Re: symbiot security - april fool's prank ?

[Frank Smith <fsmith () hoovers com>]

--On Thursday, March 11, 2004 07:45:58 -0800 Chris Caydes <chris_caydes () yahoo com> wrote:

> Hello everyone,
>
> I have just come across the website and last week's
> press release of a company named Symbiot Security.
> The idea of this "company" is to strike back against
> network-based attackers.
>
> I've seen the information relayed on several technews
> websites, and a (rather funny) discussion on /. about
> it. One suggested on /. that version 2 of the solution
> would "preemptively attack any remote hosts that could
> conceivably pose a threat".
>
> I've seen the similar concept of e-retaliation last
> year, on April 1st, 2003, but it was, of course, an
> april fool's joke.
>
> This looks pretty much like a prank too... Their
> website is at symbiot.com, and contains nothing more
> than 3 PDF files. Is anyone aware of what this really
> is ?

Its a real company, but used to have a more traditional
security focus.  You can look a a previous incarnation of
their web site (pre-marketing hype) archived on  the
Internet Wayback Machine (www.archive.org).  The latest
archived copy (from last July) is at:
<http://web.archive.org/web/20030611174748/http://symbiot.com/>

You might also want to check the nanog archives and slashdot
for other opinions on their new product (pretty much all
negative).

Frank

> Regards
> Chris
>
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-- 
Frank Smith                                      fsmith () hoovers com
Sr. Systems Administrator                       Voice: 512-374-4673
Hoover's Online                                   Fax: 512-374-4501


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