[ISN] Security Diligence Is Overdue

Thu Jun 29 04:52:43 EDT 2006

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1. In Focus: Security Diligence Is Overdue

2. Security News and Features
   - Recent Security Vulnerabilities
   - Two New Excel Vulnerabilities Surface
   - Workarounds for the First of Two Excel Vulnerabilities
   - Windows Defender

3. Security Toolkit
   - Security Matters Blog
   - FAQ
   - Share Your Security Tips

4. New and Improved
   - Faster Intrusion Protection

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==== 1. In Focus: Security Diligence Is Overdue ====
   by Mark Joseph Edwards, News Editor, mark at ntsecurity / net

I recently came across some very interesting survey information 
published by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT). The company conducted a 
survey of security executives in 150 companies from 30 countries whose 
business relates to technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT). 
The results shed some light on why some companies are open to security 
breaches.
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According to the survey results, the majority of the surveyed companies 
consider themselves reactive (as opposed to proactive) when it comes to 
investing in information security. In other words, they spend money in 
response to breaches but don't typically spend nearly as much money to 
prevent breaches. 

Only 4 percent of the companies think they're addressing the problem 
sufficiently; only 25 percent have already implemented or are in the 
process of implementing antiphishing protection; only 37 percent 
provided security training to employees over the past 12 months; only 
24 percent believe their current security tools are being used 
effectively; and only 33 percent perform security risk assessments.

Another interesting pair of findings is that half of the companies who 
suffered breaches over the past 12 months were victims of insider 
attacks and only 47 percent of the companies believe they are 
adequately protected against such internal attacks. 

Brian Geffert, principal of Deloitte Security and Privacy Services, 
said about the survey findings, "When it comes to security, TMT 
companies are talking the talk but not yet walking the walk. Survey 
respondents say that security is a top concern, but it is still not 
being addressed across the organization from a risk-based perspective, 
despite recent breaches costing million[s] of dollars of damage and 
inestimable harm to companies' reputations, brands, revenue and 
productivity. In fact, more than half of security executives surveyed 
admit that their security investments are falling behind the threats or 
at best just catching up." 

Eye opening, isn't it? In a parallel study, DTT polled financial 
institutions as well as life sciences and health care companies. 
Although DTT didn't say how many companies took part in those studies, 
it did say that 78 percent of the financial institutions had 
experienced an external security breach and 49 percent had experienced 
an internal security breach in the past year. Seventeen percent of life 
sciences and health care companies had experienced an external security 
breach and 9 percent had experienced internal breaches. Wow!

How many news stories have you read over the past several months about 
some company suffering either an intrusion or equipment loss that 
exposed people's private information? We can't go more than a week or 
so without yet another of these stories coming to the surface, which 
just reinforces DTT's findings. 

It seems to me, even more so in light of DTT's survey results, that the 
problems of intrusion and identity theft must be due to a lack of 
diligence, or maybe a lack of funding to support proper diligence.

After all, with proper funding, how hard is it to diligently defend 
your enterprise network, and how hard is it to diligently protect your 
mobile computing devices and backup media? The former can be tedious, 
of course, but not overly difficult. The latter requires mostly 
attentiveness and common sense on the part of users to avoid theft or 
other forms of loss. 

If, in your opinion, your company isn't providing adequate resources 
for a diligent approach to information security, consider pointing your 
executives or decision makers to this editorial and DTT's press 
release. Maybe it'll help open some eyes. 

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==== 2. Security News and Features ====

Recent Security Vulnerabilities
   If you subscribe to this newsletter, you also receive Security 
Alerts, which inform you about recently discovered security 
vulnerabilities. You can also find information about these 
discoveries at
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Two New Excel Vulnerabilities Surface
   You know the adage: When it rains it pours. On the heels of a zero-
day Excel vulnerability reported two weeks ago come two more Microsoft-
related vulnerabilities, one in Excel and one in Windows. 
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Workarounds for the First of Two Excel Vulnerabilities
   Two weeks ago, a zero-day exploit was discovered that affects 
Microsoft Excel. The vulnerability could allow the execution of 
arbitrary code on an affected computer. Microsoft has published a 
security advisory that includes possible workarounds to help you 
protect your systems. 
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Windows Defender
   Windows Defender Beta 2 is Microsoft's second antispyware beta 
release, but it really feels more like a new program. New graphics, 
tighter integration into the OS, and a streamlined interface all set 
this release apart from its predecessor, Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta 1. 
Jeff Fellinge gives you the skinny in this article on our Web site. 
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==== 3. Security Toolkit ==== 

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FAQ
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Q: Where is the remote wipe facility in Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 
Service Pack 2 (SP2)?

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