Tag Archives: data

Corporate Data Security

Corporate data is one of the prized trophies in the circles of information underground. Despite the fact that there are elaborate corporate data security policies in place, new threats keep on emerging every once in a while. While most of the threats are easily contained if you follow a proactive approach to corporate information security, the process of management of information security is not an easy one and you must be aware of new threats to deploy countermeasures in time.

The main threat in these new generation issues is the emergence of Botnets. Botnets use the power of distributed computing and connectivity provided by the internet. It is mainly used for attacks like distributed denial of service. They are something of an evolution of run of the mill computer virus or a worm. They are something like a set of interconnected computer worms working in tandem.

The process of deployment of a Botnet is simple. Anyone who can write a computer virus can easily modify it to take orders from a precoded computer over an IP connection. Every computer that gets infected with the said virus and is not healed in time becomes a part of the Botnet. As of now, Storm Worm has been the widest spread Botnet. It has since been contained but the worst of Botnet is yet to come.

Phishing attacks are another form of emergent threats to data security management. In fact phishing is turning into the worst nightmare every information security manager. The concept behind phishing emerged on AOL network. The main reason that phishing is becoming a very critical threat is because the attacker poses as the official entity. People find it really hard to differentiate between what is real and what is unreal. The result is that social engineering becomes ridiculously easy.

In most of the cases, the phishing attacks have been launched against banking institutions. Phishers would lure customers of these banks to reveal their account information by present a page which is designed in such a manner that it looks as realistic as can be. In the recent times there has been a wave of phishing attacks where the attackers pose as the Internal Revenue Service. They are known to attack people for procuring their social security numbers and other taxation related data.

Another threat to corporate data security is Pharming. This attack works on the principle of DNS poisoning which allows the attacker to divert the traffic coming to a corporate web site to any other web site. The main victims of Pharming are again banking institutions but they are also known to be used for intra organizational social engineering to steal crucial company data.

A number of technologies are in development to prevent the damage dealt by these corporate data security threats. The best solution as of now is to educate the users and make sure that they do not fall victim to social engineering.

Corporate Data Security

Corporate data is one of the prized trophies in the circles of information underground. Despite the fact that there are elaborate corporate data security policies in place, new threats keep on emerging every once in a while. While most of the threats are easily contained if you follow a proactive approach to corporate information security, the process of management of information security is not an easy one and you must be aware of new threats to deploy countermeasures in time.

The main threat in these new generation issues is the emergence of Botnets. Botnets use the power of distributed computing and connectivity provided by the internet. It is mainly used for attacks like distributed denial of service. They are something of an evolution of run of the mill computer virus or a worm. They are something like a set of interconnected computer worms working in tandem.

The process of deployment of a Botnet is simple. Anyone who can write a computer virus can easily modify it to take orders from a precoded computer over an IP connection. Every computer that gets infected with the said virus and is not healed in time becomes a part of the Botnet. As of now, Storm Worm has been the widest spread Botnet. It has since been contained but the worst of Botnet is yet to come.

Phishing attacks are another form of emergent threats to data security management. In fact phishing is turning into the worst nightmare every information security manager. The concept behind phishing emerged on AOL network. The main reason that phishing is becoming a very critical threat is because the attacker poses as the official entity. People find it really hard to differentiate between what is real and what is unreal. The result is that social engineering becomes ridiculously easy.

In most of the cases, the phishing attacks have been launched against banking institutions. Phishers would lure customers of these banks to reveal their account information by present a page which is designed in such a manner that it looks as realistic as can be. In the recent times there has been a wave of phishing attacks where the attackers pose as the Internal Revenue Service. They are known to attack people for procuring their social security numbers and other taxation related data.

Another threat to corporate data security is Pharming. This attack works on the principle of DNS poisoning which allows the attacker to divert the traffic coming to a corporate web site to any other web site. The main victims of Pharming are again banking institutions but they are also known to be used for intra organizational social engineering to steal crucial company data.

A number of technologies are in development to prevent the damage dealt by these corporate data security threats. The best solution as of now is to educate the users and make sure that they do not fall victim to social engineering.

Web Application Software Systems – A way to grow

In the recent years, Web application software programs have been widely accepted in multiple software application areas and user segments because of the benefits, ease of licensing, meeting client specific needs and minimal investment requirements.

At an enterprise or business level, the applications that are widely in use are Human Resource Management Software (HRM Software), CRM Software, ERP Applications, Accounting, Inventory Management, Students Information and Operation management software in Educational Institutions, Hospital Management Software systems and so on. Though most of the applications can be perceived as an ERP in business needs, the software apps have been developed by companies keeping in mind the specific industry& business domain needs.

The software as a service can also be used in the government and public interactions; for example application sites like tax payments, utility bill payments, demographic data collection like working men, nature of service and so on. The SaaS finds electoral use in updating public information for polling purposes and so on. The information would benefit both the government authorities and the general public in handling the information. The application would seek integrated information management, features and modules with robust data handling capacity. This will significantly improve the planning of the progress, forecasting public works and related demographical needs.

Since internet brings the ease and convenience along with the reach it has in penetrating the farther or the remote locations; it enables data management and planning from a remote location through proper data capturing and reporting mechanisms. Hospital management, patient health recording mechanism helps in gathering the general data about a particular disease and research upon the data to find solutions, taking precautionary measures, steps to improve the health conditions. Though the above information sounds simple, it has appreciable implications in improvements.

The hurdles that an enterprise or a public authority might face in implementing SaaS applications to record data and forecast based on the data are:

Resistance to disclose data like financial information, health conditions and demographic information
Approval problems due to general public problems
Logistics in implementation of the strategy
Uncertainty in anticipated effectiveness, efficiency and result of the system implementation on improvements

Some of the primary areas or segments that can be looked upon to implement SaaS solutions are:

Data capturing for Market Research, Polls and Forecasting for a product / service.
Scientific Research ideas exchange
Socializing and Social Media Platforms
Public works ideas planning and implementation.

With growing internet usage, reach of personal computing, increased technical capabilities of search engines and absorption of web technology; web based applications is placed comfortably to grow as a sustainable service applications.
The related IT solutions development would complement the development of SaaS and its benefits. Some of the catalyzing IT technologies could be internet banking, mobile technology, payment gateways; internet security applications and so on.
In India, recently NASSCOM (The National Software Solutions Companies Association) took the initiative to launch a directory of emerging companies in SaaS in India.

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