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Not always the admins' fault
Various auditing agencies within the government are supposed to find glaring secuirty holes like this, and sometimes the root cause comes down to unclear responsibilities. Clear responsibilities, workable standards and the plausible threat of audit can work wonders for just about any system (from auto fleet maintenance to computer security).

A few caveats:

1. I doubt any government employee would lose his job over improper security, which effectively de-fangs the audits.

2. Nothing excuses blank local admin passwords. I never understood why the "must change password at next login" flag is not turned on for the Administrator after a plain vanilla install.

3. If the process to approve security changes ends up taking three years, all is lost.

4. Nothing excuses blank local admin passwords. It's worth repeating happy
Posted by: Font   Posted on: 07/13/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Well did he  Linux User 147560 | 07/13/05
I disagree  rapson | 07/13/05
I disagree with you  itanalyst | 07/13/05
Well...  rapson | 07/13/05
Well  Linux User 147560 | 07/13/05
I Didn't Say There Was No "Joe Hussein"  itanalyst | 07/13/05
Secret material  Font | 07/13/05
He was the test case  michael_t | 07/13/05
agree on that however!  Power User | 07/13/05
Carl, assume that  michael_t | 07/13/05
Read what I wrote  rapson | 07/14/05
He didn't expose anything...  Physco Dude | 07/14/05
I'd agree if the door was there on the internet  voska | 07/14/05
No, he should be procecuted...  John L. Ries | 07/13/05
concur.  wimbo_z | 07/13/05
Medical retired  Linux User 147560 | 07/13/05
Operations Specialist  wimbo_z | 07/14/05
OS ... I was a GSM1(SW)  Linux User 147560 | 07/14/05
Search for the 'Yorktown Incidence' and you will laugh or cry.  michael_t | 07/13/05
Michael  Linux User 147560 | 07/13/05
That is what I said: they shouldn't use win nt  michael_t | 07/13/05
really i wonder ?????????  Power User | 07/13/05
Give him a 20 year prison sentence to ponder...  realitycheck101 | 07/13/05
Not the only one deserving of prison  jasonp@... | 07/13/05
Agreed (NT)  rapson | 07/13/05
WHAT!!!  Physco Dude | 07/14/05
OK, how about a week in the brig?  John L. Ries | 07/14/05
Exactly, and if the  michael_t | 07/13/05
Every consipracy nut  raymanjr | 07/13/05
Brilliant strategy?  Font | 07/13/05
Don't forget the tech conspiracy nuts  ejhonda | 07/14/05
we are being run by fools  MIS Master | 07/13/05
OMG...You Know Head In The Ass Computer Guy?  itanalyst | 07/13/05
Not always the admins' fault  Font | 07/13/05
Think of all the hours saved by blank passwords.  Anton Philidor | 07/13/05
...  Linux User 147560 | 07/13/05
Unfortunately...  John L. Ries | 07/13/05
Power struggles.  Anton Philidor | 07/13/05
Well (UN)Defined Responsibilities is a fertile  michael_t | 07/13/05
This clown got lucky, where's the...  Colonel_Panic | 07/13/05
According to secret government documents...  Yen_z | 07/13/05
Wow, I Was Wondering What Hanson Was Up To...  itanalyst | 07/13/05
Waiting...  Font | 07/13/05
Is this the same Big Giant Head?  Yen_z | 07/13/05
Anti-hanson site...  Colonel_Panic | 07/13/05
And yet...  Yen_z | 07/13/05
I knew it ! wink (nt)  michael_t | 07/13/05
As a punnishment to fit his crime he should  michael_t | 07/14/05
My God!  Roger Ramjet | 07/13/05
no malicious intent?!  Andromedat6 | 07/13/05
Malice  John L. Ries | 07/13/05
I'm suspicious  CobraA1 | 07/13/05
Nope!  bchesmer | 07/14/05
Aliens on this messageboard!  An_Axe_to_Grind | 07/13/05
Many people on these boards do not require any assistance.  balsover | 07/13/05
The plot is working!  An_Axe_to_Grind | 07/13/05
Likely FUD; whenever there's a political unraveling afoot, terror FUD also  HypnoToad | 07/13/05
If his account is accurate, then they owe him a FAVOR  michael_t | 07/13/05
Mike...  bchesmer | 07/14/05
Time frame...  jheine | 07/14/05
It is very disconcerting that  michael_t | 07/14/05
Not treason  Font | 07/14/05
Exactly: those negligent should be tried  michael_t | 07/14/05
His alien angle is right!  Reverend MacFellow | 07/14/05
Yes, because...  Zinoron | 07/14/05
ROTFLMAO @ Kinte!!!!!!  btljooz | 07/14/05
So it co$t them ...  btljooz | 07/14/05
Don't worry, the shadow government has the public government  Boot_Agnostic | 07/15/05

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