25 Nov 11. Cyber attack planning should extend to all business sectors
All industries should follow the example of the finance sector by enhancing their IT business continuity plans, according to Andrew Gilbert, Managing Director of Node4. Businesses across all sectors should consider the measures they employ to protect their data and IT systems against cyber attacks and other risks, says Andrew Gilbert, Managing Director of data centre specialist Node4. His comments follow a large scale simulation that was carried out by the financial sector to test how systems would cope in the event of a malicious attack or disruption.
The tests were carried out by UK Financial Sector Continuity, with the Bank of England, HM Treasury and the FSA and included 87 participants. The UK Financial Authorities developed the scenario and delivery mechanisms in partnership with sector representatives and industry experts. It tested the ability of firms within the finance sector to return to business as usual after attack, and also focused on the dependency on the internet and telecommunications. The Government is also revealing its commitment to cyber security by announcing its Cyber Security Strategy today. It plans to recruit university experts to run a secret eavesdropping organisation to crackdown on threats to government departments and contractors. Node4 works with clients from within the finance sector and elsewhere to house their data in secure data centres in Derby, Leeds and Northampton in ways that reduces the level of risk.
Andrew continues, “Data is an extremely valuable commodity yet far too many companies don’t take the threats seriously enough. Taking little or no action has caused crippling downtime for those with a lax attitude to security and so the financial sector should be applauded for their efforts. Cloud computing uptake is increasing and as a result, companies should give careful consideration to the capabilities of their suppliers and the contingency plans they have in place.

22 Nov 11. Policy-makers and defence experts from across key EU institutions joined McAfee, the leading security solutions provider, to look at the question of increased cyber interoperability in a fast-changing world. At a breakfast seminar, hosted in the European Parliament by Christian Ehler MEP, delegates heared how technology is changing the way war is waged between and within states, and the extent that closer cooperation between states and systems could be the solution to tackling cyber threats. Legislators, representatives from NATO, the European Defence Agency (EDA), the Military Staff of the EU (EUMS), and the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) will join with McAfee to discuss what governments and the private sector can do cooperatively to combat the growing cyber threat. McAfee will set out how nations and organisations can cooperate to overcome the challenges of scale, cost effectiveness and interoperability and in turn, successfully mitigate the cyber threat. (Source: Yahoo!/PRNewswire)

21 Nov 11. The General Services Administration (GSA) awarded ManTech International Corporation a task order under its Alliant Government-Wide Acquisition Contract vehicle to provide cyber defense support to the U.S. Air Force 90th Information Operations Squadron. The award is valued at $7.1m with a one year base period of performance and one option year. (Source: Yahoo!/BUSINESS WIRE)