The Dog Days of summer have arrived, making it a good time to kick back and relax with your favorite beverage and a couple of white papers, right? If your summer reading is of a more practical bent, Global Knowledge has two recent entries in the TechRepublic Directory of interest to IT security professionals.

First is a handy, eight-page checklist, “The 10 Most Dangerous Risks to Microsoft Security.” Written by Royce Howard (MCSA, MSCE, MCITP-Server Admin, Enterprise Administrator), this guide covers everything from physical attacks to worms and malware, making it a practical resource for guiding a routine reappraisal of your Microsoft infrastructure and all the current (and most likely) threats. It includes a list of common malware threats with a description of the primary characteristics and targets. The download is in PDF format for easy portability.

Second, “Security on a Budget,” by Global Knowledge instructor James Michale Stewart, offers tips on implementing solid security without spending a lot of money:

So, with a standing policy not to cut security in times of need, we need to establish cost-effective security as a standard practice. This should be a long-term goal, not just one inspired by a tough economy. If this is not already your IT department’s goal, there is no better time to start than now. Ultimately, what you should strive to accomplish is the most reliable preventative and detective security system possible with the least amount of capital expenditure.

This 11-page PDF might give you a few new ideas to squeeze the most out of your current budget.