Introduction

Although most organizations have a firewall between themselves and the Internet, hackers have easily circumvented firewall security by attaching files to e-mail directed at internal users. These “Trojan horse” attachments present dangers similar to the viruses that spread via floppy disks during the 1990s, but they allow viruses to spread much faster and farther. The ubiquitous use of the Internet has changed the game permanently. Security can no longer be an afterthought and implementing adequate protection will often require compromising some functionality and ease of use.

Within the context of Microsoft-based technologies, this report explains why e-mail-borne viruses are such a threat, describes trade-offs that organizations must understand and use when formulating plans, and offers specific recommendations that will help them

• Lower the chance that viruses will get into their systems
• Reduce the likelihood of activating viruses if they do get on a machine
• Limit the damage that viruses