How Hackers and Virus Writers Attack E-mail Systems

E-mail systems such as Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes and GroupWise were constructed with a single purpose in mind: accept and send the maximum amount of mail and route that mail as efficiently as possible. Without question this has succeeded, e-mail is the most commonly utilised business communication tool on the planet and its use is projected to rise. In fact, the current volume of e-mail sent worldwide is now more than 50 billion messages per day, with that number expected to double by 2008.

E-mail's continually burgeoning popularity makes it an increasingly attractive target for individuals seeking to do harm, either for their own misguided personal satisfaction, or more likely, for financial gain. The first e-mail hackers found simple vulnerabilities in the operating systems and protocol stacks of e-mail systems and exploited these known weaknesses.

Now, however, hackers and virus writers have become specialists, constantly developing new and innovative methods of overcoming the improvements made in today's security systems. The game of cat-and-mouse is unlikely to end any time soon, if ever. With every improvement in defensive techniques, hackers and virus writers modify their tactics in an attempt to circumvent these defences and wreak havoc on corporate networks.

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Article Source: Security Park