The news server located at news.grc.com offers the topical newsgroups described below. They may be accessed by any standard NNTP newsreader, including those built into Microsoft Outlook Express or Netscape Communicator. The newsgroups can also be accessed by any web browser through links appearing on this page, and in the "link block" at the bottom of all newsgroup-related pages.

grc

This read-only newsgroup sometimes contains a single message detailing the current line-up of newsgroups at news.grc.com.

news

This is a read-only, very low-traffic group into which only I (Steve Gibson) post. It is my place for posting announcements and news relating to anything I think is important and whatever may be going on at the moment. By subscribing to this group, newsreader users can be sure not to miss occasional news, and since the postings here never expire, new visitors can quickly read through this group to gain some sense for what"s been going on.

news.feedback

Since the "news" group (above) is read-only, this "feedback" group generally contains reactions, replies, and discussion of topics raised in the "news" group. In other words, it"s where we chat about the news I've posted.

news.latestversions

This group contains discussion of news, details, features and problems relating to newly updated software (provided it is on-topic for the GRC news server). Unlike the other never-expiring groups, posts in this group expire after 365 days (one year).

leaktest

This group contains discussion about the operation and results of using GRC's LeakTest firewall vulnerability testing freeware.

linkfarm

This group contains links, but not discussion!, related to the security and privacy topics discussed in other groups. So it has become a "repository" of cool non-GRC resources. Please remember to set follow-ups to another appropriate group, so that discussion, if any, will then take place in a relevant place.

privacy

This group discusses issues and concerns relating to Internet privacy. Note that this is separate and distinct from issues relating to Internet security, which have their own set of groups (see "security" below). Whereas security deals with "external intrusion" into our computers, privacy is concerned with issues of "internal extrusion".

scifi

Science fiction books, television, and movies are personal passions of mine. Since it turned out that so many of the people who hang out in our newsgroups feel the same way, we created this place to contain our occasional discussion of all things "SciFi".

security

Since the "grc.shieldsup" group discusses security issues specific to the ShieldsUP! services, this group contains general discussions of Internet Security which are not specific to ShieldsUP!. Topics for this group include viruses, trojans and vulnerability issues. Please also note the separate "security.hardware", "security.software" and "security.wireless" groups for the discussion of these more specific subjects.

securitynow

This is GRC's forum for discussion of topics related to the weekly “Security Now!” podcast/netcast which Steve records and publishes weekly with Leo Laporte.

security.hardware

This group discusses topics such as hardware NAT routers, firewall appliances, biometric recognition devices, and any devices related to personal computer security.

security.software

This group discusses specific security software including personal firewalls, security voice recognition, personal encryption products, etc.

security.wireless

This group discusses security relating to wireless hardware and software for PCs, including WiFi, WiMAX, Bluetooth, Wireless Intrusion Detection, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), etc.

shieldsup

This "ShieldsUP!" group contains discussion relating directly to the operation and performance of GRC's free ShieldsUP! security testing services.

spam

This group discusses the growing problem of internet unsolicited commercial eMail - popularly known as SPAM - and some exciting possibilities being explored to control it, including some new freeware tools.

spinrite

This is the product user group for customer service and all other, general, non-development questions relating to SpinRite v6.0.

spinrite.dev

This group discusses the development (targets, time line, goals, etc.) for SpinRite v6.0 and v6.1.

spyware

This group contains discussion relating to the workings, prevention, detection, and removal of all forms of Internet spyware, adware, and other unwanted and suspicious malware.

techtalk

This group contains all other general discussion of a TECHNICAL nature. So, in other words, "techtalk" is for all other general technical discussion.

techtalk.cryptography

This technical sub-group of "TechTalk" contains discussion of personal cryptographic tools, such as PGP (Pretty Good Privacy), for providing end-to-end encryption and authentication of eMail and other communications.

techtalk.dns

This technical sub-group of "TechTalk" contains discussion of my DNS research and characterization project.

techtalk.dns.bind_pe_beta

This technical sub-group of "TechTalk" once contained discussion of a freeware DNS project being undertaken by some participants of the GRC newsgroups. It is now a read-only newsgroup, and any new posts on this topic should be made to the grc.techtalk.dns group.

techtalk.linux

By popular demand, we created this non-Windows Linux group as a technical sub-group of "TechTalk" for the discussion of all things Linux.

techtalk.localproxies

This technical sub-group of "TechTalk" once contained discussion of local proxying software including Proxomitron, WebWasher, Junkbusters, Naviscope, etc. It is now a read-only newsgroup, and any new posts on this topic should be made to the grc.techtalk group.

techtalk.packetsniffing

This technical sub-group of "TechTalk" contains discussion of network packet sniffing software, solutions, and techniques used for detailed monitoring of network activity.

test

So that the other groups would not be annoyed with "test postings" (which generally say: "test"), this special "test" group was created to contain any experiments anyone might wish to conduct. Since the posts in this group are inherently short-term and will have little, if any, enduring value, they expire after five (5) days and are not archived. Note that this is a terrific (and recommended) place for experimenting with cancelling your own posted articles and discussing the operation and quirks of your newsreading software.

thinktank

This group contains general discussion of technical issues that directly relate to GRC's overall direction, planning, and focus. When I'm working on some project that doesn't logically fit into any of the other groups, and it doesn't seem worth creating a group to contain it, we usually open up great discussions here.

wizmo

This group discusses the many and varied aspects of the whacky little Windows Gizmo ... Wizmo.