Worm Attack on US Government Department
A client was contacted by A United States Government Department to be told that one of its computers had launched a vicious attack on the department's IT infrastructure. Not surprisingly, this caused considerable concern to the client.
Working with the client's IT department the Info IQ consultant identified the offending machine and the cause of the problem. It was found that a worm (a program that actively searches the internet looking for devices on which to install itself) had attached itself to the client's computer. Once installed the worm had searched the Internet looking for computers running Microsoft's web server software and launched an electronic onslaught on each one that it found. This included a machine used by the United States Government Department.
The client's computer was immediately isolated and the worm removed. Before the computer was re-connected a full review of its Internet security settings was carried out and a number of changes made. Subsequent to re-connection the computer's security has not been breached. “The worm has turned” and has not reared its ugly head again, much to the client’s relief.
Driving Customers to a Competitor's Web Site
During initial discussions about a new web site launch an Info IQ consultant discovered that the potential customer had selected a business name similar to that of a major competitor. The impact of continuing to use the business name would have been that many customers would have found the competitor's web site, which was not commercially desirable.
The risks were immediately pointed out to the customer and as way of solving the dilemma, the subject of the discussion turned to business branding and protecting the client's interests. Info IQ then ensured that when the web site went into production, it would be established in such a manner that would avoid traffic from interested parties being diverted to competitive businesses.
