As an outsource security partner BAI provides managed security, managed firewall, managed ids, content filtering, internet security, network security, penetration testing, and vulnerability testing.

According to W2K News, published by Sunbelt Software Division, cyberattacks, reached an all time high in September, 2002. Internet domains within the USA were the most under fire with more than 5 times the number of attacks as the second leading country's domains. Websites attacked in the US included those for the House of Representatives, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education and the National Park Service, just to name a few.

If these organizations' websites are this easy to attack, what does that say about how easy it is to attack a company's site or a bank's site or a telecommunication site that we use in everyday business and life in general?

The recently published "National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace" draft recommendations from the President's Critical Infrastructure Board states clearly that each business or organization needs to take its own appropriate action to protect itself from the threat of attacks on their information systems. That in itself is a pretty bold mission statement and one that many IT departments, professionals and whole companies put aside. Its not until they have an attack or a security intrusion that they take this statement more seriously.

The recommended action includes audition systems to find vulnerabilities, updating systems where security is in place and ensuring that the provided security services are managed on an ongoing, real time basis.

The typical IT department in a business or organization is faced day to day with installation, hardware and related software challenges. Keeping up with the ever changing world of viruses, intrusions and security breeches is almost an impossibility for a department. It is estimated that 5-10 million IT professionals are in this situation. They are being called on to install a PC instead of finding a security patch for the latest virus.

One alternative for the entrepreneur is information published by So, Co-Logic Security, a small IT security company based in New Zealand. Although based in New Zealand, they have decided to make their huge database on IT security vulnerabilities and exploits available free of charge. The site is meant for IT professionals who do not have the knowledge, time or resources. The database contains information on almost every product (software, hardware, network, security product etc.) outstanding vulnerabilities, the fixes that the suppliers have provided, very extensive topics folders on anything to do with IT security, information, educational topics etc.

The information is organized according to routers and networks, firewalls, operating systems, databases, applications etc. Any organization can access it, read up on the possible vulnerabilities in the products they have installed as part of their IT infrastructure, plain and simple.

The site keeps track of the new viruses and worms, announced by the major software suppliers. It actually allows a search on the subject line, or length of a newly received email attachment, suspected to be a possible virus, even when the email seems to come from a "trusted friend."

The audience that benefits from this site use mainstream browsers are entrepreneurs and companies that have Microsoft products installed, use mainstream Unix and Linux or windows operating systems, have websites, run accounting and management software, send out newsletters to their customers.

The site and related IT security information is located at: http://www.w2knews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=020930TB-IT_Security

As far as larger entrepreneurial companies and mid-size companies, managed services by a third party information security firm is usually the answer. Some companies spend an inordinate amount of time just assessing their vulnerabilities. An audit by a third party firm can cut this time drastically and move closer to the implementation of real solutions. Post-audit managed services can then keep up with all the viruses and attackers that are changing on a daily basis. Even some large IT firms outsource the security portion of their business. Treat it like an insurance policy and you, your organization or company will be more secure.