Security Matters - July 2004

Councils may miss the 2005 deadline
Extracted from 'Local Government IT in Use'

Councils will spend nearly £2.5 billion on technology this year but many still think they will miss the 2005 e-government deadline.
...more

Remote access and wireless vulnerabilities: PwC reports
By International Law Firm, Masons

More than half of UK businesses now provide their staff with access to their information systems over dial-up or the internet; but companies are failing to take seriously the corresponding rise in security breaches, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.
...more

Revolutionary Managed Service provides Secure Access
Hytec Information Security

Hytec created a buzz at the recent Infosecurity 2004 exhibition when it used the event to announce SecureAccess, the latest addition to its portfolio of managed services. The launch generated huge interest from organisations as diverse as local authorities, police authorities, banks, transport and other commercial companies
...more

Brits are poor at password security
By John Leyden, The Register

The British are blasé about keeping sensitive personal data confidential. More than 60 per cent of 100 people approached in the street by researchers were happy to give clues about the type of password they used (such as date of birth or family names) on online banking or ecommerce sites.
...more

Survey measures the state of IT security at the top global financial services firms
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Practitioners from Deloitte's Global Financial Services Industry practice conducted face-to-face interviews with senior information technology executives of the top 100 global financial services organisations. Questions related to governance, investment, value, risk, responsiveness, use of security technologies, quality of operations, and privacy.
...more

Piecemeal security solutions cost firms dearly
By John Leyden, The Register

A piecemeal approach to information security - added to market confusion - is resulting in companies spending too much for incomplete protection.
...more

CASE STUDY - Managed security of Securicor Distribution's web services
Hytec Information Security

As part of a remote managed service, delivered since November 2002, Hytec Information Security Limited is now responsible for the security management of Securicor Distribution's web hosting environment.
...more