On Windows XP… in the default configuration when you try and FTP to a site and upload/download something, the data connection that is made causes this Windows Firewall dialog box to pop up. My issue with this? The wording implies that the data connection (or at least some part of it) has been blocked - and you have a choice to keep blocking it or to unblock it. My initial thoughts was that the download in this case would FAIL, because Windows Firewall blocked the transfer attempt. If I were to click on Unblock and then retry my attempt, it would work.
My password on a Linux server was recently reset by the authorities that be, and the secure thing to do is naturally to immediately change your password upon logging in, to enhance privacy and security of the account. So much to my surprise did I encounter this response from the system:
I was busy implementing a system for a client using C++ on Win32 when I had to use the sprintf function. As I knew it was insecure I looked up the function's details - only to be caught in an infinite web of evasion.
If you had ever written HTML pages sending back form data to a backend server, you must have come across the need to sometimes restrict the user from changing a value - therefore you used a read only form field. This can cause serious trouble...
I had the pleasure of being in a meeting room a few weeks ago in a large, respected company with some of their technical experts discussing the security considerations for a project I am consulting on.
Since I am paranoid about security, I obviously tried to push that they upped the security on the system dramatically (they are hosting it and will eventually take over the responsibility for securing it). It was just so startling to witness their responses to many of my recommendations, that I started to realise exactly how ignorant many people are towards IT security.
Read It Or Don't. 
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