Prepaid Internet via satellite

German Internet access provider Sat_Speed is preparing to launch Europe`s first prepaid, high-speed Internet connection via ASTRA satellite. The service will be available throughout Europe, providing a download speed of up to 768kbps. Users can purchase prepaid cards which provide 357 online minutes.

"We wanted to take away the user`s fear of seemingly complex satellite technologies and opted for the reliable 19.2 East ASTRA connection and a prepaid medium," says product manager Stephan Schott. The satellite connection only works downstream, distributing transponder capacity among individual users. The return channel will be set up through traditional telephone lines.

Prerequisites for the service are a digital satellite receiver, a DVB card and Internet access via telephone. Sat_Speed intends to present the new service at CeBIT 2003. [Newsfox]

Deloder, a network worm infecting Windows machines which have been set with a weak password to the "administrator" account, has been rated by F-Secure as a level two alert. Deloder installs a remote access tool called VNC, which opens up the infected computer to the world.

The worm scans random IP addresses, trying to locate Windows machines that have port 445 accessibility. Port 445 (Microsoft SMB over TCP/IP) allows outsiders to access Windows file shares.

Most corporate machines are protected with centralised or distributed firewalls, which would block access to this port. However, many home computers have this port visible and are therefore vulnerable to this worm. Walter Nel, technical manager at Y3K Security Products, suggests all IT managers and home users have a strong password policy in place in order to be protected.

Y3K group director Evelyn Rhoda warns against weak passwords such as "admin", "password", "1234" and "test". She suggests that all users, especially system administrators, use passwords that include letters, numbers and punctuation. For hints on setting strong passwords see www.y3kgroup.com. For information to disinfect this worm, visit http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/deloader.shtml