November 2003 marked our ten year anniversary of providing consulting services. Considering our size, and the tech industry's roller-coaster ride over this same period, we consider this a significant milestone. We have many companies and individuals to thank for our continued success.

Our first clients -- Nortel, British Telecom, NIST, MCI, AT&T Wireless, OSI, and Cisco Systems -- helped us affirm our credibility and competence. We want to thank all who championed our cause, providing our small and then novice company opportunities to perform services traditionally entrusted to larger firms. Special thanks to Dr. Vint Cerf, Christine Hemrick, Jon Shantz, Steve Morrison, and Morgan Littlewood for providing us with long term work to sustain us through our first 3 years.

We also wish to thank the many publications for whom we've had the pleasure of writing product evaluations and articles, including the succession of owners of Networld+Interop, with whom Dave has worked for nearly two decades. We sincerely appreciate the opportunities presented by new clients and the continuing loyalty of our long-term clients during this past year, especially Expertcity, JupiterMedia, OECD, TechTarget, and WatchGuard.

Along the way, we have had the distinct pleasure of working with and for a remarkable group of people, and most of you are Cornerstone readers. We look forward to continuing our business and personal relationships with you as we begin what we hope to be another exciting and rewarding ten years.

Happy New Year to all -

Dave and Lisa

Core Competence, Inc.
www.corecom.com

COMDEX Loop Columns

http://hhi.corecom.com/cameraphonesecurity.html
Security Policy for... Camera Phones?
Comdex Loop, November 24, 2003

Camera phones create challenging security and privacy problems, and Dave Piscitello is convinced that IT organizations will soon be battling privacy violation and sexual harassment claims as a result.

http://hhi.corecom.com/ethicalhacking.htm
Ethical Hacking Could Be So Much More
Comdex Loop, December 5, 2003

In this editorial, Dave Piscitello examines the current practices collectively described as Ethical Hacking, and suggests an alternative that he thinks could credibly be called "ethical".

http://hhi.corecom.com/homeplugnetworking.htm
Powerline Ethernet: When Wi-Fi won't and CAT-5 Can't
Comdex Loop, December 5, 2003

Powerline Ethernet is viable and remarkably simple networking alternative for small business and home offices. Dave Piscitello explains how "Homeplug Ethernet" works, and how a 5 minute install solved a thorny WLAN extension problem in his home.

http://hhi.corecom.com/usbaccesscontrol.htm
Security and USB Ports: Yet another access to control
Comdex Loop, December 15, 2003

Dave Piscitello looks at risks associated with USB ports, and measures to reduce the use of unapproved of any removable storage device, preventing infections from malicious executables and deterring data theft by applying port access controls.

COMDEX Loop columns are mirrored with permission from this website.

SearchMobileComputing Wireless-To-Go Columns

http://searchmobilecomputing.com/tip/1,289483,sid40_gci939258,00.html
Columbitech Wireless VPN enables secure mobility
searchMobileComputing, December 1, 2003

Lisa Phifer reviews Columbitech Wireless VPN, which uses wireless TLS (WTLS) to secure, compress, and control the flow of mobile data sent by stations that roam between wireless WANs and LANs without disruption.

http://searchmobilecomputing.com/tip/1,289483,sid40_gci942615,00.html
Get To Know Your a, b, g's: AirMagnet Trio
searchMobileComputing, December 23, 2003

In her latest Wireless-to-Go column, Lisa Phifer reviews AirMagnet Trio. This intuitive, friendly, full-featured Wi-Fi analyzer now supports tri-mode 802.11A/B/G WLAN site survey, alerting and trouble-shooting.

Advanced Wi-Fi Security

http://webevents.broadcast.com/techtarget/112503/Mobile/index.asp?loc=13
Webcast: Deploying Wi-Fi Protected Access
searchMobileComputing, December 8, 2003

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) can significantly increase built-in security for wireless LANs, large and small. WPA-compliant products are now becoming available, but what does it take to deploy them? In this on-demand webcast, Lisa Phifer explains how businesses and home users can implement WPA to create safer WLANs and banish WEP woes forever.

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3114511
http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3287481
http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3289231
Using RADIUS For WLAN Authentication
Wi-Fi Planet, December 1, 10, 15 2003

In this tutorial, Lisa Phifer explains how RADIUS works to support 802.1x WLAN authentication, offers advice on how to choose an appropriate RADIUS Server, and illustrates both in-house and outsourced RADIUS Server configurations for 802.1X.

White Papers

http://www.gotomypc.com/s/phifer
Cutting Remote Access Costs in the Enterprise
White Paper developed for Expertcity's GoToMyPC

This white paper, developed by Lisa Phifer for Expertcity, discusses how companies can reduce the cost of providing secure remote access by using GoToMyPC Corporate and explores the many factors that influence the total cost of providing remote access. Download a copy of this paper by using this webform, or read a summary of the paper in this press release:
http://www.gotomypc.com/pr/pressRelease.tmpl?FileID=120803b

WatchGuard LiveSecurity Columns

http://www.corecom.com/external/livesecurity/xpperf.htm
Take the "Sting" Out of XP Performance Issues
WatchGuard LiveSecurity, 23 October 2003

Dave Piscitello's latest LiveSecurity column lists tips and resources that may help you improve the performance of PCs running XP Pro, while slightly enhancing security in the process.

http://www.corecom.com/external/livesecurity/xpservices.htm
Stepping Up to Windows XP: What to Expect at Your Firewall
WatchGuard LiveSecurity, 23 September 2003

Default installations of Windows XP start a number of services that are not necessary for correct operation in home and many enterprise offices. In this LiveSecurity column, Dave Piscitello describes how to find and disable several of these services.

Dave Piscitello's Weblog

http://hhi.corecom.com/catBooks.htm#BlogID169
The Myth Of Homeland Security
Dave's Blog, November 20, 2003

Dave reviews Marcus Ranum's latest book, a sobering and insightful look at the policies enacted following the September 11 attacks.

http://hhi.corecom.com/catUseful_URLs.htm#BlogID181
File Transfer Utility for Windows Terminal Server Users
Dave's Blog, December 16, 2003

Dave writes about his experiences using TSDropCopy, a little freeware file transfer utility from AnalogX.

If you enjoy Dave's Blog, subscribe to his Blog digest by sending email.

Wireless Tips and Predictions

http://searchnetworking.com/ateAnswers/0,289620,sid7_tax292553,00.html
http://searchmobilecomputing.com/ateAnswers/0,289620,sid40_tax294161,00.html

As a wireless site expert for searchNetworking and searchMobileComputing, Lisa Phifer answers reader questions and offers networking and security tips. Among the questions answered in December:

• How Do I Get Signaling Details
• Pros and Cons of Wireless Bridge vs. ISDN
• Interoperation of 802.11 AP with 802.11b Stations
• Wide Area Wi-Fi Options

http://searchnetworking.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid7_gci942645,00.html
Lisa Phifer's 2004 Predictions
searchNetworking, December 24, 2003

Lisa offers a few predictions about wireless in 2004 for TechTarget's annual expert predictions feature, including WLAN security, switching, wireless WAN/LAN convergence, and corporate policies regarding business use of smartphones and PDAs.

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