Lately I’ve had this feeling of holy discontent worry about network security.  I think we do a good job of securing our network and servers, but… well… I don’t have anything that shows that.  Stack on the amount of time we proactively spend auditing network security and well… maybe I should worry.  What about you?

Recently I went on a hunt for some tools that could audit our network for known vulnerabilities.  We used these tools years ago when I worked for Honeywell.  I found a real gem in Nessus from Tenable Network Security.  This product is dead easy to install on Mac, Linux, or Windows, has thousands of security checks that are constantly updated, and is  dare I say fun to use.  And the best part… it’s only $1,200 per year for a feed of the latest audit checks… unless you’re a non-profit… then it’s FREE (just follow the instructions on their site to apply for the free license).

Running it on our servers brought up several issues that we needed to address.  Mainly some missing patches and software updates.  Each finding has a clear summary with solutions and links to vendor websites for more information.  It audits not only the operating system (all versions) but also web servers, database software, and much more.

Here’s a quick video on how to use the product.

I hope you’re able to get as much out of this product as we have this year.

Over the last few months I’ve read three books that have impacted me significantly. One of them (I’ll blog about the other two later) was just released on Amazon today. I was able to get a pre-release copy in December as I know a great many big wigs I was won a lottery on the authors website so I was able to get through it over the last few weeks. Switch is from the authors of Made to Stick (another must read for anyone in marketing). This book covers how to implement change in your life and the lives of others. I won’t cover the meat of the book (as it’s a must read so… you must read it) but let me say that this book can/should/will make a huge difference for the church. If we can learn and implement these concepts of change we will not only improve our own lives but also help those around us. If you’re a fan of Malcolm Gladwell or Seth Godin (and who isn’t) you’ll love this book. So what are you waiting for… read… enjoy… be enlightened.