Guidance Consulting, Inc., an IT consulting and vulnerability protection company, warns that denial of service can also carry huge repercussions for a company's bottom line. One of the many IT threats that companies have to be on the watch for in today's technological environment is denial of service attacks. These attacks, which most often target companies who deal with money and other financial transactions, are among the most devastating in terms of lost productivity.
"The financial side of denial of service attacks can be among the biggest IT costs out there," warns Daniel Gottilla, senior consultant at Guidance Consulting. "These kinds of attacks are usually high-profile, which makes them appealing to hackers determined to wreak havoc on a legitimate system."
Denial of service attacks work by making a network or website unavailable to users, either temporarily or permanently. A hacker gets into the network using a variety of methods, but the goal is almost always the same: take down the system so that it can't be functional for the business. For companies on the receiving end of these attacks, the result is lost productivity that can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in just a few days - especially since the primary targets are those that deal in the financial world.
"For a hacker to be able to point to a major website breakdown and tell his friends 'I did that' is a sort of bragging rights issue," says Gottilla. "While the practice is certainly illegal, it's not always possible for authorities to catch the culprits. That's why the best defense is to put vulnerability protection up before the attacks occur."
Some hackers even use these attacks for personal gain. A few years ago, it was a fairly common practice for denial of service attacks to become a sort of blackmail scenario. Hackers would get into a system and threaten to shut everything down without a payment of anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000. Companies that refused to pay were then attacked and their infrastructure shut down.
"Although these scenarios aren't as common anymore, the threat is still there," Gottilla warns. "And the cost of protection is much, much less than the cost of trying to rebuild or restore a network."
About Guidance Consulting
Guidance Consulting is a technology solutions firm offering a range of services related to technology, infrastructure development, and general information technology consulting.
For over 15 years, Guidance Consulting has been delivering profitable technology results to everything from small, private firms to Fortune 500 companies. In addition to meeting employment and staffing needs, Guidance Consulting implements a wide range of IT solutions that help companies to cut costs, increase productivity, and avoid damages associated with vulnerability issues to get the most out of the current technologies available for businesses of all sizes.
For more information on making Guidance Consulting a part of your company's IT support team, visit their website at http://www.guidance-consulting.com.
Showing posts with label Security Management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Security Management. Show all posts
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Guidance Consulting Spotlights Ties Between Economy and Increased IT Vulnerability Attacks
When the economy gets rough and layoffs are at an all-time high, there is almost always an upswing in malware and virus attacks across the Internet, says IT consulting firm Guidance Consulting, Inc. While common sense generally indicates that this is a logical change, since getting into systems for personal gain might seem like a viable option to those facing unemployment for the first time in decades, the truth is that legitimate companies are the ones at fault.
According to Daniel Gottilla, senior consultant at Guidance Consulting, the primary culprit is actually the lowered security budgets faced by everyone from Fortune 500 corporations to small businesses. "Companies are being forced to cut their budgets across the board," says Gottilla, "and security systems are often the first to suffer. In an economic climate like this, the focus is on keeping jobs and finances safe - not infrastructure systems. It's unfortunate, because infrastructure systems are just as vulnerable as everything else." In fact, these types of budgetary cuts are often made in the face of increased cyber-attacks.
The problem with cutting a security budget is that it results in a spiraling effect of malware hazards. When one company lowers its security, it's at an increased risk not only for attack from a malicious source on its own, but the company then becomes vulnerable as a vehicle for further damages. For example, the Internet Explorer damages that hit the Internet last December were largely the result of legitimate companies whose systems were infiltrated by viruses, which were then sent to unsuspecting website visitors.
"It's a scary prospect," Gottilla agrees, "but it's one that is easy to avoid. By upgrading the vulnerability protection a company currently has or outsourcing it to a specialty IT provider, companies can reduce their budgets and decrease their chances of an attack. It's a win-win solution."
With tough economic times only expected to continue to plague businesses of all sizes, now is the time to increase system security, not decrease it. Not only can companies avoid becoming a source of malware, but they can also save money in the long run. "Getting rid of a virus is much more costly than preventing one in the first place," adds Gottilla. In this case, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.
About Guidance Consulting
Guidance Consulting is a technology solutions firm offering a range of services related to technology, infrastructure development, and general information technology consulting.
For over 15 years, Guidance Consulting has been delivering profitable technology results to everything from small, private firms to Fortune 500 companies. In addition to meeting employment and staffing needs, Guidance Consulting implements a wide range of IT solutions that help companies to cut costs, increase productivity, and avoid damages associated with vulnerability issues to get the most out of the current technologies available for businesses of all sizes.
For more information on making Guidance Consulting a part of your company's IT support team, visit their website at http://www.guidance-consulting.com.
According to Daniel Gottilla, senior consultant at Guidance Consulting, the primary culprit is actually the lowered security budgets faced by everyone from Fortune 500 corporations to small businesses. "Companies are being forced to cut their budgets across the board," says Gottilla, "and security systems are often the first to suffer. In an economic climate like this, the focus is on keeping jobs and finances safe - not infrastructure systems. It's unfortunate, because infrastructure systems are just as vulnerable as everything else." In fact, these types of budgetary cuts are often made in the face of increased cyber-attacks.
The problem with cutting a security budget is that it results in a spiraling effect of malware hazards. When one company lowers its security, it's at an increased risk not only for attack from a malicious source on its own, but the company then becomes vulnerable as a vehicle for further damages. For example, the Internet Explorer damages that hit the Internet last December were largely the result of legitimate companies whose systems were infiltrated by viruses, which were then sent to unsuspecting website visitors.
"It's a scary prospect," Gottilla agrees, "but it's one that is easy to avoid. By upgrading the vulnerability protection a company currently has or outsourcing it to a specialty IT provider, companies can reduce their budgets and decrease their chances of an attack. It's a win-win solution."
With tough economic times only expected to continue to plague businesses of all sizes, now is the time to increase system security, not decrease it. Not only can companies avoid becoming a source of malware, but they can also save money in the long run. "Getting rid of a virus is much more costly than preventing one in the first place," adds Gottilla. In this case, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.
About Guidance Consulting
Guidance Consulting is a technology solutions firm offering a range of services related to technology, infrastructure development, and general information technology consulting.
For over 15 years, Guidance Consulting has been delivering profitable technology results to everything from small, private firms to Fortune 500 companies. In addition to meeting employment and staffing needs, Guidance Consulting implements a wide range of IT solutions that help companies to cut costs, increase productivity, and avoid damages associated with vulnerability issues to get the most out of the current technologies available for businesses of all sizes.
For more information on making Guidance Consulting a part of your company's IT support team, visit their website at http://www.guidance-consulting.com.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Check Point Extends Its Leadership in Security Management With a New Change Management Software Blade
Check Point(R) Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq:CHKP), the worldwide leader in securing the Internet, today announced SmartWorkflow(TM), a new security management software blade that provides customers the option of extending their security infrastructure with policy change management functionality. The new SmartWorkflow Software Blade enables an automated process of tracking, approving and auditing policy changes within the security management console, minimizing configuration errors and optimizing the integrity of network security. SmartWorkflow includes reporting and auditing capabilities that help customers ensure compliance with corporate policies and regulations.
"SmartWorkflow addresses our need for powerful and comprehensive policy change management and enforcement in an integrated console," said John Reeman, technical director for Nebulas Solutions. "The SmartWorkflow Software Blade functionality lightens the management workload of our security administrators while also helping avoid dangerous mis-configurations."
Security administrators are challenged by a constant stream of change requests. SmartWorkflow helps to ensure consistency across the company's security policy, reducing the possibility of errors and policy mis-configuration. SmartWorkflow allows administrators to enforce a step-by-step workflow through a single management console -- create a new session, work on the session, review session changes, submit session for approval, get approval and deploy changes. Reports can also be easily generated to show what was changed, added or removed before submission for approval, and administrators can compare and restore policies to a previous state. SmartWorkflow joins recently released SmartProvisioning, expanding the list of security management software blades.
"SmartWorkflow is another example of Check Point's commitment to providing simplified management with the highest level of security," said Dr. Dorit Dor, vice president of products at Check Point. "Managing security policies is a common yet complex task for our customers, and SmartWorkflow helps simplify and improve their change management implementation from within the security management console."
SmartWorkflow is available through Check Point's unique Software Blade architecture, which allows customers to select the exact security software blades they need and combine them into a single, centrally managed gateway on the hardware of their choice. With the flexibility to deploy the software blades on existing security infrastructure, the total cost overhead remains low. Additional information on Check Point's SmartWorkflow Software Blade can be found at: http://www.checkpoint.com/products/softwareblades/smartworkflow.html.
Additional information on Check Point's SmartProvisioning Software Blade can be found at: http://www.checkpoint.com/products/softwareblades/provisioning.html.
More information on Check Point's Software Blade architecture can be found at: http://www.checkpoint.com/products/softwareblades/architecture/index.html.
"Check Point continues to develop innovative ways to make complex tasks simple and security policy enforcement effective. SmartWorkflow delivers on those two essential customer benefits," concluded Dor.
Availability
Check Point's SmartWorkflow Software Blade is available and can be purchased through Check Point's worldwide network of value-added resellers. To find a Check Point partner, visit www.checkpoint.com.
About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., worldwide leader in securing the Internet, is the only vendor to deliver Total Security for networks, data and endpoints, unified under a single management framework. This unique approach gives Check Point customers uncompromised protection against all types of threats, reduces complexity and lowers total cost of ownership. With its dynamic Software Blade architecture, Check Point delivers secure, flexible and simple solutions that can be fully customized to meet the exact security needs of any organization or environment. Check Point customers include all Fortune 100 companies and tens of thousands of businesses and organizations of all sizes. Check Point's award-winning ZoneAlarm solutions protect millions of consumers from hackers, spyware and identity theft.
"SmartWorkflow addresses our need for powerful and comprehensive policy change management and enforcement in an integrated console," said John Reeman, technical director for Nebulas Solutions. "The SmartWorkflow Software Blade functionality lightens the management workload of our security administrators while also helping avoid dangerous mis-configurations."
Security administrators are challenged by a constant stream of change requests. SmartWorkflow helps to ensure consistency across the company's security policy, reducing the possibility of errors and policy mis-configuration. SmartWorkflow allows administrators to enforce a step-by-step workflow through a single management console -- create a new session, work on the session, review session changes, submit session for approval, get approval and deploy changes. Reports can also be easily generated to show what was changed, added or removed before submission for approval, and administrators can compare and restore policies to a previous state. SmartWorkflow joins recently released SmartProvisioning, expanding the list of security management software blades.
"SmartWorkflow is another example of Check Point's commitment to providing simplified management with the highest level of security," said Dr. Dorit Dor, vice president of products at Check Point. "Managing security policies is a common yet complex task for our customers, and SmartWorkflow helps simplify and improve their change management implementation from within the security management console."
SmartWorkflow is available through Check Point's unique Software Blade architecture, which allows customers to select the exact security software blades they need and combine them into a single, centrally managed gateway on the hardware of their choice. With the flexibility to deploy the software blades on existing security infrastructure, the total cost overhead remains low. Additional information on Check Point's SmartWorkflow Software Blade can be found at: http://www.checkpoint.com/products/softwareblades/smartworkflow.html.
Additional information on Check Point's SmartProvisioning Software Blade can be found at: http://www.checkpoint.com/products/softwareblades/provisioning.html.
More information on Check Point's Software Blade architecture can be found at: http://www.checkpoint.com/products/softwareblades/architecture/index.html.
"Check Point continues to develop innovative ways to make complex tasks simple and security policy enforcement effective. SmartWorkflow delivers on those two essential customer benefits," concluded Dor.
Availability
Check Point's SmartWorkflow Software Blade is available and can be purchased through Check Point's worldwide network of value-added resellers. To find a Check Point partner, visit www.checkpoint.com.
About Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., worldwide leader in securing the Internet, is the only vendor to deliver Total Security for networks, data and endpoints, unified under a single management framework. This unique approach gives Check Point customers uncompromised protection against all types of threats, reduces complexity and lowers total cost of ownership. With its dynamic Software Blade architecture, Check Point delivers secure, flexible and simple solutions that can be fully customized to meet the exact security needs of any organization or environment. Check Point customers include all Fortune 100 companies and tens of thousands of businesses and organizations of all sizes. Check Point's award-winning ZoneAlarm solutions protect millions of consumers from hackers, spyware and identity theft.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)