Department of Defense Now Blocking HTML Email

oKAMi-InfoSec writes "The Department of Defense (DoD) has taken the step of blocking HTML-based email. They are also banning the use of Outlook Web Access email clients. The DoD is making this move because HTML messages can easily be infected with spyware and executable lines of code that enable hackers to access DoD networks, according to an article in Federal Computer Week by Bob Brewin . A spokesman for the Joint Task Force for Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO) claims that this is a response to an increased network threat condition. The network threat condition has risen from Information Condition 5 to Information Condition 4 (also called Infocon 4). InfoCon 5 is normal operating conditions and Infocon 4 comes as a result of 'continuing and sophisticated threats' against DoD Networks. The change to Infocon 4 came in mid-November, after the Naval War College suffered devastating attacks that required their entire system be taken offline, but the JTF-GNO spokesman claims there is no connection."

That's pretty obvious!

[erroneus]

That's as obvious as the department of homeland security closing the borders!

I applaud the effort, but why did they take so long to wise up even this much?

Next step

[Anonymous Coward]

Lynx.

Get rid of IE.

Moronic Policy

[mwilliamson]

As long as stupid users dictate policy (and it always seems to be the most idiotic, uninformed, timetable pounding and ego-blinded of all users usually are in the upper echelons of an organization), security problems do to software choice will prevail. This is how microsnot products usually get pushed into an organization. Score one for the DoD getting rid of freaking html-mail and outhouse web access. One can only hope they s**tcan ms-exchange while they're at it.

Re:As They Should

[theMerovingian]

Email should be just text, period.

In my day email was dashes and dots, and we liked it that way.

Re:As They Should

[pchan-]

But I just finished writing this inspirational xmas email in 32-point Comic Sans font with animated gifs of kittens and reindeer and attached 30-meg screensaver that I was going to sent to [e-mail]

Re:As They Should

[Anonymous Coward]

Personally I'd miss the formatting features of HTML. Bold, Italic, etc. I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a middle ground estbalished at some point. You know... pretty text, no exploits. Well, I can dream.

I think that you have /really/ hit the nail on the proverbial head there. To make plain text emails usable we need a STRONG and well defined _SYNTAX_ for visually communicating "text style". Until then, this email thing will _never_ catch on.

Too late...

[myowntrueself]

the only losers are the people who send those annoying Flash giftcards through email

Don't worry, they were already losers!

Re:As They Should

[__aaclcg7560]

Especially since each one cost eight bits to send. ;)

Why Treat Only Unknown Senders as Hostile?

[darkonc]

From: Donald Rumsfield
To: General Whosit
Subject: My final Orders

This email contains a computer trogan.

You are so pwned!!!

Sincerely
Osama Bin Ladin.
____

Yeah... Typos are on purpose

Re:As They Should

[HaveNoMouth]

In my day email was dashes and dots, and we liked it that way.

Dashes? You had dashes? You had it easy. We only had dots. And we liked it!

Re:As They Should

[CyberNigma]

didadidit dadada didadidit