Network Management Becomes Critical for Smart Residences…

I’m sure you hear it all the time – we are becoming a more network centric world. Is this just hype? I don’t think so and a recent customer example, I think proves the point.

Used to be only really large organizations worried about network uptime and cyber security. These days the network is so critical to revenue and productivity that mid-sized and smaller organizations are facing the same issues.

Now the network is even vital in high-end residences. As more residential networks pop-up and data networks are joined by home security and advanced audio video systems -security and uptime become a much more serious issue.

A great example is Certified Cyber Solutions (CCS) a company that provides a product SAM (Secure Access Manager) that helps installers and resellers of residential systems that employ IP networks, such as audio/video, home security and “smart home” systems to protect their customers from cyber threats.

CCS is using dopplerVUE as their network monitoring platform to enable their SAM product (screenshot below). dopplerVUE’s unique architecture allows maximum flexibility to customize data collection and data display, making it uniquely suitable for CCS and other hardware and software manufacturers who need an uptime monitoring, diagnosis, cybersecurity and compliance component to their products.

With predictions that there will be 215 million IP enabled devices by 2012, it’s clear that network monitoring will become a more critical activity for the mainstream. Seems like the world is becoming more network-centric one device at a time. Do you see the trend as well?

Security Makes the Headlines Again....

Interesting article in the WSJ recently about a tool called Skygrabber that insurgents are using to intercept video feeds from US drones over Iraq and Afghanistan. Of course the attention has overwhelmed the skygrabber.com website and is a lesson on being ready for your moment when it arrives but, the real issue here is one of security and how commercial enterprises are thriving on attacking vulnerabilities in networks and making a profit in doing so.



Here is a quote from Andrew Solonikov, one of the software’s developers.


"It (the software) was developed to intercept music, photos, video, programs and other content that other users download from the Internet -- no military data or other commercial data, only free legal content," he said by email from Russia.


Um, last time I checked, “free, legal content” can be downloaded and does not need to be intercepted. Intercepted is what you do when others own the content and you want to steal it. Looks like Andrew and friends don’t mind stealing from musicians, movie producers and software companies but, don’t want to mess with the military.

Any bets that the US intel community is capable of monitoring who downloads this software?

Will you Cause the Next Cyber Security Breach?

Friday’s edition of the USA Today contained an interesting article on the front page of the Money section “Virus targets firms’ financial accounts”. It goes on to explain how the Clampi virus is focused on attacking business computers where the administrator account is being used. Once hijacked, this account is then used to access PCs that perform banking transactions. Once the virus gains access to banking information, the damage can be quite severe.

The article discusses a series of steps to prevent these types of breaches, but, one in particular stands out. Don’t use your administrator privileged account for anything other than administrator duties. Create and use a “Normal” account for your day-to-day duties and ANY time you are surfing the net.

IT staff often use their admin accounts for everything. It’s simpler and saves time. Of course, this posting is written using my admin account… promise by tomorrow I’ll stop using it…