ADVISORY/Experts Available To Discuss Computer Worm 'Slammer'.

Business Editors

ADVISORY...

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 27, 2003

TOPIC: A computer worm called 'Slammer' caused major disruptions on the Internet Saturday, according to an article by USA TODAY. The worm crashed South Korea's Internet network, disrupted automated teller machines and slowed Internet traffic in the United States. In a matter of hours, experts say 250,000 to 300,000 database servers were infected. Security experts say it helped that troubleshooters were able to repair systems during a time of low usage and that the situation could have been worse had it struck individual PCs as opposed to database servers, which made it easier to contain. Experts caution tech users to keep anti-virus software up to date and say if companies would have installed software security patches, the damaging results of the worm may have been avoided. EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story:

Russ Cooper is surgeon general of TruSecure Corp., and founder and moderator of the NTBugtraq Newsletter. NTBugtraq was established in 1997 and has grown to more than 30,000 subscribers. With more than 23 years of experience in the computer industry, he has worked as an independent consultant who specializes in Microsoft Windows NT., the Internet and security, with emphasis on securing the environment for Internet usage. He participates regularly with Microsoft in product design review, alpha, beta and service pack testing. Mr. Cooper has also been technical editor or reviewer for many of the books about Windows Security. PR: S Gallagher, 781-684-0770, [e-mail]

Kaustubh (Kaus) Phaltankar brings more than 10 years of Internet security, network engineering, technical sales and management experience from leading corporations including MCI and Citicorp Global Information Networks to his role as chairman and CEO of CLEAN Communications, a managed Internet security services provider founded in 1998. Kaus is widely considered an expert on information security and Virtual Private Networking (VPN). Kaus has been quoted in leading Internet trade journals and has been asked to speak at Internet Security trade shows, conferences and exhibits as well as on leading business television broadcasts such as the "American Business Review" and "Business Now". Kaus has two patents pending on advanced Web hosting center design. Author of a comprehensive how-to guide on deploying network and security architecture ("Implementing Secure Intranets and Extranets", Artech House, December 1999), Kaus holds a masters in telecommunications and computer science from The George Washington University. 703-788-2401, [e-mail]

Bruce Marshall, of International Network Services, is a networking and network security consultant with specific expertise in Microsoft security. PR: Rick Blum, 978-318-9449, [e-mail]

ExpertSource cannot guarantee the immediate availability of these experts or their familiarity with this specific issue.

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