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Features
Review: DeskCrypt
One of the issues with software encryption systems is that you have to take care to have all the relevant software elements, certificates and so on precisely configured and in place. One little slip-up and you may find yourself locked out of your own data.
Aug 9 2006 12:00AM
Security
Cover story: Coming up roses
If the online marketplace were a family, 1-800-flowers.com could be considered a patriarch. In 1992, the flower distribution business joined AOL as the internet service provider's first merchant. Three years later, the company added a ".com" to its name and became one of the web's earliest and most recognizable success stories.
Aug 8 2006 10:27PM
Security
Can we talk?
Ma Bell, meet your precocious newborn, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The technology, just a few years old, is growing up fast as enterprises and home users abandon traditional telephone lines so they can converge voice and data communication onto one network — while significantly cutting costs in the process.
Aug 8 2006 9:56PM
Security
Cultivating good code
If there is one incontrovertible truth about software development, it's that there is no way to write perfect code. No matter what developers do to get rid of bugs and vulnerabilities, experts believe they will always make coding mistakes that will be overlooked before the program goes out the door.
Aug 8 2006 9:45PM
Security
House advantage
Nothing says "good fortune" louder than the clatter of coins cascading into the winner's tray of a slot machine. But these days that jangle is nothing more than set dressing. Instead of bucketfuls of quarters, lucky gamblers are rewarded with the pre-recorded sound of falling coins and a printed voucher for their booty.
Aug 8 2006 9:14PM
Security
Review: CounterACT
This product has a simple, straightforward setup and initial configuration, and generally, we found it easy to work with. Understanding the console takes some reading of the documentation, though. ForeScout uses many non-traditional icons and the interface can be confusing to start with, but the console user guide is very helpful in explaining how to use the interface.
Aug 8 2006 12:00AM
Security
On compliance: Get a step-by-step plan for meeting PCI standards
At first glance, achieving compliance for all 12 payment card industry (PCI) security requirements may seem daunting. But, when we break down the requirements and examine the common issues, the process becomes quite manageable.
Aug 7 2006 10:52PM
Security
CISOs are only part of the plan
Can CISOs and CSOs make a difference in the companies for which they work? Can they shape a successful IT security program that promotes a flourishing, trusted and respected business? And, in the end, does it really matter if a company has a lead professional in place to oversee and usher in IT security practices, or can a company do without yet still maintain a strong IT security posture that begets consumer and investor confidence?
Aug 7 2006 9:53PM
Security
News briefs
More military woes
The personal information of about 28,000 U.S. Navy sailors and their family members was posted on a public website, a month after the personal data of 26.5 million veterans and active duty military personnel was compromised.
Chief of Navy Personnel J.C. Harvey Jr. was told that an unnamed website hosted five data spreadsheets containing personal information on several Navy members and dependents.
All of the affected personnel were stationed in areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according to the Navy's website.
Aug 7 2006 9:48PM
Security
Company news
Louis Turpen, former CEO of San Francisco International Airport, has joined Vidient Systems' Board of Advisors. Turpen will lend his counterterrorism experience while on the board at Vidient, a developer of behavior recognition software used to detect breaches. Turpen joins other notable figures on the board, including Richard Clarke, former White House cybersecurity adviser.
www.vidient.com
Aug 7 2006 9:05PM
Security
Sometimes, things just work
I write a group review in this magazine just about every month. As you might imagine, we get a lot of argument about some of our reviews that didn't live up to the expectations of the PR people. That certainly was not the case recently with a product from Top Layer that we reviewed. We did not cover the product with glory, although it was a good product. It was one of those that we liked, but perhaps not quite as much as we liked something else. It happens.
Aug 7 2006 8:39PM
Security
Remember: answer the questions
Most of the different methods of security reporting deal with the specifics of what data points to collect, when to collect them, and where to report the results. Security metrics are simply tools designed to facilitate the decision-making process. They will ultimately help improve performance through the collection, analysis and reporting of information-security-related data points. But, looking at security reporting systems from the customer perspective may lead you in a new, more user-focused direction.
Aug 7 2006 8:27PM
Security
Missing laptop, missing policy
A dedicated federal civil servant took work home. Unfortunately, the federal agency he worked for had not taken easy steps to make that practice safe and secure. Thus, when a neighborhood gang of thieves broke into his house and stole the laptop, identity information about millions of veterans and members of the armed forces was potentially compromised. It was a typical Washington story, typical because no one suggested doing anything to solve the real problem revealed by the incident. It reminded me of the two giant paintings in the piazza in Sienna, Italy. One image is of dysfunctional Bad Government, the other of progressive Good Government.
Aug 7 2006 8:00PM
Security
