Network Security Roundup for October 10, 2003

E-Commerce Times: Microsoft Patches Up Push for Better Security10-Oct-03 11:00 ET

Story Highlights:“In a bid to reassure customers rattled by a series of headline-grabbing security flaws, Microsoft has said it will launch an initiative to make its products more secure. The push includes another revamp of the company’s patch-management process, which has been widely criticized as too cumbersome for enterprise users and too confusing for some home users, as well as major upgrades to Windows and Windows Server 2003 designed to make the software harder to hack even without updated patches.”

Full Story on the E-Commerce Times

Story Highlights:“The 1990s witnessed the adoption of IT systems designed to streamline business processes through electronic automation. The introduction of these systems has challenged enterprises with how to integrate and maintain an increasing number of distributed networks and platforms. The challenge of managing these systems has resulted in a complex IT dilemma — how to control costs and maintain security while increasing access to information.”

Full Story on TechNewsWorld

Story Highlights:“Federal officials filed securities fraud and computer crime complaints Thursday against a Pennsylvania teenager who allegedly used a Trojan horse and someone else’s online brokerage account to sell thousands of worthless stock options to an unwilling buyer. Van T. Dinh, 19, is the first to be charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with a fraud involving both computer hacking and identity theft, according to the SEC.”

Full Story on SecurityFocus

Story Highlights:“Two Spanish security experts are inviting computer buffs to participate in a competition to deface a website on a production server. This is not the first time a group of security professionals has challenged people to hack computer systems, nor will it be the last. What is unusual about this contest is the target — a production server running Microsoft Windows 2000 and chock-full with other software, including Microsoft’s Outlook Web Access, Firewall-1 NG from Check Point Software Technologies, Apache 2.0 and WebTrends Log Analyzer from NetIQ.”

Full Story on ComputerWeekly.com

Story Highlights:“The European Parliament approved a proposal this week to set up a European cybersecurity agency with the aim of forming a common approach to network and information security. The European Network and Information Security Agency is slated to begin on 1 January and last until 31 December 2008, with a budget of 24.3m.”

Full Story on ComputerWeekly.com

Story Highlights:“With wireless intrusion threats adding to the nightmares facing enterprise IT administrators, IBM Corp. (Quote, Chart) announced its entry into the WiFi security space, rolling out a subscription-based intrusion detection service (IDS). The new IDS offering, which is part of IBM’s managed Security and Privacy Services portfolio, offers security from man-in-the-middle attacks, denial-of-service scenarios, address-spoofing and encryption breaches.”

Full Story on AtNewYork.com