Crash Your Network, Crash Your Business

The Business Network of Emergency Resources, Inc., a US not-for-profit organization dedicated to establishing emergency and crisis management solutions and partnerships between the public and private sector, has put out information from recent research that concludes:

• 47 percent of businesses that experience a fire or major theft go out of business within two years.

• 44 percent of companies that lose records in a disaster never resume business.

• 93 percent of companies that experience a significant data loss are out of business within five years.

• The majority of businesses spend less than three percent of their total budget on business recovery planning.

MS Cracks Down on Counterfeit Software

Microsoft has begun more than 50 legal actions worldwide against online merchants who allegedly sell counterfeit software on popular auction sites, as part of the company’s ongoing effort to protect consumers and businesses from the risks associated with counterfeit software. The legal actions include 15 in the United States, 10 in Germany, 10 in the Netherlands, six in France, five in the United Kingdom, and additional proceedings in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Korea and Poland. This marks the largest enforcement effort by Microsoft and the first time the company has focused its efforts worldwide to bring legal action against online merchants.

Internet Appliance for Home Network Security

Check Point Software Technologies launching the first dedicated home network security solution, the ZoneAlarm Secure Wireless Router Z100G. Complementing the security offered by ZoneAlarm software and leveraging Check Point’s enterprise-class embedded NGX security technologies, the ZoneAlarm Secure Wireless Router will enable consumers to surf the Internet with superfast wired and wireless networking and with high levels of security against hackers, viruses and more. It is believed to be the first true unified threat management (UTM) appliance specially created for consumers, and was developed in conjunction with Check Point subsidiary SofaWare Technologies.

The Super-G wireless security router integrates seven layers of protection for home networkers, including a stateful inspection firewall, intrusion prevention, antivirus, parental controls, VPN remote access, wireless encryption and secure remote desktop access. In addition to four fast-Ethernet ports, the Z100G supports Super G standards at wireless network speeds of up to 108Mbps, while still remaining compatible with the older 802.11b and 802.11g technologies.

The router avoids dead spots using extended range (XR) technology for coverage up to 300m (984ft) indoors and 1km (3280ft) outdoors with XR enabled wireless clients. The router also turns virtually any USB-enabled printer into a wireless network printer so users can print from anywhere.

The ZoneAlarm Secure Wireless Router will be sold as a stand-alone appliance, or bundled with five copies of ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite software. Availability is expected late this month at www.zonelabs.com. List price for the stand-alone appliance will be $199.95. A special promotional rate of $149.95 will be available through Dec. 31, 2006.

Portable Payment Device From Hypercom

Hypercom’s Optimum M4100 Blade has been released to global availability. It is the first truly mobile credit/debit terminal designed to comply with current global security standards and the smallest product of its kind. The palm-sized, high-speed 32-bit, wireless signature capture device is for mobile merchants and others that need secure anytime, anywhere portable and/or non-wired payment and authentication capabilities. It features Wi-Fi and GPRS wireless communication technology, is PCI PED and EMV Level 1 & 2-certified for worldwide use.

Weighing in at just 7.1 ounces and measuring 4.9 inches long, 2.7 inches wide and 1.15 inches deep, the Blade is a fraction of the size of competitive models, is battery-operated and requires no external battery or modem. The Blade is also a rugged, low-cost terminal that incorporates a top-of-the-line high-contrast color touch screen, accepts magnetic stripe and smart cards and offers a contactless reader, clip-on printer and docking station. Wi-Fi and GPRS communications options allow for use over both local and wide area networks, delivering maximum flexibility in meeting the needs of merchants and other businesses. Stringent security includes PCI PED and EMV Level 1 & 2 certifications, Triple DES and SSL encryption and a durable, secure, tamper proof and water-resistant casing.

“The M4100 Blade extends the use of credit cards and user authentication into environments where they have never gone before. For the first time, credit cards can be used to pay for at-home restaurant deliveries, goods purchased at art festivals and craft shows, concessions at sports stadiums, in-flight purchases and in other settings without wired connections including areas where the cost of wired communications is prohibitive,” said Neil P. Hudd, senior vice president, Global Product Development and Marketing, Hypercom Corporation. “This is innovative, leapfrog technology that no other company offers, it meets the needs of millions of mobile merchants worldwide.”

TrustedSignins Protects Against Online Fraud

Online banking, shopping and other transactions could soon have added security with a new dual-factor authentication product called “TrustedSignins” from SanDisk Corporation. The TrustedSignins authentication system provides highly secure protection against online fraud because it uses dual-factor authentication, which requires the combination of something you know, such as a password or user name, with something you have, such as a SanDisk USB flash drive or mobile card.

“TrustedSignins technology will be available to financial and other institutions for pilot programs before becoming a standard feature on select SanDisk USB flash drives in 2007,” said Ron LaPedis, product marketing manager for SanDisk. “TrustedSignins software is stored and launched directly from the USB flash drive and requires no installation on a host computer, thus making it consumer-friendly.”

In addition to entering a static user name and password, a consumer connects the SanDisk flash drive containing TrustedSignins technology to a PC and a one-time password (OTP) is generated and supplied to the website for an extra level of security. The one-time password can be routed seamlessly to an identity protection network for validation, allowing the user to access multiple accounts such as those from a bank, auction house or brokerage.

RSA, the Security Division of EMC, and VeriSign are each working with SanDisk to enable and provide consumer-friendly, two-factor authentication for end-users who purchase SanDisk mass-storage devices at retail outlets and then use them at either an RSA SecurID enabled website or a VeriSign-enabled website. The generic term for a device with this functionality is called a token. TrustedSignins supports multiple virtual tokens and multiple algorithms, so the technology is versatile and expandable.

“As the public grows increasingly aware of the risks associated with transacting online, consumers are looking to their banks and other institutions to deliver more effective means of protecting their identities,” said Jim Melvin, vice president of marketing at RSA. “Delivering SanDisk flash drives with embedded RSA SecurID technology will provide consumers with access to market-leading technology and the ability to strongly authenticate using a device they already carry.”

The main advantage for enterprises over existing token-based authentication solutions is that the institution does not need to bear the expense of stocking and supplying tokens to its user base but can simply advise customers to buy a TrustedSignins compatible SanDisk memory device in whatever capacity they like. As an incentive, the institution can offer a rebate to customers who use a memory device as their authentication method.