The notification chain when a breach is suspected

07/02/09

A few weeks ago, we provided best practice tips on preserving log data for a forensic investigation. Now that you've got the data set aside for your investigation, who else needs to get involved? Let's discuss the notification chain and how other experts support the investigation and its fallout.

90 data breaches in 2008: What went wrong

06/26/09

Data breaches continue to plague organizations in virtually every industry. Since 2004, the Verizon Business RISK Team has worked on more than 600 investigations of suspected breaches. Fortunately for us, the team is willing to share its collective knowledge and provide an analysis of the trends in breaches, including how they happen and what the root causes and contributing factors are.

How to dramatically cut costs on network performance monitoring

06/19/09

The economic downturn and reduced IT budgets are forcing many network managers to look for alternative (read that as "cheaper") products and solutions for managing their networks. If you find yourself in this boat, then read on about a performance and availability monitoring solution that competes with the enterprise products from companies such as CA, IBM, HP and BMC Software. At the same time, this solution is saving its users hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars.

How to manage the risk of your high-risk users

06/12/09

Every network has high-risk users. Mitigating the risks they pose can be quite a challenge. Most point solutions only address part of the problem, leaving gaps in overall security. The product that Network World security blogger Richard Stiennon deemed "Best in Show" at the recent RSA Conference is an all-in-one solution designed to manage the risks posed by high-risk users. What's more, the hardened appliance form factor makes it easy to implement and use.

IT execs say 'going green' is essential. Are you ready?

06/05/09

A recent worldwide survey commissioned by Symantec says that "going green" is now an essential strategy for most enterprise IT organizations. Ninety-seven percent of the responding companies are in the process of developing or have already implemented a green IT strategy. Are you ready to support your company's strategy with actionable plans?

ITSM 'visionary' delivers service, now

05/29/09

The economic downtown is pushing more organizations toward defined processes and services to deliver more and better IT services. This discipline is known as IT Service Management, or ITSM. While ITSM is a mature software market, there's one company that Gartner says illustrates the future of the market. This software-as-a-service company promises to help IT departments to deliver service now and save money while doing so.

Wedded bliss: NAC and identity management

05/21/09

Network access control is one of those technology categories that has a lot of promise but not a lot of users, despite the fact that solutions have been available for years. There are so many challenges to deploying a NAC solution, including cost, network security and infrastructure. A couple of veteran Cisco engineers set out to address those challenges and came up with a standards-based solution that combines NAC with identity management.

Using computer log data to support a forensic investigation

05/15/09

The log data you collect from your systems and devices may seem pretty mundane. However, it could contain the precise evidence needed to investigate and successfully prosecute a crime. In order for log data to stand up in court as admissible evidence, you must take care in how you collect, handle and store the data. Read on for experts' best practices for using log data to support a forensic investigation.

DMTF aims to clear the fog of managing cloud computing

05/11/09

Many organizations are taking an interest in the cloud computing model. However, the fear of vendor lock-in and the lack of interoperability standards are making some companies hesitate. The Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) is tackling the problem with a new incubator task force designed to develop a set of informational specifications for cloud resource management. These specifications could lead to interoperability standards within twelve months. Read more to see what’s in it for you.

Eliminate network gear maintenance fees to save big money

05/04/09

When it comes to networking gear, do you always play it safe and deploy Cisco devices? You can't go wrong with Cisco technology. However, you can probably meet your needs and save some big bucks at the same time with networking products from this alternative provider.

Can you say for sure who has access rights to your sensitive data?

04/27/09

In a Ponemon Institute survey of almost 700 experienced IT practitioners from U.S. business and governmental organizations, more than half of the respondents can't say with confidence that the process of assigning access rights is well-managed and tightly controlled within their organizations. That means there are a lot of application or data owners and caretakers that believe their business data can be accessed by people who probably shouldn't have access at all. Where do you fall in this spectrum, and what can you do about it?

Device fingerprinting defends against online fraud

04/20/09

Cybercriminals have established vast botnets comprised of millions of computers that are controlled by malicious masters. These bots allow the fraudsters to purchase goods, apply for credit cards, access bank accounts and more – all from the relative obscurity of a compromised device. A new security discipline called device fingerprinting is making it harder for criminals to conduct their illicit business from a device they have overtaken. Learn more about how you can validate if your transactions are coming from a legitimate device or one that has been compromised for criminal purposes.

How to get more from your IT certifications

04/13/09

Do you hold an IT certification? Are you getting all the value you can from that certification? Here are some tips on how to benefit from IT certifications.

Linux, Unix devices benefit from a unified Active Directory environment

04/06/09

An oil exploration company has numerous Linux and Unix devices that it's bringing into Active Directory through a unified directory tool. The project is already providing payback through operational efficiency, audit compliance and better security through privileged user access control.

New security standard MashSSL builds application trust

03/30/09

Application mashups are gaining traction in the enterprise. There's no doubt that productivity can be enhanced when new functionality can be delivered quickly and conveniently by combining information from multiple sources. However, there's a trade-off in application security. Mashups hold the potential to introduce a new network attack vector. A proposed new standard called MashSSL could eliminate the security concerns, making enterprise mashups as secure as any SSL transaction.

Symantec's last ManageFusion conference was full of high points

03/23/09

Marking the end of an era, Symantec held its last-ever ManageFusion user conference in early March. This conference will be rolled into Symantec's other user conferences in the future. Meanwhile, there were lots of high points at ManageFusion, including the long-awaited general availability of Altiris Client Management Suite 7.0 and Altiris Server Management Suite 7.0. Read what else transpired and learn about cool new technologies in development.

Virtual applications earn an A+ at this 'laptop school'

03/16/09

St. Agnes Academy in Houston could serve as a model for implementing virtual applications in our schools. Instead of bound books, students carry laptop and tablet computers and download streamed virtual applications and ebooks whenever they are needed. This school earns an A+ for cost savings and efficiency.

Take the complexity out of firewall configuration changes

03/09/09

As network security infrastructure grows larger and more complex, the likelihood of omissions and misconfigurations that can lead to data breaches and other serious problems is a growing concern. Tufin Technologies has solutions for security lifecycle management that take the human judgment factor out of firewall and router configuration changes. Read about the tools that reduce the risk level that's inherent in security configuration changes.

Get it free: Full-featured search engine for all log data

03/02/09

Prism Microsystems has just released a free search engine for log data. EventTracker Pulse collects data from all your logs, brings it together in one archive, compresses the data to save space, and allows you to search the data for specific events. If you know how to conduct a search with Google, you can use Pulse to search your vast archive of log data. Pulse is a plus for network operations and security.

New computer chip promises a revolution in green computing

02/23/09

After 50 years of a flawless run, Moore's Law could be reaching the limits of physics. Some scientists predict it could hit the wall in about a decade. A new technology called probabilistic computing is poised to extend Moore's Law. Read what it will mean to computing and our use of mobile devices and consumer electronics.

Unique storage preserves the Golden Age of Television

02/16/09

The Museum of Broadcast Communications has a vast archive of classic television and radio shows. The museum uses unique storage technology to store the content and deliver it smoothly over the Internet on demand. Distributed storage from Cleversafe helps to keep the Golden Age of Television alive.

Steps you can take now to help reduce data breaches

02/09/09

Sophos security analyst Michael Argast shares his tips on what network managers can do to help prevent data breaches. With a little diligence, you can bolster your network security to help prevent the loss or compromise of sensitive data.

A clever way to increase employee awareness about phishing

02/02/09

A Gartner survey shows that phishing attacks soared in 2007, ultimately costing victims of the attacks at least $3.2 billion. As we start 2009, corporate spear phishing - the practice of targeting specific workers in order to gain access to systems or information - is on the rise. This places corporate security at risk. PhishMe is a unique and simple SaaS solution that provides phishing awareness training to employees. You can reduce the likelihood that a worker in your organization will compromise security via a phishing attack.

Are your old computers poisoning people in third world countries?

01/26/09

Many business organizations use electronic recycling service providers to dispose of old computer equipment. The recyclers are supposed to meet stringent laws and guidelines for recycling hazardous materials like lead and mercury found in the equipment - but this doesn't always happen. You can be assured your e-waste is handled and recycled properly by using a certified e-Steward service provider.

U of Tennessee finds 'bonus benefits' in log management

01/19/09

The University of Tennessee installed a log management tool last summer to address PCI and HIPAA compliance requirements. Since then, the university is finding other uses for the log data that are improving network security and operational efficiency.

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Linda Musthaler is a principal analyst with Essential Solutions Corporation.