Archive

2006 Stories

• September 24, 2006 24Sep2006 Tip

  What to certify in when new certification tracks are pending

  In this response, our expert, Ed Tittel, answers the question, "Will it be wise to invest in MCSE security certification or to wait for Microsoft to launch new certification tracks before starting my training?" Continue Reading

• September 24, 2006 24Sep2006 Tip

  Making the career change -- work corporate mid-level in security

  In this Q&A, Ed Tittel advises on the right certifications for a person at the end of their military career. Continue Reading

• September 24, 2006 24Sep2006 News

  Cisco bulks up data center switching

  Cisco Systems Inc. today made significant announcements in its data center switching line: an 8-port, 10 GigE module; a blade switch for Fujitsu Siemens; and a Web-based script-sharing community. Continue Reading

• September 20, 2006 20Sep2006 News

  Reporter's notebook: Hidden gems of Interop

  The Interop conference in New York this week featured the usual suspects talking about their newest offerings and the industry at large. Continue Reading

• September 19, 2006 19Sep2006 News

  NAC, VPNs and behavior analysis in the Interop spotlight

  Security for the enterprise network was emphasised at Interop New York as vendors rolled out and upgraded NAC, VPN, network behavior analysis, and other threat protection products. Continue Reading

• September 18, 2006 18Sep2006 News

  VoIP user experience tested

  Most VoIP monitoring is focused on quality of service, but one new company is taking a different tack and looking at the quality of experience. Continue Reading

• September 16, 2006 16Sep2006 News

  Universities lean on each other for better disaster recovery

  As another school year begins, colleges and universities are opening their doors to each other in order to get enterprise-level disaster recovery plans working. Continue Reading

• September 14, 2006 14Sep2006 News

  Three ways to create clustered storage, page 2

  Clustered storage systems run on storage servers, NAS gateways and hosts. Here's how to determine which clustered file-system architecture is best for your needs and storage environment. Continue Reading

• September 14, 2006 14Sep2006 News

  Secure network perimeter to result from Symantec-Juniper deal

  Juniper and Symantec announced a deal to integrate Symantec's client security software with Juniper's security hardware. The result will allow endpoint compliance and access control platforms to secure the enterprise perimeter. Continue Reading

• September 14, 2006 14Sep2006 News

  Three ways to create clustered storage, page 3

  Clustered storage systems run on storage servers, NAS gateways and hosts. Here's how to determine which clustered file-system architecture is best for your needs and storage environment. Continue Reading

• September 14, 2006 14Sep2006 News

  Three ways to create clustered storage

  Clustered storage systems run on storage servers, NAS gateways and hosts. Here's how to determine which clustered file-system architecture is best for your needs and storage environment. Continue Reading

• September 14, 2006 14Sep2006 News

  Mozilla fixes several Firefox flaws

  Several flaws could be used for man-in-the-middle, spoofing and cross-site scripting attacks. Mozilla has released Firefox 1.5.0.7 to address the problems. Continue Reading

• September 14, 2006 14Sep2006 News

  Set up an ad hoc WiFi network

  What if you wanted to do pretty much everything you can do on a network, but didn't have a router? You can set up an ad hoc network, in which you can connect on a peer-to-peer basis with other computers and PDAs. You don't need any extra software; ... Continue Reading

• September 14, 2006 14Sep2006 News

  Calling network management vendors: It's time to get on board with VoIP

  Despite the hype, full-scale VoIP deployments are hard to find. According to our research at Yankee Group, over 80% of U.S. enterprises have VoIP deployed somewhere in their organization in some shape or form. This includes departmental trials and ... Continue Reading

• September 12, 2006 12Sep2006 News

  Dell and EMC: Five more years

  Dell leans on EMC for support in the face of an SEC investigation and possible delisting from NASDAQ. Continue Reading

• September 12, 2006 12Sep2006 News

  Big security fixes for QuickTime, Flash Player

  Apple and Adobe warned that attackers could exploit multiple flaws in QuickTime and Flash Player to run malicious code on targeted machines. Continue Reading

• September 12, 2006 12Sep2006 News

  Is there a generic blueprint for an IP-based call center?

  Is there a generic blueprint for an IP-based call center? Where could I find one? Continue Reading

• September 12, 2006 12Sep2006 News

  Secure network perimeter to result from Symantec-Juniper deal

  Juniper and Symantec announced a deal to integrate Symantec's client security software with Juniper's security hardware. The result will allow endpoint compliance and access control platforms to secure the enterprise perimeter. Continue Reading

• September 11, 2006 11Sep2006 News

  VoIP still a confusing area for SMBs

  A study released at today's VON conference in Boston suggests that SMBs -- despite their growing use of VoIP -- are still confused about VoIP technology. Continue Reading

• September 11, 2006 11Sep2006 News

  Data storage compliance's impact on storage product choices

  Data storage compliance is having a tremendous impact on the storage organization, as well as the management practices employed to retain, search, certify and destroy data. It's not just regulations like SOX or HIPAA that influence storage -- there ... Continue Reading

• September 11, 2006 11Sep2006 News

  Security Bytes: Hackers target the Terminator

  In other news, Symantec upgrades its Norton product line and the Anti-Phishing Working Group says phishing activity soared this summer. Continue Reading

• September 11, 2006 11Sep2006 News

  Storage IPOs bode well for competition

  Analysts say new public players could breathe competitive life into the market, but it all hinges on how well execs can balance the needs of users and shareholders. Continue Reading

• September 10, 2006 10Sep2006 In Depth

  Storage upstarts are tipping the vendor scales

  The big storage vendors are always trying to steal a piece of each other's pie. But some small tech upstarts might play big parts in determining who comes out on top. Continue Reading

• September 06, 2006 06Sep2006 News

  Fast Guide: VoIP encryption

  A guide to encryption within VoIP networks Continue Reading

• September 06, 2006 06Sep2006 News

  VoIP startup untethers would-be mobile workers from wireline office phones

  VoIP startup DiVitas Networks has voice-over-WiFi-to-cellular technology in the works that gives endusers access to enterprise apps and puts dual-mode handset management in the hands of network administrators. Continue Reading

• September 06, 2006 06Sep2006 News

  Security Bytes: New flaw in Cisco IOS

  Security news including Cisco, Mozilla hires a former Microsoft strategist to bolster security, a new "pump-and-dump" stock spam campaign is discovered and TippingPoint lists info on new flaws. Continue Reading

• September 06, 2006 06Sep2006 In Depth

  Security Blog Log: Word doc scam evades spam filters

  Also this week: A researcher gets a harsh reward after flagging a University of Southern California Web site flaw, and more blogs are keeping an eye on the latest security breaches. Continue Reading

• September 06, 2006 06Sep2006 News

  VoIP startup untethers would-be mobile workers from wireline office phones

  VoIP startup DiVitas Networks has voice-over-WiFi-to-cellular technology in the works that gives endusers access to enterprise apps and puts dual-mode handset management in the hands of network administrators. Continue Reading

• September 05, 2006 05Sep2006 News

  ControlGuard targets rogue devices

  ControlGuard Access Manager is an effective tool for controlling what devices users can add to their workstations and how they are used. Continue Reading

• September 05, 2006 05Sep2006 News

  Proofpoint delivers strong messaging security

  Proofpoint Messaging Security Gateway is a highly recommended, affordable solution for big enterprises that need protection from email-based attacks. Continue Reading

• September 05, 2006 05Sep2006 News

  VoIP outsourcing: Save money and gain flexibility

  VoIP outsourcing is the way to go for organisations looking to deploy voice services quickly and flexibly without a major investment in skills and upkeep. Continue Reading

• September 05, 2006 05Sep2006 News

  VoIP outsourcing: Save money and gain flexibility

  VoIP outsourcing is the way to go for organizations looking to deploy voice services quickly and flexibly without a major investment in skills and upkeep. Continue Reading

• September 05, 2006 05Sep2006 News

  Cisco accelerates the branch

  Cisco rolls WAN optimization, application acceleration and Wide Area File Services (WAFS) in a single branch box to complement its Application Control Engine (ACE) data center optimization product. Continue Reading

• September 05, 2006 05Sep2006 News

  Cisco, Microsoft unveil NAC/NAP interoperability

  Nearly two years into their partnership, Cisco and Microsoft yesterday announced a joint architecture combining their network access security solutions. Continue Reading

• September 05, 2006 05Sep2006 News

  Instant messaging boom brings security concerns

  Instant messaging (IM) has made significant inroads to the enterprise, but using public IM applications may open up security holes in the network Continue Reading

• September 05, 2006 05Sep2006 News

  Cisco, Microsoft unveil NAC/NAP interoperability

  Nearly two years into their partnership, Cisco and Microsoft yesterday announced a joint architecture combining their network access security solutions. Continue Reading

• September 04, 2006 04Sep2006 News

  Revamped Cisco WAFS worth the wait, users say

  Months late, Cisco has finally released a combined Wan optimisation and WAFS product, while startups like Riverbed have been snapping up the customers. But some Cisco beta testers say it has been worth the wait. Continue Reading

• September 04, 2006 04Sep2006 News

  New Microsoft Word zero-day exploit discovered

  Trojan.MDropper-Q is exploiting a vulnerability in Microsoft's word-processing application that could allow attackers to take control of certain machines. Continue Reading

• September 04, 2006 04Sep2006 In Depth

  Protecting wireless networks: Step 3

  Security testing expert Kevin Beaver covers the tools and techniques needed to find and exploit insecure wireless networks. Continue Reading

• September 04, 2006 04Sep2006 In Depth

  Protecting wireless networks: Step 2

  Security testing expert Kevin Beaver covers the tools and techniques you'll need to find and exploit insecure wireless networks. Continue Reading

• September 04, 2006 04Sep2006 In Depth

  Wireless network security testing

  Attack your own wireless networks to find vulnerabilities before malicious hackers do. Continue Reading

• September 04, 2006 04Sep2006 Tip

  Migrating to MPLS

  As more organizations begin to take advantage of MPLS' offerings, network engineers must learn how to prepare their current networks for transition. This tip explains basic MPLS implementations and shows you some common configurations for MPLS VPNs.... Continue Reading

• September 04, 2006 04Sep2006 News

  Instant messaging boom brings security concerns

  Instant messaging (IM) has made significant inroads to the enterprise, but using public IM applications may open up security holes in the network. Continue Reading

• August 31, 2006 31Aug2006 News

  Attacks against MS06-040 on the rise

  Six pieces of malware are now going after the Windows Server Service flaw outlined in MS06-040, and a spike in attacks has led Symantec to raise its ThreatCon to Level 2. Continue Reading

• August 31, 2006 31Aug2006 News

  Emulex acquisition could cloud future of FC-SATA spec

  New Emulex subsidiary Sierra Logic's strength is in FC-SATA bridging technology. Meanwhile, ONStor launches midrange clustered NAS, and Quantum shareholders withhold votes. Continue Reading

• August 31, 2006 31Aug2006 In Depth

  Identity and Access Management Security School

  This Security School explores critical topics related to helping security practitioners establish and maintain an effective identity and access management plan. Continue Reading

• August 31, 2006 31Aug2006 Tip

  Validity of certification

  In this response, David Minutella talks about the validation of certification and what IT managers should be aware of. Continue Reading

• August 31, 2006 31Aug2006 News

  Interoperability issues for a 6500 Cisco switch and a 3Comm 7700

  In this response, Sudhanshu Gupta talks about the interoperability issues that go along with a 6500 Cisco switch and a 3Comm 7700. Continue Reading

• August 31, 2006 31Aug2006 News

  Connecting ISDN PRI to a VPN via a Cisco AS5350

  Sudhanshu Gupta examines how to connect an ISDN PRI to a VPN using a Cisco AS5350. Continue Reading

• August 31, 2006 31Aug2006 News

  Routing phone calls to a POTS

  Sudhanshu Gupta explains how to route all phone calls to a POTS, in this Q&A. Continue Reading

• August 31, 2006 31Aug2006 News

  Configuring managed and unmanaged switches

  In this Q&A, Sudhanshu Gupta answers which cable to use with managed and unmanaged switches. Continue Reading

• August 30, 2006 30Aug2006 News

  Survey: Data breaches difficult to spot, prevent

  IT pros worry that false positives and a lack of resources are preventing them from blocking data breaches Continue Reading

• August 30, 2006 30Aug2006 News

  Symantec CIO vies with virtualization, device policy

  Symantec CIO David Thompson says virtualization is a big part of the security giant's future and it has developed a policy to mitigate virtualization security risks. Continue Reading

• August 30, 2006 30Aug2006 News

  VoIP outsourcing: Save money while gaining flexibility

  VoIP outsourcing is the way to go for firms looking to deploy voice services quickly and flexibly without a major investment in skills and upkeep. Continue Reading

• August 30, 2006 30Aug2006 News

  Malware database access sparks debate

  Should an emerging database of more than 300,000 malware samples remain a walled community for trusted users, or is open access the best way to fight off digital desperados? Continue Reading

• August 30, 2006 30Aug2006 Tip

  The best book for CCDA certification

  In this Ask the Expert, David Minutella recommends the best book resource for CCDA certification. Continue Reading

• August 29, 2006 29Aug2006 News

  AT&T breach affects 19,000 customers

  Online outlaws hacked into an AT&T computer system and stole credit card data on thousands of customers. AT&T has offered to pay for credit monitoring services for those affected. Continue Reading

• August 29, 2006 29Aug2006 News

  An era ends as Tandberg buys Exabyte

  The once-dominant player in the tape market has ended a long downward spiral by selling off its assets. At least customers can now count on continued support, analysts say. Continue Reading

• August 29, 2006 29Aug2006 In Depth

  Risk management: Data organization and impact analysis

  This first article of the Insider Risk Management Guide explains how to data organization is the first step in implementing insider threat controls. Continue Reading

• August 29, 2006 29Aug2006 In Depth

  Risk management: Implementation of baseline controls

  This fourth article in the Insider Risk Management Guide examines the implementation of baseline controls. Continue Reading

• August 29, 2006 29Aug2006 In Depth

  Risk management: Baseline management and control

  Identifying baseline controls is the second step to implementing insider threat controls as described in this article from SearchSecurity's Insider Risk Management Guide. Continue Reading

• August 29, 2006 29Aug2006 In Depth

  Risk management references

  References for our Insider Risk Management Guide. Continue Reading

• August 29, 2006 29Aug2006 In Depth

  Risk management audit

  This article explores the audit function in the insider risk management process. Continue Reading

• August 29, 2006 29Aug2006 Tip

  BackTrack: The gotta-have, free, network security tool you've never heard of

  Get the power of Linux-based security tools on Windows with this free suite of open source security tools. Contributor and vulnerability assessment expert Kevin Beaver introduces BackTrack and explains its network security testing features. Continue Reading

• August 28, 2006 28Aug2006 News

  Microsoft probes alleged Internet Explorer flaw

  A research group claims attackers could launch malicious code using a flaw in the way Internet Explorer instantiates certain COM objects' ActiveX controls. Continue Reading

• August 28, 2006 28Aug2006 News

  Virtualisation eases patch management pain

  IT managers are learning that using desktop virtualisation software to patch their enterprise desktops has the potential to save time, money and energy. Continue Reading

• August 28, 2006 28Aug2006 News

  Riverbed update offers users more bandwidth, better reporting

  Riverbed announced a package of hardware and software updates, which some customers say they've been waiting for. Continue Reading

• August 28, 2006 28Aug2006 News

  ProCurve rolls out three new switch series

  ProCurve Networking by HP has added three new series of switches to its lineup. Continue Reading

• August 27, 2006 27Aug2006 News

  Third-party patching: Prudent or perilous?

  Security patches issued by third parties have become more prevalent in recent months, and while some security pros endorse them, others say they're more trouble than they're worth. Continue Reading

• August 27, 2006 27Aug2006 News

  3PAR adds midrange array for secondary sites

  3PAR has introduced a smaller version of its InServ Storage Server, which it describes as a product-line extension into its existing customer base. Continue Reading

• August 27, 2006 27Aug2006 In Depth

  Look through the over-hyped storage terms; find the value

  Storage expert Marc Staimer discusses the storage vendor trend of using over-hyped terms to sell their products, and how you can find the true value in what they're selling. Continue Reading

• August 27, 2006 27Aug2006 News

  Duplex mismatch

  This article helps networking engineers understand the issues behind duplex mismatch, one of the most troublesome problems in today's Ethernet networks. Learn why duplex mismatch occurs and how you can prevent it with autonegotiation and hard coding. Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  Are tape backups a thing of the past when it comes to disaster recovery?

  I guess we have to look at disaster recovery, when it comes to tapes, in order of priorities. So, if we're talking about your most critical applications nowadays -- your most critical data -- tape backup is actually losing favor to disk backup or ... Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  Should I back up the operating system files?

  We hear a lot about single-instance storage; single-instance backup. When you start backing up operating system files, you will have the same .DLL, for example, on each of your Windows servers -- you may have 100 servers. I would say, if you have a ... Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  How do I establish recovery priority for my applications?

  If it's at the IT level, it comes from a data perspective. When you start moving up a little bit into the business side, people start looking at the applications because they don't really know where the data is. If we talk today about virtualization... Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  Security Blog Log: Opinions abound on IBM/ISS deal

  Bloggers ponder what IBM's acquisition of ISS says about the industry as a whole. Is the end in sight for independent security vendors? Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  How do I identify what data to replicate and what data to simply backup?

  It goes back again to the value of the data to your organization -- or the impact of losing access to this data. Typically, from a business continuity perspective, the best way to establish this is through what we call a "business impact analysis," ... Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  What is the difference between RPO and RTO (from a backup perspective)?

  The recovery point objective (RPO) and the recovery time objective (RTO) are two very specific parameters that are closely associated with recovery. The RTO is how long you can basically go without a specific application. This is often associated ... Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  What is the most important aspect of data protection when it comes to DR?

  You could answer that with one word really, and I would have to say "testing." Just "testing." Whatever you do when you're protecting data, whether it's a backup, whether it's replication, whatever it is, make sure that you test what you put in ... Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  Weekly compilation of storage news

  Symantec peddles enterprise vault toolT and the new features developed because of a recent update to the US Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  Aren't backups and archives essentially the same thing?

  The answer to that can be a "yes" and "no." If we look at a very high level, a copy of data is a copy of data, and that's where a lot of people confuse both as being somewhat the same -- one copy is just kept longer. When we start digging into what ... Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  What do tiered storage and ILM have to do with disaster recovery?

  That idea ties back into the topics of data growth, data control, data management and recoverability. Once you start categorizing your data based on criticality and recovery priority, it gives you an indication of your data segments. We have our ... Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  How far apart should my production and alternate recovery sites be?

  As a good consultant, I would have to use the typical answer; it depends. We have a few things to consider here. First, what kind of disaster are you trying to protect yourself (or your organization) from? Second, what is your geography like? Continue Reading

• August 24, 2006 24Aug2006 News

  Cisco patches flaws in multiple products

  Attackers could corrupt files, cause a denial of service and bypass security restrictions via flaws in several of Cisco's firewall and VPN products. Continue Reading

• August 23, 2006 23Aug2006 News

  Remote access, WAN optimization, and network analysis news

  Briefs: Remote access from Positive Networks helps with disaster recovery plans; Ipanema Technologies provides WAN optimization; Lancope rolls out network behavior analysis and response system tools. Continue Reading

• August 22, 2006 22Aug2006 News

  Column: VoIP applications fuel the next wave of VoIP innovation

  The first phase of VoIP is nearing the end and corporations will soon find a variety of third-party desktop applications that run on VoIP. Has VoIP improved the day-to-day for end users? Continue Reading

• August 22, 2006 22Aug2006 Tip

  iSCSI network configuration, design and optimization

  It's a must to consider more than just cabling when designing an iSCSI-based storage network. Learn to look at the bigger picture when configuring or optimizing an iSCSI-based storage network. Continue Reading

• August 21, 2006 21Aug2006 News

  Briefs: VoiceCon in the news

  This week at VoiceCon we saw everything from managed VoIP services to IP phones made to make mobile workers right at home, wherever they are. Continue Reading

• August 21, 2006 21Aug2006 News

  IBM spruces up storage line

  IBM floated a raft of announcements across its storage line, but analysts say they are still waiting for the updates stuck in the research phase. Continue Reading

• August 21, 2006 21Aug2006 News

  Update: Microsoft fixes faulty Internet Explorer patch

  Update: Microsoft has fixed a faulty browser fix that enabled an exploitable condition. Souces say a compatibility problem with Systems Management Server delayed the fix. Continue Reading

• August 20, 2006 20Aug2006 News

  AOL data spill leads to dismissals, resignation

  AOL has fired two employees and its CTO has left the company after search data from 658,000 customers was accidentally exposed earlier this month. Continue Reading

• August 20, 2006 20Aug2006 News

  Twin Trojans use PowerPoint to spread

  Researchers aren't yet sure if troublesome new Trojan horse programs are exploiting a new PowerPoint flaw or the vulnerabilities Microsoft patched Aug. 8. Continue Reading

• August 20, 2006 20Aug2006 News

  Preparing for 'little disasters' often neglected

  Tom Dugan, CTO of Recovery Networks, says it's common for users to prepare to lose an entire building -- but aren't ready for small-scale losses – like losing a server. Continue Reading

• August 20, 2006 20Aug2006 Tip

  Secure network against illegal users

  Lisa Phifer gives advice on how to handle illegal users on a network. Continue Reading

• August 17, 2006 17Aug2006 News

  Apple fixes Xsan security flaw

  Attackers could exploit a security flaw in Apple's Xsan file system to launch malicious code and crash vulnerable machines, but a fix is available. Continue Reading

• August 17, 2006 17Aug2006 In Depth

  Security blog log: Fear and loathing in MS06-040's wake

  This week, security bloggers wonder if some of the MS06-040 warnings have gone too far. Meanwhile, Symantec uses its blog to warn about the timed release of exploits. Continue Reading

• August 16, 2006 16Aug2006 News

  Cisco struggles with SIP firewall flaw

  Cisco admits it can't reproduce a SIP security flaw in its PIX firewall that was first identified by a researcher at Black Hat. Continue Reading

• August 16, 2006 16Aug2006 News

  Briefs: VoIP in the news

  Asterisk maker Digium gets major funding; Quintum's VoIP switch offers backup option for branch office; The Cisco Store makes the case for unified communications. Continue Reading

• August 16, 2006 16Aug2006 News

  Wireless security push fueled by paranoia

  Wireless security became a necessity for Intermagnetics, but when the company used its access points to monitor the spectrum, performance suffered. Continue Reading

• August 15, 2006 15Aug2006 News

  Cisco says it can't reproduce PIX flaw

  Ever since a researcher at Black Hat outlined a flaw in the PIX firewall, Cisco has been trying to reproduce the security hole. So far, the company has been unsuccessful. Continue Reading