Apparently Workers Like Porn At Lunchtime

Nick Broughall — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:30:21 +0000

I usually tend to ignore press releases from anti-virus companies – do you guys really care that another virus has been released into the wild? But the subject of the latest findings from Messagelabs caught my eye: “In the Workplace, Online Porn Surfing Prevails”.

Apparently 85% of inappropriate content is being blocked by businesses, which means 15% of perverts out there are getting their daily fix of human nudeness at work. And according to the report, most of it happens at lunchtime:

Analysis of MessageLabs URL Filtering service shows an increasing number of businesses are blocking employee access to inappropriate web sites, such as pornography, during the working day. Most policy rules are set by organisations to block this content between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Further analysis reveals that 28.9 per cent of blocks occur between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., which is usually lunchtime for most employees.

There’s no mention of how much appropriate content is blocked by this service though – I remember at a previous job, I couldn’t read an article about Facebook because Facebook had been blocked at work – which kind of makes researching a story about Facebook difficult.

But in any case, looking up porn at work is a surprisingly growing trend. What about you guys – do you (or have you) used the work computer to browse for the pornography? Why? Let us know in comments…

[Messagelabs - Pic from SaintGeorgesDay]

Phishing Scams and Viruses Can Be Beautiful, Deadly

Nick Broughall — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:29:22 +0000

Spam is horrible. Phishing is evil. Computer Viruses are potentially deadly (to your computer). They’re also exsquisitely breathtaking, if you look at the work of Alex Dragulescu.

Security Firm MessageLabs commissioned the digital artist to create 15 interpretations of different viruses, trojans, spam, worms and spyware code. What you’re looking at above is the MyDoom email worm.

The images were created by inserting part of the actual code from the various online threat into a proprietary algorithm which twisted it, turned it, shook it around and turned it into art. We’ve got more pics, plus the artist’s own explanation below.

Malwarez is a series of
visualization of worms, viruses, trojans and spyware code. For each
piece of disassembled code, API calls, memory addresses and subroutines
are tracked and analyzed. Their frequency, density and grouping are
mapped to the inputs of an algorithm that grows a virtual 3D entity.
Therefore the patterns and rhythms found in the data drive the
configuration of the artificial organism.

Text and Spam image – SUBJECT: HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THAT YOU ARE GETTING FAT?

Phishing – SUBJECT: CONFIRM YOUR ONLINE ACCOUNT DETAILS

Email worm – NETSKY

I think the most amazing thing about these is that you actually get a feeling for the hidden malevolence in each of them. Hit the link for the artist’s website with even more images. And thanks to Seamus at TimeOut Sydney (Yes, the same Seamus that used be editor here at Giz AU) for the tip.

[Alex Dragulescu]

Gizmodo Australia » messagelabs

Apparently Workers Like Porn At Lunchtime

Phishing Scams and Viruses Can Be Beautiful, Deadly