Market Segments | IT Security

IT Security

Even as the government cracks down on illegal hackers, enhances its own network security and encourages the public and private sectors to beef up their own computer security, threats from a malicious virus, spam, worms and other malware continue to challenge an organization's firewall and its other IT security protections.

April 26th, 2008

In recent months, there has been a significant increase in the number and ferocity of Web attacks perpetrated by hackers in China. This up-tick in malicious Internet activity involves sophisticated new techniques originating from a centralized group of activities based in China, with one of the malicious Web sites actually belonging to a Chinese government office.

April 24th, 2008

Beginning in 2003, computer-based attacks apparently originating in China succeeded in penetrating the defenses of U.S. Government and contractor networks alike. As the story was picked up by mainstream media, federal investigators gave the attacks the moniker "Titan Rain." But that name was soon changed, and both the new designation and details of the attacks associated with it have since been classified. Regardless of the source or motivation behind these attacks, one thing is clear -- these new threats are raising concerns about the safety of our nation’s most sensitive data.

April 22nd, 2008

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) last year sent ripples through the government security IT world by mandating a move to a standard for federal desktop configurations. The Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) provides specific security settings which have long been recommended by the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA).

April 21st, 2008

Last week, a group of high-powered corporate lawyers, security geeks and FBI agents met to ponder how to secure sensitive corporate data. It was part of an on-going series of conferences mounted by InfraGard, the national collaboration between the FBI and the private sector. Presentations examined protection of intellectual property, the use of forensics in determining and controlling network intrusions and data theft, and an overview of emerging issues in e-discovery.

April 19th, 2008

Following the May 2006 incident involving the theft of a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) laptop computer, it was clear that we had a need for a formal process for evaluating and responding to data breach incidents. Using BMC Software’s development tool, the VA has built an infrastructure to document privacy and security incidents via the enterprise deployment of applications such as the PVTS (Privacy Tracking System) and VA-NSOC (VA Network Security Operations Center).

April 18th, 2008

Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12) was created to eliminate variations across government agencies in the quality and security of identity credentials used to gain access to federal facilities and resources. But that’s only the be-ginning of how these new credentials will help transform the way government does business.

April 17th, 2008

In recent years, government organizations, like everyone else, have embraced the reality of data mobility. Agencies are increasing the use of smart phones, laptops and USB drives, but in many cases, they face the need to upgrade the security of their communications to meet the growing technical sophistication of hackers and intruders. As government communications become more and more networked, the range of devices that can access these networks has grown, and so has the need for better security.

April 16th, 2008

The following worrisome IT Security incidents at government offices were described by Gregory Wilshusen, the director of information security issues for the Government Accountability Office (GAO), during his testimony last month before subcommittees of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

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