Symantec Mail Security, Administration Manual

Page: 70 / 258

70 Configuring email filtering
About email filtering
Security risks
Symantec Mail Security for SMTP can detect security risks. Security risks are
programs that do any of the following:
■
Provide unauthorized access to computer systems
■
Compromise data integrity, privacy, confidentiality, or security
■
Present some type of disruption or nuisance
These programs can put your employees and your organization at risk for
identity theft or fraud by logging keystrokes, capturing email and instant
messaging traffic, or harvesting personal information, such as passwords and
login identifications.
Security risks can be introduced into your system unknowingly when users visit
a Web site, download shareware or freeware software programs, click links or
attachments in email messages, or through instant messaging clients. They can
also be installed after or as a by-product of accepting an end user license
agreement from another software program related to or linked in some way to
the security risk.
Table 4-4 lists the categories of security risks that Symantec Mail Security for
SMTP detects. Each of these risks can cause a verdict of spyware or adware.
Table 4-4 Security risk categories included in spyware or adware verdict
Category Description
Adware Stand-alone or appended programs that gather personal information
through the Internet and relay it back to a remote computer without the
user’s knowledge.
Adware might monitor browsing habits for advertising purposes. It can
also deliver advertising content.
Hack tools Programs used to gain unauthorized access to a user’s computer.
For example, a keystroke logger tracks and records individual keystrokes
and sends this information to a remote computer. The remote user can
perform port scans or vulnerability scans. Hack tools might also be used
to create viruses.
Dialers Programs that use a computer, without the user’s permission or
knowledge, to dial out through the Internet to a 900 number or FTP site,
typically to accrue charges.
Joke programs Programs that alter or interrupt the operation of a computer in a way
that is intended to be humorous or bothersome.
For example, a joke program might move the Recycling Bin away from
the mouse when the user tries to click on it.