For anyone like me who has trouble knuckling down and taking care of security tasks, the article on botnets in today's New York Times provides great insights on the threats out there.

Did you click on the link? Not yet? Stop reading this post and go back and check out the article now!

OK - now that you're motivated, here are some things you can do right now to take the security bull by the horns:

• * tackle the three first steps I laid out in my security blog post after Phil DeKoker's security presentation to the Joomla Chicago group
• * review Phil's entire security slidedeck of Security Nuggets and follow the steps he lays out
• * Go to CMS Expo in Denver and get serious about security by participating in a full slate of security-related sessions.

Take responsibility for your web security today!

Joe Scarry is head project manager for Chicago Joomla web developer and web design firm Arc Technology Group.