February 2005 – CyberSecurity Institute

Costa Rica May Criminalize VoIP

Posted on February 28, 2005December 30, 2021 by admini

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) said that it views VoIP as a value-added telecom service and, as such, it should be regulated.

One Costa Rican official of an agency seeking to promote the Central American country’s software industry said last week that ICE’s proposal would be “disastrous” to the country’s efforts to grow its software development and outsourcing businesses. The official, who asked that his name not be used, noted that Costa Rica has been rapidly growing its outsourcing business and low-cost telephone service is crucial to the growth of that business.

The use of Skype Technologies’ peer-to-peer Web calling is widespread and other VoIP services including U.S. VoIP pacesetter Vonage are also used to make and receive calls to and from the Central American nation.

The question of VoIP and whether it should be regulated as a telephone service or left unregulated as a data service has been hotly debated for several months in the U.S. Most governmental agencies and courts have ruled that Internet phoning is a data service that should not be regulated.

http://www.networkingpipeline.com/news/60403958

Spam Could Cost Businesses Worldwide $50 Billion

Posted on February 28, 2005December 30, 2021 by admini

More than a third of that, or $17 billion, will be wasted by U.S. companies. “We haven’t seen as much of a spike in costs as in spam volume because more organizations are putting in better anti-spam technology,” Richi Jenningssays.

Since 2003, spam volume hitting U.S. companies has jumped fivefold, but costs haven’t even doubled, Jennings says. Still, revenue for anti-spam software and hosted services will reach $1.7 billion by 2008, research firm IDC predicted last week.

In the United States, spam’s annual per-mailbox cost to businesses is $170. In Germany, it jumps to $241 based on Germany’s higher labor costs, fewer workdays, and high health-care and pension costs borne by companies.

http://www.informationweek.com/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=54IVKF140OEXIQSNDBNCKH0CJUMEKJVN?articleID=60403649

Cisco Jump-Starts Wi-Fi

Posted on February 28, 2005December 30, 2021 by admini

Cisco officials declined to comment on unannounced products, but, according to sources, the module will come in a version that supports 802.11a/b/g and in a version that supports 802.11b/g only.

The module and its antennas will be sold separately as an upgrade or as a factory install for Cisco’s 18xx, 28xx and 38xx router lines.”We would be very excited to use wireless modules in routers and switches, especially at our branch offices,” said Todd Dierksheide, senior network engineer at Sovereign Bank, a Cisco customer in Reading, Pa.

“It would be easier to support than the current system of individual access points and should save money in maintenance.”The module lends credence to Cisco’s previously stated wireless plans for its Ethernet boxes.

In May, Cisco announced the Wireless LAN Services Module, code-named Screaming Eagle. WLSM is a Wi-Fi blade for the company’s Catalyst 6500 switches, and it competes with Wi-Fi switches from several startups. At the time of the WLSM launch, officials said additional modules for other switches would be forthcoming.But some factors had industry observers doubting Screaming Eagle would fly: Cisco’s lack of new announcements, its recent declaration of intent to acquire WLAN switch startup Airespace Inc., and the subsequent announcement that wireless networking business unit leader Bill Rossi will start a six-month leave of absence from Cisco in early March.Cisco announced in early February that Dave Leonard, vice president of engineering at Cisco, will take Rossi’s place.

But sources close to Airespace and Cisco said that Airespace CEO Brett Galloway will be sharing the post with Leonard once the acquisition is completed by early April.Cisco, before deciding to buy the company, was losing some major accounts to Airespace, which offers superior management software, according to experts, and a ground-up wireless switch that manages thin access points from a central point.Meanwhile, Cisco officials insist the Screaming Eagle strategy has never waned.

“It’s been our strategy from the beginning to integrate wireless into our wired infrastructure,” said Ann Sun, senior manager of wireless and mobility at Cisco. “We remain committed to introducing similar functionality on additional platforms.”Sources close to the company said Cisco will follow the router modules with modules that give wireless capability to Cisco’s low-end switches.Analysts say that despite the success of startups such as Airespace and its main competitor, Aruba Wireless Networks Inc., there is a definite place for Cisco’s module strategy – especially in branch offices that need a WAN connection.

“Branch offices with more than five employees and midsize enterprises will require a WAN port that can support a T-1/T-3 or E-1/E-3 connection,” said Rachna Ahlawat, an analyst at Gartner Inc., also in San Jose. “None of the wireless LAN [switch] vendors have a [T- or E-carrier] WAN port in their box today. Some vendors have introduced [small office/home office] routers with a DSL or cable as a WAN port, but this is not enough for branch offices.”

U.K. to issue public virus alerts

Posted on February 24, 2005December 30, 2021 by admini

The site, called ITsafe, will provide free information on the latest virus threats as well as advice on Internet surfing, e-mail use and protecting personal and business data. The site is funded by the British government’s Home Office and will use data from the National Infrastructure Security Coordination Center (NISCC), which is responsible for monitoring threats to the United Kingdom’s critical national infrastructure.

People will receive e-mail or text alerts about new virus and security threats once they have signed up to the service.

The Home Office said the alerts will outline the damage potential of any new threats and will offer instructions for any actions a person needs to take to update the security of their PC. Home Office Minister Hazel Blears said the site will provide jargon-free and easy-to-understand advice for nontechnically minded PC users.

Roger Cumming, director of NISCC, said in a statement that ITsafe will “take our technical expertise and use it to help home users understand the risks and keep their computer systems, mobile phones and a range of related consumer electronic items safe.”

http://news.com.com/U.K.+to+issue+public+virus+alerts/2100-7349_3-5588756.html?tag=cd.top

China Walks Out Of Wireless LAN Security Talks

Posted on February 24, 2005December 30, 2021 by admini

The gambit came after China’s Wireless Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI) security scheme was withdrawn and placed on a slower track by the ISO. China initially agreed last year to refrain from making its WAPI security scheme mandatory for wireless LAN equipment in China. It then approached ISO with a fast-track submission in an effort to make WAPI an international security standard.

Until this week, the ISO group was focused on whether or not both 802.11i and WAPI should be cemented as enhanced — but optional — security standards. However, sources said tempers flared when China’s original fast-track submission, designated 1N7506 of China National Standard GB15629.11 (WAPI), was withdrawn from consideration.

http://www.networkingpipeline.com/news/60403249;jsessionid=F5FTSCKZCDLYAQSNDBCSKH0CJUMEKJVN

Banks ordered to tell customers about breaches

Posted on February 24, 2005December 30, 2021 by admini

The regulations arise from the agencies’ interpretation of several provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Those provisions call on financial institutions to prevent unauthorized access and use of customer information and to address any such incidents that do occur.

“We do expect our institutions to follow this guidance,” said David Barr, a spokesman for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, one of the agencies involved. Whenever we examine institutions, we will look at…whether they have these consumer safety measures in place.”

The finance industry and the data collection industry are reeling from the fallout of several recent high-profile data leaks. In late February, financial services giant Bank of America alerted government workers that backup tapes containing their sensitive data had gone missing. In addition, data brokers LexisNexis and ChoicePoint have revealed large-scale data leaks.

The latest government rules say that if a bank becomes aware of “an incident of unauthorized access to sensitive customer information,” the institution should investigate. They also require the company to notify account holders quickly if it’s “reasonably possible” that the personal details will be misused.

The regulations apply to banks and savings and loan institutions, and not to credit unions, which fall under a different agency, the National Credit Union Administration. The regulations only cover nonpublic consumer information, not details on businesses or commercial accounts. The rules were established after a period of public comment. They partly resemble California’s Security Breach Information Act, which requires all companies to notify consumers when sensitive personal information may have been compromised.

Others that helped author the regulations include two agencies that are part of the U.S. Treasury Department: the Office of the Comptroller of Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System also helped issue the guidelines.

http://news.com.com/Banks+ordered+to+tell+customers+about+breaches/2100-7348_3-5635399.html?tag=nefd.top