Tech Outlook: Security.

(From Network Computing Asian Edition)

Byline: -

Host-based distributed security: the final solution? Host-based distributed security: the final solution?

Some existing security measures companies are likely to have put in place include the perimeter firewall, in order to protect against potential outside attack. As an IT manager, most likely you will have the anti-virus software and an Intrusion Detection System (IDS). If you have growing telecommuting and mobile users, you most probably will have VPN solution for secure remote communication. Either that, or you would have installed personal firewalls to protect the mobile laptop from malicious virus codes such as Trojan horses.

Security solution trends are now focusing on internal host security with the same firewall and IDS technology that was used previously to defend against outside attacks. This is line with trends towards a layered security approach, where different layers of protection are added to make it difficult for unauthorised users to access sensitive data.

This layered approach allows IT managers to apportion more of the security budget to guard the more sensitive data, rather than simply shore up the perimeter defenses. Since no single security measure is 100% effective, a layered security infrastructure assumes that some breaches will occur, but also ensures that intruders won?t get very far easily without being detected.

How about mobile users? How can we protect them while at the same time reinforcing the same security policy, whether they are inside or outside the so-called trusted domain (ie. behind the firewall)? The answer is the host-based distributed firewall.