Secure Computing Unveils Cyber Security Initiative

10/01/2008

Secure Computing Corporation (Nasdaq: SCUR), an enterprise gateway security company, today unveiled its Cyber Security Initiative, aimed at protecting critical networks, applications, assets and data from both known and unknown attacks and attackers without sacrificing availability.

ebizQ received the following:

Secure Computing is used by the world's most demanding customers to virtually eliminate risks from cyber attacks, espionage or sabotage that may cause loss of life, property, economic loss and disruption or create devastating environmental disasters.

Secure Computing’s Cyber Security Initiative:

Timed in conjunction with the fifth annual National Cyber Security Awareness (NCSA) Month in October, Secure Computing’s Cyber Security Initiative kicks-off an intensive effort to provide corporations with informative research, tools, technologies, solutions and best practices vital for companies and federal agencies evaluating--or re-evaluating--their approach to critical infrastructure protection. Information related to this initiative can be found on the Secure Computing Cyber Security website at: http://www.securecomputing.com/cybersecurity/

Critical infrastructure comprises all computer systems that can be targets of criminal threats, industrial espionage and/or politically motivated sabotage such as the power grid, water supply, railways, nuclear energy plants and more. Attacks on such networks can cause loss of life, threaten public safety, impact national security, or create economic upheaval or environmental disaster. It is estimated that the destruction from a single wave of cyber attacks on U.S. critical infrastructures can exceed $700 billion USD -- the equivalent of 50 major hurricanes hitting U.S. soil at once.

“Even though businesses and government agencies know they need to secure their networks, many don't have the in-house expertise or time it takes to fully secure systems,” explained Scott Montgomery, vice president of Global Technical Strategy for Secure Computing. “We want to elevate awareness so that they understand how to change behavior to make security a high priority.”

“Our customers are concerned about how the security issues they read about in the media – malware, phishing, pharming, unauthorized access to servers, etc. – can affect their critical control networks,” said Elan Winkler, director of Critical Infrastructure Solutions for Secure Computing. “Cyber security wasn’t originally designed into these types of networks. Add to that the new government regulations like NERC CIP, and we end up with a lot of unknowns and uncertainty.”

Key Recommendations:

1) Security isn’t an Option. In the industries where security is paramount and network-to-network interconnection is the norm, security is not an option…it is a necessity.

2) Security can’t jeopardize critical network functionality. With a unique combination of high-speed application layer defenses, reputation scores, geo-location control, and long history of no patches or hacks, Secure Computing can defend critical networks without jeopardizing their core functionality and availability requirements.

3) Security must protect assets, access and information. Security is needed to protect key aspects of the network: the control system assets themselves and information about critical assets. Secure Computing’s extensive security portfolio enables us to provide in-depth security for both areas.

Additionally, Montgomery recommends that current and prospective customers should start with discovery. “Often, they don't know exactly what they have, so a thorough audit by Secure Computing helps determine what their landscape looks like. They also need to be educated about where their security vulnerabilities are, and where they need to look for holes. Once we have done that, we look at how Secure Computing solutions will work with the systems they have.”

A major urban utility company servicing over 10 million customers purchased Secure Computing’s Secure Firewall (previously known as Sidewinder) 14 years ago to protect their control network. Secure Firewall performs excellently for this highly regulated company. They have never had to issue a security patch and they don’t worry about bringing down the firewalls for maintenance more than once or twice a year. An IT specialist at the company said, “Just knowing that I have Secure Firewalls in place is what allows me to sleep at night.”

Secure Computing has been protecting critical infrastructure networks for over 14 years in power, government, transportation, water, energy, gas, petroleum, and chemical companies in more than half of the US states and 31 countries worldwide.

Access to Information and Resources (Available Now & Coming Soon):

The Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Web site can be found at http://www.securecomputing.com/cybersecurity/. It features easy, one-stop access to Secure Computing’s research in this area, and other information and educational materials. It also provides a directory of additional resources and expert opinions, including white papers, case studies, CIP standards documentation, events and more.

Additionally, Secure Computing will be releasing results of a cyber security survey later in the month. The data and resulting analysis will be published on the website mid-October.

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