Focus on Endpoint Security

Do you know what your users are up to? Most IT managers believe they have close control over what goes on their networks, but as workforces become more mobile, and as storage devices become more portable, there are increasing levels of danger being faced by network administrators.

The potential problems range from viruses being inadvertently introduced to a corporate network to industrial sabotage. Traditional IT security has focused on the firewall and keeping intruders out, what’s not been looked at are problems behind the firewall.

What’s scariest of all is that all too often the culprits are the very devices that are the most desirable for end users: the iPod, the PDA, the Blackberry, and the memory stick. They might be status symbols for the urban professional but they’re nightmares for the IT manager,

Our Focus On Endpoint Security will examine some of these issues: we will look at measures that can be taken to make an enterprise’s system more secure, ranging from products to techniques to make users more aware of their actions.

The Focus On zone offers you a range of articles to help you manage this vital aspect of your business. We will be providing you with the chance to buy a independent guide to the best of endpoint security products and you will be able to read the opinions of some of the leading authorities in this area.

We hope that you find that this section will be helpful in getting on with your job – managing the modern network is tough enough, without adding a new layer of complexity.

EPS PRESENTATIONS There is nothing like being at a conference to fully appreciate the presentations, hearing from experts and peers and having the opportunity to ask directly relevant questions. However, the information and content conveyed by the panel of leading practitioners at the recent Endpoint Security conference on the 27th and 28th June has been much sought after by those unable to make the time to attend the event. We are pleased to provide here the powerpoint presentations for review. Blogs Blog: Focus On Endpoint Security NAC, NAP, or neither?  Cisco-Microsoft agreement gives users the choice. From browser to Browzar – and back  Browzar is the IE browser that can be run from any USB stick. Fingerprinting Wi-Fi devices  Is there anything that can uniquely identify an endpoint?

GROUP PRODUCT REVIEW It’s one thing being aware of the potential security breaches that can be caused – either accidentally or deliberately - by end-users. It’s another thing entirely to be able to deal with them. There are plenty of products whose vendors claim to solve the sorts of problem that have been introduced by the end users. The difficulty is in trying to pick the best product – or, more likely, the best set of products – for your organisation. Our Group Product Review is fully independent, based on hands-on evaluation, and provides a clear guide to the usefulness of a number of the leading products available. Latest Features Mobile security is a never-ending story Although the technology is there, Wi-Fi implementations are lagging. Craig Mathias advises on keeping secure Laptop loss: How to avoid becoming the next Starbucks Laptop theft and loss with exposure to data loss on the hard drive seems to be more common. What can be done about it? IT needs to take proper precautions, says IBM exec Ian Jarman, IBM's System i product manager, spoke with us recently about the annual security study conducted by The PowerTech Group. Securing the endpoints We hear from Chris Ewing of Altiris about the steps and technologies needed - and available - to defend your network against one of its biggests threats, namely its users. Do you know what's on your network? There's most likely a lot more information moving around than you think - and a lot of it will be stuff that you definitely don't want leaving the organisation. More »