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To: Paul Fiondella who wrote (26536)	4/8/1999 10:29:00 AM
From: PJ Strifas	Respond to of 42771

You are absolutely right in your assertion that security is much larger than just the tip of the iceberg we see today. I often find the statement "no system can be completely hacker-proof" as being disillusional. I do know that systems can be locked down to a very high degree, couple that with intrusion detection, a vigilant "eye" and digitalme and security gains new fortitude. Let's face it, alot can be learned from the past. Some colleagues and I have taken to studying the Cold War tactics of intelligence agencies for clues on how to fight this "war" and we've learned alot. We learned to create systems where disinformation deters most intrusions to the point of detection (and even actually catching them in the act!). We've also learned that system design goes a long way to how "hacker-proof" your system can be. Another point, you can use the weaknesses of your system to your advantage but it takes some work to implement. The main thing is that you have to be dedicated to the cause. Most companies pay lip service to security and in those cases, they pay for it. Security is such a great issue because too many companies take it lightly or can't admit they don't know how to handle it. Some companies don't understand the kind of investment it takes (not just $$). The mindset has not changed over to protecting their data in a vigilant way. They feel to make information available is the first step in breeching security policies. Heck, I know too many companies where there are NO security policies! Another troubling fact is that "hacking" tools are becoming easier for the average person to obtain. In the past, "hackers" wrote their own programs and understood something about the systems they penetrated. This fact alone kept "hacking" defined within a small percentage of people. Today, average teenagers with a link to the right website can get their hands on tools that could do alot of damage when used inappropriately. There's no ethos, no consequences -- in essence, what's the deterence to keep people from probing? In real life, you break into someone's home, there's a definite consequence. In cyberspace.... Products like digitalme are invaluable as the first line of defense. Security hinges upon information and digitalme denies that first step. Once we can make the process of obtaining information much easier to recognize, we can better prepare ourselves to defend "attacks" because digitalme tells us who is gathering information about us. Once you can identify the "attacker" defense becomes all too easy. Peter Strifas