Security Matters Newsletter - May 2006

Framework for Multi-Agency Environments – user experiences

FAME, the Framework for Multi-Agency Environments, is a national project supported by the ODPM, which provides support to help local authorities, their intermediaries and other public sector and voluntary organisations to effectively tackle issues of joint working and information sharing, in order to improve services to communities.

Read full article here (reproduced from PublicTechnology.net )

Local Authorities - The Case for a Secure Remote Access Managed Service

The Government strategy for ‘Transformational Government', published in November 2005, sets out how the effective use of technology can deliver improved services that meet the needs of citizens, businesses and elected officials. Furthermore, t he relatively small ratio of IT support staff to users in most local authorities, when compared to the private sector, has seen a move to centralise IT even though remotely located users still need access to these resources.

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Information Security Breaches, Human Error

Organizations are doing little to address the most serious threat to their information security and technology infrastructure, according to new research released today by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

Read full article here (reproduced from TechnologyNewsDaily.com )

Vulnerabilities of local authority websites

During December 2005, Hytec assessed the vulnerabilities of 20 local government websites, chosen as a representative sample of Borough, County, District and Metropolitan Councils.

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Revealing your identity...for an Easter egg

Research carried out this Easter outside Victoria Station in London has found that 81 percent of people were willing to part with all the personal information needed to steal their identity for the chance to win an Easter egg.

Read full article here (reproduced from SC Magazine)

Understand ISO 27001 before you get caught out!

Over recent months, local authorities have been inundated with communications and edicts about information security standards. Summarising the position of the new ISO 27001 information security standard, this article describes some of the help available in achieving

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How to Steal Money with a Virus

When talking about the Internet and associated technology, it is quite common to talk about cyberspace. A parallel universe, virtual and intangible, in which everything that exists in the real world can exist through a cable. Modern technologies have enabled the creation of this digital world in which any experience is possible.

Read full article here (reproduced from IT Observer )