News

Monday, March 07 2005

New network security partnership in Canada.

Savoir-faire Linux establishes an unprecedented industrial collective.
The official Reports of the Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, concerning network and data security disturbs the industry and the politicians in observing that Government-wide co-operation has improved while Major inconsistencies in compliance exist.

Meanwhile, Savoir-faire Linux establishes an unprecedented collective in the IT industry, and comes within the context of a strategic federation of new partners. With the announcement of its alliance with Applied-Watch, leader in IDS (intrusion detection systems), Sophos, corporative Anti-virus and anti-spam leader, SuSE/Novell, the only EAL 4+ certified Linux distribution, Savoir-faire Linux offers as of today a unique security expertise, tailored for big enterprises and public administrations needs.

When important incoherences concerning IT security is being castigated in the official Reports of the Auditor General of Canada, Savoir-faire Linux establishes a strategic industrial collective able to counteract these deficiencies.

The first chapter of the 2005 report of the auditor general of Canada, Sheila Fraser about data and network security shakes the industry and the politicians in observing that "Government-wide co-operation has improved" while "Major inconsistencies in compliance exist (1.29)".

Concurrently, Savoir-faire Linux establishes an unprecedented collective in the IT industry, and comes within the context of a strategic federation of new partners. By announcing its alliance with Applied-Watch, leader in IDS (intrusion detection systems), Sophos, corporative Anti-virus and anti-spam leader, SuSE/Novell, the only EAL 4+ certified Linux distribution, Savoir-faire Linux perfects (completes) its iSAK solutions and offers a unique security expertise, tailored for big enterprises and public administrations needs.

"Network and data security is a complex matter. It must be approached primarily within a global strategic context. What is at stake involves more than the only technological aspects", says Cyrille Béraud, Savoir-faire Linux president.

Leader of a company that believes network security is a major concern, Cyrille Béraud adds that "It is time for politicians to realize that on-line government and network security are the same matter.". "The problem is not so much to give a secure and efficient use of information technologies to the public administrators but to know how to organize the dismantlement or the mutation of present organizations and structures and to establish a democratic cyber-state that will serve the values and interests of our community."

"Let's take it by step", he continues, "Collaborative methods developed on Internet in the past few years along with the birth of open software give us precious indications".

Owing to this alliance, the company now offers a unique expertise, suited for large enterprises and public administrations of the country. By integrating its offer to iSAK solution and in partnership with Applied Watch, Sophos and Suse/Novell, Savoir-faire Linux provides for IT directors and managers the resources to define a sound anticipation policy in security management.

As stipulated in Sheila Fraser's report, the government must have these policies operational by the end of 2006 within a dynamic risk environment for the organizations. Savoir-faire Linux proposes a retaliation dynamic in itself, through the Open-Source, with its network security offer.

Savoir-faire Linux's offer constitutes a reinforcement tool for IT security practices that allows the coherent and cost-effective realization of governmental policies and standards.

Indeed, still according to that same report, "[...] IT systems are vulnerable to breaches in security [...] Vulnerability assessments, conducted in departments and agencies over the last two years, have revealed significant weaknesses that, if exploited, could result in serious damage [...]".

Savoir-faire Linux brings an answer to critical socio-political and economical stakes and offers the means to guarantee IT security through efficient practices for the managers, as much amongst the federal administration as with the different organizations, and that, as stigmatized by Sheila Fraser, "(1.6) [...] given increasing cyber incidents and their potential to disrupt an organization's business".

Internet use has increased considerably within a few years. With the increase of Internet access possibilities and on-line services comes an increase of security threats to information systems. Software and hardware deficiencies are being exploited within days from the discovery of new exploits, by an ever increasing number of abusers.

The auditor advocates then that (1.16) "Before departments and agencies can deliver their services, either by wireless devices or on-line [..], they will need to meet stringent baseline IT security standards."

It is these standards precisely that Savoir-faire Linux provides the means to satisfy.

Moreover, the same report states that (1.25) "IT security standards [...] promote consistency in security measures across departments [...]".

The strength of Savoir-faire Linux's offer is that it takes into account that such a consistency can only find its place in a global network security strategy, precisely in order to (1.26) "[...] maintaining secure IT systems in the following areas: management controls, risk assessments, dealing with security incidents and weaknesses in systems, auditing security, and business continuity planning."

In other words, Savoir-faire Linux's offer allows to prepare and enforce relevant security action plans by proposing not just an offer, but a genuine risk management strategy that takes advantage of security tools to better protect IT resources, all this in a cost-effective manner.

In accordance with the recommendations made by Sheila Fraser to the government, Savoir-faire Linux's global strategy not only addresses material security but also provides, through its knowledge of the organizations and its proximity, the global conditions to the integration of security risk for specific organizations' profile.

Furthermore, independently of the organization, (1.49) "[...] new vulnerabilities are continuously being uncovered and exploited with malicious intent.". And "Although many vulnerabilities come from outside an organization, most security incidents [...] originate from inside [...]".

However, if, according to Sheila Fraser, access to data and to precarious software is not controlled adequately, and that networks are not secured, organizations can protect their networks by limiting the services offered and by installing devices that block unauthorized access to data and services, both from the outside and the inside by acquiring the appropriate access control provided by SFL, according to real time surveillance devices, configured to deny unauthorized access to any system on the network at all times.

For instance, in the context of this offer, organizations personnel no longer benefit more access than necessary.

As concludes Sheila Fraser, (1.79) "[...] the use of the Internet has increased, and portable computer devices and wireless technologies have made access to information easy and affordable. [...] systems are more connected, and [...] This environment provides more opportunities for problems to occur, such as theft of data, malicious attacks, or criminal actions. The threats have increased significantly since 2002, and they can cause serious damage to an organization.".

The reinforced Network security offer of Savoir-faire Linux arrives timely in a dynamic evolution risk context and allows to pro-actively and permanently shield against cyber-attacks, viruses and other Internet related threats, and this, including the totality of geographical spectrum, in a collective approach, with spontaneous responsiveness, based on the fastest and most efficient technological resource: the Open-Source.

Savoir-faire Linux make available at once to organizations this centralized management that takes on intrusion detection, vulnerability evaluation, software maintenance and system development in a pro-active network security perspective.

Reports of the Auditor General of Canada, February 2005, Chapter 1: Information Technology Security.
www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/05menu_e.html

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