IT management

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

By

• Bill Brenner

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

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

Risk management: Implementation of baseline controls

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

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

By

• Bill Brenner

Risk management references

References for our Insider Risk Management Guide. Continue Reading

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

By

• Beth Pariseau, Senior News Writer

Risk management audit

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

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

By

• Bill Brenner

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

By

• Beth Pariseau, Senior News Writer

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

By

• Jo Maitland, TechTarget

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

By

• Bill Brenner

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 data replication. Continue Reading

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," which really measures the impact of an outage on your revenue stream or your organization from a public perception point of view. Continue Reading

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 place. Just because the vendor's glossy ad said that theproduct allows you to restore "virtually in seconds," I wouldn't necessarily take their word for it. Continue Reading

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

By

• SearchStorage.com Staff

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

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 a backup is for and what an archive is for, that's when we really start seeing the distinction between the two. Continue Reading

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

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 high-priority data, we have our medium criticality data and we have our low restore priority data. Continue Reading

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

By

• Beth Pariseau, Senior News Writer

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

By

• SearchSecurity.com Staff

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

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

By

• Amanda Mitchell

Qualcomm to halve storage growth in 2007

Wireless chipmaker Qualcomm expects to slow down its storage growth by at least 50% next year using a capacity utilisation tool from MonoSphere. Continue Reading

By

• Jo Maitland, TechTarget

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

By

• Bill Brenner

Mocbot update targets MS06-040 flaw

Security experts raised the red flag Sunday as new malware targets the Windows flaw addressed in the MS06-040 patch. Attackers are using the flaw to expand IRC-controlled botnets. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

EMC sheds light on RSA integration plans

As the dust begins to settle on EMC's $2.1 billion acquisition of RSA Security, the hard work of integration begins. What's EMC strategy here? Continue Reading

By

• Jo Maitland, TechTarget

Vista kernel limits have security vendors on edge

Microsoft's PatchGuard feature will prevent extension of Windows Vista kernel, and antivirus vendors say it'll make it harder for them to produce good security products. Continue Reading

By

• Dennis Fisher

Security Blog Log: Israeli-Hezbollah war spills into cyberspace

This week blogosphere warily watches online attacks inspired by the Mideast conflict and rants over the latest security incidents at AOL and the VA. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Xiotech resurfaces with data compliance focus

Xiotech has been busy acquiring a legal discovery software vendor and building a data compliance practice, but what about storage? Continue Reading

By

• Jo Maitland, TechTarget

Users cautious about Brocade-McData merger

Customers are worried about McData switches interoperating with other products and how Brocade will handle product overlap. Continue Reading

By

• Beth Pariseau, Senior News Writer

Inside MSRC: Time to rethink security workarounds

Christopher Budd of the Microsoft Security Response Center recommends implementing one of several security workarounds to ensure a secure infrastructure until this month's most important Windows update can be installed. Continue Reading

Security Bytes: CA fixes eTrust Antivirus flaws

Online thieves steal $700,000 from personal accounts, researchers expose e-passport vulnerability; and arrests are made in the VA security breach case. Continue Reading

By

• SearchSecurity.com Staff

EMC updates SAN Advisor design tool

EMC's SAN design tool now recognises zones and allows users to customise rules; HP and EMC sign five-year cross-licensing deal. Continue Reading

By

• SearchStorage.com Staff

Vendors reject preferential knowledge sharing

While Cisco continues to investigate a potential PIX firewall flaw, it and other vendors say sharing security information quickly and indiscriminately is always the best policy. Continue Reading

By

• Michael Mimoso, TechTarget

Ajax threats worry researchers

Black Hat: While it makes smooth Web applications like Google Maps possible, the rush to adopt Ajax may fuel haphazard development and a feeding frenzy among hackers. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Thwarting IM management challenges

Product review: Information Security magazine's Sandra Kay Miller says Symantec's IM Manager 8.0 has limited public network features, but offers excellent reporting Continue Reading

By

• Sandra Kay Miller

Akonix A-Series offers complex, best-of-breed IM security

Product review: Information Security magazine's Sandra Kay Miller says The Akonix A-Series instant messaging security appliances works well but needs better documentation. Continue Reading

By

• Sandra Kay Miller

Countering attackers with NAC, IPS

Product review: Information Security magazine's Wayne Rash says ForeScout Technologies' flexible CounterACT appliance combines NAC with IPS and is worth the investment. Continue Reading

By

• Wayne Rash

Security event management, no strings attached

Product review: Information Security magazine's Joel Snyder says Check Point's vendor-agnostic Eventia Analyzer 2.0/Eventia Reporter is worth consideration despite limited BI options. Continue Reading

By

• Joel Snyder, Opus One

Mobile security begins with policy

Mobile security can no longer be an afterthought. Mobile experts say security starts, but doesn't end, with policy. Continue Reading

By

• Andrew R. Hickey, News Writer

Twelve Microsoft fixes coming on Patch Tuesday

Microsoft Tuesday will release a dozen new security bulletins for its Windows and Office products, likely including fixes for several outstanding PowerPoint flaws. Continue Reading

By

• Eileen Kennedy, News Writer

Possible Cisco zero-day exploit revealed at Black Hat

Details of an alleged flaw related to SIP and PIX appliances, briefly mentioned in a Wednesday Black Hat presentation, are being kept under wraps as Cisco and US-CERT investigate. Continue Reading

By

• Michael Mimoso, TechTarget

Litchfield: Database security is 'IT's biggest problem'

At Black Hat USA 2006, database security guru David Litchfield unveils 20-plus IBM Informix flaws that attackers could exploit to create malicious files, gain DBA-level privileges and access sensitive data. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Security Bytes: Exploits targeting freshly patched Apple flaw

Apple patches nearly two dozen holes in OS X, but not before exploits are unleashed. Plus McAfee fixes a critical flaw and EMC gets the OK to buy RSA. Continue Reading

By

• SearchSecurity.com Staff

PING with Heidi Kujawa

Heidi Kujawa, director of enterprise architecture services for Sony Pictures Entertainment, explains how combatting piracy takes more than just keeping bootleggers out of the theatres Continue Reading

Security Bytes: ISS warns of new Microsoft Windows flaw

Attackers could exploit the latest Microsoft Windows flaw to crash vulnerable machines and Symantec fixes a Brightmail AntiSpam flaw. Continue Reading

By

• SearchSecurity.com Staff

Beyond HIPAA and GLBA

Most firms are familiar with HIPAA, Gramm-Leach-Bliley and Sarbanes-Oxley, but newer regulations are pushing certain industry sectors to adopt strong authentication Continue Reading

EqualLogic updates storage provisioning software

Users have more options when it comes to pooling storage with version 3.0 of EqualLogic's array software, but some are wondering whatever happened to the SAS disks. Continue Reading

By

• Beth Pariseau, Senior News Writer

DHS puts Zitz in charge of cybersecurity division

American career intelligence officer Robert S. Zitz has taken over day-to-day operations of the US National Cyber Security Division, but his department still has numerous digital defence problems to remedy. Continue Reading

By

• Dennis Fisher

Mozilla issues critical security updates

New patches to fix 13 software security flaws, eight of which have been deemed critical. Continue Reading

By

• Eric Parizo, Senior Analyst

Blue Cross bears burden of 'no wireless' policy

Blue Cross of Idaho had a "no wireless" policy on paper but never really enforced it. That is, until a team of auditors said the company had better do something. Continue Reading

By

• Andrew R. Hickey, News Writer

Employee monitoring should be done with care

Employee monitoring is on the rise as firms try to safeguard their sensitive information and increase productivity. Continue Reading

By

• Gary S. Miliefsky

Security Bytes: New Microsoft exploits in the wild

The exploits target issues Microsoft patched earlier this month. Meanwhile, flaws are reported in Oracle for OpenView and a Mozilla Firefox keystroke logger is on the loose. Continue Reading

By

• SearchSecurity.com Staff

Midsized firms reach out to backup service providers

Data growth and ever-tightening compliance rules are among the factors driving some organizations to turn to service providers for help with backups. Continue Reading

By

• Beth Pariseau, Senior News Writer

CSI survey: Data breaches still being swept under the rug

The annual CSI/FBI Computer Crime and Security Survey shows companies are reporting fewer financial losses from data breaches. That doesn't mean the good guys are winning. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Answers: Compliance All-in-One Guide quiz

The key compliance questions unveiled Continue Reading

Security Bytes: Investigators slam VA over data breach

Meanwhile: Cisco patches a router application flaw, a Washington law firm sues IBM over a server attack; and spammers sucker Web surfers with fake Vladimir Putin death reports. Continue Reading

By

• SearchSecurity.com Staff

Trojan targets Microsoft PowerPoint flaw

Update: The exploit might be tied to an older flaw in Excel. Attackers who exploit the serious flaw could launch arbitrary code. Microsoft says it is investigating. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Critical flaws found in Excel, Flash Player

FrSIRT says holes in Microsoft's spreadsheet program and Adobe's media player could allow attackers to take control of affected machines and initiate malicious commands. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Looking ahead to life without passwords

Security pros know that passwords are nothing but trouble. For them, single-sign on, two-factor authentication and federated ID represent the path to stronger authentication. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Downtime: Now here's an idea for all of you flag flyers...

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Skills fears as number of IT students plummets

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Security Bytes: Data breach affects 100,000 military personnel

Meanwhile: Phishers use a phone trick to dupe PayPal users; the PCI security standard will get more teeth and a survey illustrates an increase in security breaches Continue Reading

By

• SearchSecurity.com Staff

Application layer logging quiz answers

The key questions revealed Continue Reading

Strong authentication for businesses large and small

Product review: Customer service could return calls more quickly when there's a problem. But overall, RSA SecurID Appliance 2.0 delivers robust, scalable protection. Continue Reading

By

• Phoram Mehta, Contributing Writer

Cost of Libra magistrates system trebles

The Department of Constitutional Affairs has admitted that the cost of the Libra case management system for magistrates courts will rise to £487m – more than three times the £146m original cost set in 1998. Continue Reading

By

• Lindsay Clark

Dundee to teach ethical hacking BSc

A degree in ethical hacking will be on offer at a Scottish university from the new academic year. Continue Reading

By

• Tash Shifrin

Microsoft offers SMBs all-in-one security and protection

Small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are among the key targets of Microsoft's latest solution, Windows Live OneCare. Continue Reading

Fifa ready for cyber attack on World Cup

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FullArmor lives up to its name

PolicyPortal provides an Internet interface to easily configure, monitor and enforce near real-time Active Directory-based policy compliance through client agents. Continue Reading

By

• James Foster, CSC

BlueCat appliance offers rock-solid security

Hot Pick: The Adonis 1000 appliance bundles DNS and DHCP into an enterprise-class appliance for the centralized secure operation of network addressing. Continue Reading

By

• Sandra Kay Miller, Contributing Writer

Shifting services back indoors

Almost a quarter of blue chip firms in the UK are so disillusioned with outsourcing they are hauling their services back in-house. Continue Reading

SMB finds the perfect host

When All3Media, a medium-sized TV programming producer, inherited an inflexible communications system, it turned to a more appealing, hosted alternative. Continue Reading

By

• Kate Large

Questions that need to be answered on NHS IT plan

Four years ago the government announced to a grateful NHS a national IT programme that would become the world's largest civil computer scheme. Continue Reading

By

• Tony Collins

Outsourced way to hire contract staff

IT services company FDM has launched a "straight through" recruitment service to help IT departments in the finance sector recruit contract staff. Continue Reading

By

• Tash Shifrin

Lenovo goes for gold with SMBs

When Shelley Rudman unexpectedly won a silver medal for her valiant efforts in the skeleton at this year’s Winter Olympics, the world knew she’d gained her unprecedented achievement for the UK in a matter of seconds. In fact, the world expected to know the results in that space of time. Continue Reading

Networks news in brief

Short takes from this week's network news Continue Reading

Industry chiefs to declare war on for-profit cyber criminals

IT industry leaders reaffirm the importance of security to a digital economy beset by money-driven cyber criminals. Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

Not just a big switch

Fibre Channel directors don't just provide lots of ports, they also offer ways to connect disparate SANs, isolate data and devices within a fabric, and configure throughput for specific applications. We look at how the big three directors match up. Continue Reading

By

• Jerome Wendt

Be careful you don't get more than you pay for with VoIP

Implementing VoIP is attractive for all companies in particular SMBs. However, there are issues to address that may cost you more than what you save Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Voicing concerns on Skype

Skype has blazed a trail in the Voice over IP arena; its popularity hasn’t gone unnoticed by the hacker community however Continue Reading

By

• Joe O’Halloran, Computer Weekly

Sony struggles to regain trust

The company is trying to mend a reputation bruised over its antipiracy practices. One advocate for online civil liberties explains why redemption is a long way off. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Guidance turns investigative tools on itself

The forensics software firm says it was compromised by hackers in November. It's just one in a growing list of companies admitting to recent attacks or lax security. Continue Reading

By

• Anne Saita, TechTarget

Flaws reported in Trend Micro ServerProtect

Storage and security managers should be wary of vulnerabilities in the AV product that could enable a denial-of-service and malicious code execution. Workarounds are available. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Hospital ditches EMC Centera for long-term archiving

UHCS in Augusta, Ga., is replacing its Centera archiving system from EMC with IBM's GMAS product after performance, reliability and cost issues forced it to seek alternatives. Continue Reading

By

• Jo Maitland, TechTarget

Roundup: 2005's 'curious malicious code'

These viruses, worms and Trojans sometimes escaped our notice. But it didn't get past one antivirus vendor, who rounded up some of the year's stranger offerings from the underground. Continue Reading

By

• Anne Saita, TechTarget

Two Windows patches coming, IE fix uncertain

It remains to be seen whether the software giant on Dec. 13 will address an outstanding Internet Explorer issue that is currently the target of a malicious Trojan. Continue Reading

By

• Eric Parizo, Senior Analyst

Titan Rain shows need for better training

SANS says the Chinese-based attacks demonstrate the growing sophistication of hackers, and the need for IT admins who can articulate the dangers to execs. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Security pros gain ground in the board room

Executives are paying more attention to their IT security managers and taking more responsibility for online threats against their companies, according to a new study. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Cybersecurity policy takes cooperation, trust, experts say

At the Infosecurity confab, experts explain why sharing information -- even when it's embarrassing -- is vital to securing not only corporations, but also the national infrastructure. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Out-of-cycle IE patch may be imminent

Microsoft may release a critical Internet Explorer fix before the next Patch Tuesday, amid reports that malicious code is targeting a memory corruption flaw. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

By the numbers: The new SOX breakdown

SOX spending for 2006 is expected to be on par with last year but it's not quite dÉjÀ vu all over again. More dough will go to technology. Continue Reading

By

• Linda Tucci, Industry Editor -- CIO/IT Strategy

Who owns and administers the internet's addresses?

Given that IPv4 addresses are a finite resource, we can expect concerns over their distribution to increase in the coming years. Continue Reading

By

• Danny Bradbury

Step 6: Configuring wireless clients

With wireless networks proliferating it is a good idea to understand what it takes to build a VPN for a wireless gateway. Contributor and Microsoft MVP Brien Posey details the necessary steps in this step-by-step guide. Continue Reading

Wireless security: Public Wi-Fi could open security holes

A Michigan county is working to give everyone within its borders wireless Internet access. But when it comes to security, users are on their own. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Wireless security crucial to railway safety

A transportation firm uses wireless technology to keep the trains running on time. But securing mobile devices isn't easy when they're spread across the globe. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Wireless security: Companies deal with software updates

A health care provider found it could use wireless technology to dramatically boost patient care. But first it had to figure out how to deploy security updates over a wireless network. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner

Sony rootkit uninstaller causes bigger threat

Princeton researchers say a security hole that appears when users try to remove Sony's copy protection software presents an even greater risk than the original rootkit. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Brenner