[ISN] Internal security threats multiply

http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/46705-1.html

By William Jackson
GCN.com
07/23/08

An evaluation of more than 100,000 endpoint devices at private-sector 
enterprises showed that significant numbers were missing essential 
software such as antivirus or security patches and were using 
unauthorized applications such as file sharing and remote control 
software.

Network management company Promisec Inc., of New York, scanned client 
endpoints with its Spectator tool in the first six months of this year.

"Despite millions of dollars invested in security technology and 
millions more in personnel costs, we did not find a single company that 
had a completely clean bill of health from a risk and security 
perspective," said Alan Komet, vice president of worldwide marketing at 
Promisec.

"One of the most alarming findings of the audit was how rapidly these 
internal security threats have increased over the past year," the 
company's report states. "Compared to a similar study conducted in 2007, 
Promisec found that in the first half of 2008 the percentage of infected 
computers with unauthorized remote control software had increased by 
more than 200-fold, those without a working antivirus program had 
increased 12-fold and the number with unauthorized storage had increased 
tenfold. Other threats had increased by anywhere from two to eight times 
as many when compared to the previous year."

[...]


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