NEWS & EVENTS
"First Business" Interview: Lee Neubecker on SoBig.F and Blaster Computer Viruses
CHICAGO:
August 27, 2003 - First Business, a daily program on WCIU-TV that
provides highlights on up-to-date business and finance news, covers the
scope of damage done by computer viruses, particularly SoBig.F and
Blaster. The summer of 2003 saw the pinnacle of the computer virus
epidemic that debilitated many e-businesses and even personal computers.
Blaster is a particularly malicious worm that attacks the Windows
operating systems, overloading networks to the point of congestion, and
SoBig.F, the fastest spreading computer virus in history, is an email
virus that attempts to infect machines through email attachments. In an
interview with Lee Neubecker, President and CEO of Forensicon, a
computer forensics and electronic discovery firm based in Chicago, the
program explores the effects of the two notorious viruses on the
computer systems as well as Microsoft's role in computer security.
Neubecker explains the widespread chaos the virus outbreak had caused.
Since more than ninety percent of the world's computers run on Microsoft platforms, it was easy for the viruses to spread. He also attributes the success of these attacks in infecting computers worldwide to Microsoft's lack of focus on security issues. He states that, "Microsoft makes great applications for productivity, but when it comes to security, there's a lot to be done."
However, Neubecker does mention that Microsoft should not be the sole bearer of the security burden. "Despite the fact that Microsoft will put patches up when a known vulnerability is discovered, often times, people don't download the patches," he says, ascribing part of the problem to end-users who do not update their systems with security patches that may help arm their computer against cyber attacks. When asked if he is a Microsoft user, he replies in the affirmative, explaining that his desktop application is Microsoft, but when it comes to his network server, he is more comfortable with Linux."
About Forensicon:
Specializing in trade secrets, employment litigation, and internal investigations, Forensicon is a computer forensics firm that provides expertise to the top law firms in the U.S. as well as corporations large and small. Forensicon offers nationwide computer forensics services for plaintiff, defense, as well as special master neutral third party representation. The firm has represented numerous Fortune 500 companies and other large privately held corporations wanting to defend against or prosecute claims of intellectual property theft. For more information, contact Forensicon at 888.427.5667, email us as contact@forensicon.com or visit our web site at: http://www.forensicon.com/
