Homeland Security Can't Even Configure Its Mailing List Software Correctly?
from the that-makes-me-comfortable dept
Just after the federal gov't screwed up and shut off ca.gov, we find out that the Department of Homeland Security misconfigured its email list software causing a deluge of annoying emails to over seven thousand government employees. The list, normally used to broadcast news summaries of security news, apparently was set up so that any reply messages automatically were broadcast to all members. What happened next is familiar to lots of folks on mailing lists, where the "reply all" button is misused. The one difference, though, was that this wasn't a misuse of the reply all button, but on the mailing list automatically sending out anyone's message to everyone on the list. Many security experts on the list are apparently wondering what that says about Homeland Security's ability to deal with cybersecurity issues. Perhaps it was just a little configuration error, but you would think that the folks at the DHS would be a bit more careful about those things.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: email, homeland security
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Don't they know how to test things before implemen
Sorry - I should have never asked a stupid question.
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TRAITOR!
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what are you, stupid?
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I thought the Iranian Ministry of Defense employee
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It's not just worrying...
If they can't keep personal info away from people who shouldn't know it.....?
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Government Intelligence
The best part of all this though... Elections!!!
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They can't maintain a no-fly list either!
The no-fly list is a constant joke that never gets fixed.
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Out of office
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Ronald Reagan
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Re: You never know
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Re: OUt of Office
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Re: Re: OUt of Office
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Two words - Lotus Notes
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071005-dhs-flunks-e-mail-administration-101-causes- mini-ddos.html
Why in the hell are they using Lotus Notes, IBM doesn't even use that piece of garbage. Great security BTW, grab a user.id file and your in. I know some Lotus fanboy will probably flap that tired diatribe "Notes is Groupware" which sounds good but it doesn't excuse the EXTREMELY POOR DESIGN of the Notes platform.
The most damning design flaw in Notes is the Address book. "All your eggs in one basket", hardly conveys the ignorance. More like "All your eggs, chickens, livestock, cash, children, hopes, dreams and then kitchen sick in one basket"
Beside the idiots at DHS should have a static reply to.
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