The IT Security Attaché

As I look across the IT Security Threats Landscape ~TITSTL~ today, I am very, very concerned at the recent increase in “sophisticated and re-architectured” threats that are popping up online today. Every day there are thousands of new threats, variants and exploits popping up out of the wood works but today we’re seeing an increase in the ones that are more structured, well architecture and positioned to circumvent many security settings and solutions on the market today. As I look at these I can’t help but to ponder how seriously people take these issues or is the lack of education and awareness getting worse as more technology is being introduced in our society without proper knowledge of what they are.

Anyone can get internet services today in various forms, broadband (cable, DSL, satellite), mobile (EV-DO, 3G) and wireless wherever available. The introduction of Netbooks is adding to this mobile threats issue as they are so small, slick and loveable that people will be losing them more easily than the bigger traditional laptops.

So here’s the thought process on this.

What if there was an internet security law in place that states, you must protect your PC against the threats of today by running this, that and then some (depending on the OS of course)?

If found guilty of running a PC without these basic steps in place you will be fined, system confiscated and possibly arrested depending on the violations of let’s say, data loss of a number of people (depending on if this is a business or end user).

What if such a law was put in place, what do you think would happen and what would you do?

I can see it now, some car pulls up at your house and guys in black suits come out, walk in and take you and the system away because they have scanners roaming the internet looking for systems that are not running specified services/products/solutions.

You’re under arrest for violation of code WT123-Basic-internet-security-policy revision 2009 in the state of Wassu which resulted in the loss of 5000 people’s personal/private information.

Sounds like a movie doesn’t it?

Wake up, it may very well happen.

Our thoughts as I ponder on this myself.

~Brett A. Scudder~

The IT Security Attaché