Editor's Note: Let's Reclaim Our E-Mail In-BoxesEditor's Note: Let's Reclaim Our E-Mail In-Boxes

I don't know, maybe it's because Mars is so close to the Earth right now, but things in my universe seem a bit out of whack these days. First of all, my oldest cat has decided that he'll gladly exit from any door in the house, but he'll only enter through the front door. Perhaps he's telling me I need to treat him more like a guest rather than some fuzzy thing that gets little attention anymore and is constantly being chased by giddy toddlers who think it's fun to put birthday hats on him. And then I hear about a large, reputable manufacturing company that hasn't done a vulnerability assessment since the mid-'90s but thinks its security strategy is acceptable--at a time when viruses and malicious code are getting nastier than ever. And senior editor George V. Hulme reports on our Global Security Survey and reveals that even when a threat is understood and a patch is available, security managers still face resistance from business units.

But worst of all in my wacky universe is the fact that at a time when spam is getting more attention from software and networking companies, legislators, privacy advocates, and others, it's only getting worse in my E-mail box! And get this, those "urgent and confidential business transaction" messages I get several times a week have been reduced to $15 million that will go into my bank account if I respond right away. Six months ago it was $30 million. What has this world come to? Like I'm going to give out my bank account number for a paltry $15 million?

All kidding aside, it's time to fight back. This insidious, annoying, productivity-sapping stuff has got to stop, and the people responsible for it must be held accountable. Now, if only we could slap $30 million fines on all spammers, that might get my universe balanced once again.

Stephanie Stahl
Editor
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