribute-level auditing without affecting AD performance, enhance secure permission management with "Roles," and more! There's no charge for this event but space is limited--register today!
http://www.winnetmag.com/seminars/securead ~~~~ Hot Release: Unipress Software ~~~~ Unipress Software
Reduce support costs & improve workflow quickly with FootPrints, the 100% web-based service desk software from UniPress Software. Get running in a day with centrally managed customer issue tracking, online self-service, knowledge management, asset discovery, and more.
Free demo and guided walkthrough at http://www.unipress.com/cgi-bin/download_winnet.pl ==== 5. Instant Poll ==== Results of Previous Poll: Linux
The voting has closed in Windows & .NET Magazine's nonscientific Instant Poll for the question, "Do you run any Linux machines in your organization?" Here are the results from the 77 votes:
- 56% Yes
- 44% No
- 0% I don't know New Instant Poll: SBS 2003
The next Instant Poll question is, "Does your organization plan to roll out Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2003?" Go to the Windows & .NET Magazine home page and submit your vote for a) Yes, as soon as Microsoft releases it, b) Yes, but not right away, c) No, we have no plans to roll out SBS 2003, or d) I don't know.
http://www.winnetmag.com/magazine ==== 6. Resources ==== Featured Thread: Windows XP Text Search
Reader JEA1965 wants to know why his Windows XP machine won't search the "full text" of HTML files. How can he change this behavior? If you can help, join the discussion at the following URL:
http://www.winnetmag.com/forums/rd.cfm?cid=36&tid=60464 Tip: How Can I Prevent Windows XP from Reminding Me to Enter Microsoft Passport Details?
by John Savill, http://www.windows2000faq.com After you install XP, the OS prompts you to enter a Passport account to enable access to certain Internet communication features. To turn off this reminder, perform the following steps:
1. Start a registry editor (e.g., regedit.exe).
2. Navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftMessengerService registry subkey.
3. If the PassportBalloon registry value doesn't already exist, go to the Edit menu; select New, Binary Value; enter a name of PassportBalloon; then press Enter.
4. Double-click the PassportBalloon value, set it to 0A 00 00 00, then click OK.
5. Close the registry editor. ==== 7. Event ====
(brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine) Storage Road Show Event Archived!
Couldn't make the HP & Microsoft Network Storage Solutions Road Show? View the taped event archives from your Web browser!
http://www.winnetmag.com/roadshows/nas ==== 8. New and Improved ====
by Carolyn Mader, [email protected] Protect from Inside Attacks
SmartLine announced PortsLock 1.3, a security solution that lets you set permissions on TCP/IP connections. The software protects corporate networks against attacks from the inside. PortsLock is a firewall with user-level access controls for Windows 2003/XP/2000/NT. Pricing is $50. Contact SmartLine at [email protected].
http://www.portslock.com Learn More About Windows Server 2003, XP, and AD
Sybex announced "Mastering Windows Server 2003," by Mark Minasi, et al, for $59.99; "Mastering Active Directory for Windows Server 2003," by Robert R. King, for $49.99; and "Mark Minasi's Windows XP & Server 2003 Resource Kit," by Mark Minasi, Peter Hipson, and Robert R. King, for $139.96. To order, contact Sybex at [email protected].
http://www.sybex.com Submit Top Product Ideas
Have you used a product that changed your IT experience by saving you time or easing your daily burden? Do you know of a terrific product that others should know about? Tell us! We want to write about the product in a future Windows & .NET Magazine What's Hot column. Send your product suggestions to [email protected]. ==== Sponsored Links ==== FaxBack
Integrate FAX into Exchange/Outlook (Whitepaper, ROI, Trial)
http://www.faxback.com/w2ksponsorlink AutoProf
Jerry Honeycutt Desktop Deployment Whitepaper
http://www.AutoProf.com/Update_TextLinks_2003_06_23.html

==========

==== 9. Contact Us ==== About the newsletter -- [email protected] About technical questions -- http://www.winnetmag.com/forums About product news -- [email protected] About your subscription -- [email protected] About sponsoring UPDATE -- [email protected]

===============
This email newsletter is brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine, the leading publication for IT professionals deploying Windows and related technologies. Subscribe today.
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