Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Dell Technologies Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: nolimitz who wrote (153726)	2/11/2000 3:33:00 PM
From: Cogito	Respond to of 176387

>>robably should have rephrased that comment, to proven/afforable/known/perfect firewalls YET. This is the first line of the article you mentioned. "AXENT Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXNT), one of the world's leading e-security solutions provider for e-business, today announced a partnership with Cobalt Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: COBT) with the intent to develop the first Linux(R) firewall and VPN appliance.<< Nolimitz - What that article is saying is that Axent is going to develop the first firewall/VPN appliance with Cobalt, meaning a self-contained box with all the relevant software pre-installed. There are certainly software firewall packages available for Linux already. But you don't need a pre-configured package to make Linux (or Solaris, etc.) secure. There are ways to "harden" the system if you know what to do. (I don't know how myself, because it's not my area, but I'm privileged to know some of the best people in the business.) The problem with Internet security is that there are very few people out there who really have the experience and expertise to set it up and maintain it properly. Companies constantly want to deploy new services via the net, and there is a severe shortage of people who can even get the systems running, much less make them secure. Moreover, you can't just set up a secure system and then leave it alone. New attack methods are developed all the time. Every time you make a change to a server or network, such as running a new application, you have to consider the possible consequences with respect to security. There are always more people working on developing their hacking skills and tools, too, so best practices in security are constantly evolving. I guess what I'm saying is that there is no such thing as a perfect firewall, or perfect security. Even if it were perfect today, it would be compromised at some point in the future. - Allen