Latest Data management and data security News

hound-it desktop discovery software is enabled with phonetic speech technology to release intelligence from within voice recordings
posted on 30/06/2010

Aurix has announced the launch of its desktop discovery software, hound-it™. The software, designed specifically for early case assessment, e-discovery and forensic data searches, is enabled with true phonetic speech technology to release the valuable intelligence from within voice recordings. hound-it™ has been developed in response to audio interaction recording requirements, which many organisations must undertake to meet industry compliance standards. To date the only practical solution to locating information within audio data was human listening, using a litigation support team to review audio which has significant advantages for interpretation and judgement, especially for picking up on subtle nuances and inflections. However, human interpretation can be subject to error and is extremely time-consuming and costly. hound-it™ significantly reduces the cost of time of call analysis, and supports the e-discovery process allowing users to search, review and analyse audio data to ... [more]

One in five companies are still using couriers to send sensitive files
posted on 29/06/2010

According to a survey released by Cyber-Ark, 19% of companies are still using couriers to send large or sensitive files, the insecure transfer method utilised originally by HMRC which left a disc containing child benefit information missing in London. 24 months since the publication of the Poynter Report which was commissioned after the HMRC breach, and almost three years since the original misplaced discs came to light, and a similar breach could occur again. The survey showed that some of the lessons had been heeded, with 82% of companies now having systems in place to allow them to transfer data. A further positive conversion is the decline in the use of email, from 35% in 2008 to just 16%, and a considerable increase in the adoption of secure email, up at 42%. However, it’s not all good news as a worrying 67% have now adopted File Transfer Protocol (FTP) as their preferred method to transfer sensitive data with a risky 28% trusting web based services. Mark Fullbrook, UK Director f... [more]

Organisations must ensure compliance with Digital Economy Act 2010
posted on 28/06/2010

The Digital Economy Act 2010 received Royal Assent in April of this year creating an obligation on Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in certain circumstances to provide customer and user details to copyright holders if evidence is presented to the ISP that copyright material has been unlawfully downloaded. In addition, ISPs may be required to impose “technical measures” such as restriction of services, on their customers if users are found to be infringing copyright. Bloxx has highlighted the risks faced by UK organisations that may have inadequate security systems and procedures in place to prevent their staff or users from downloading copyright material from the Internet. “Organisations may have assumed that the Act only applies to residential customers, however the Act applies to any broadband subscriber including businesses, schools, colleges and universities,” said Stephen Clark, Solicitor and member of the Intellectual Property group at commercial law firm MBM Commercial LLP. ... [more]

IT professionals are carrying unprotected sensitive information on USB sticks
posted on 22/06/2010

Data transported on any unencrypted mobile device – such as laptops, handheld devices, smartphones, USB drives, CD-DVDs and other devices, are the equivalent of ticking time bombs waiting to blow up in the organisation’s face – with mandatory audits, breach notifications, hefty fines and public humiliation likely to ensue. A new survey of alleged security conscious professionals has remarkably revealed that over half of respondents (52%), who admit to carrying company data on a USB stick, do not encrypt it. Remarkably, 11% of this savvy audience, who really should know better, ‘protect’ their devices with passwords alone – an insufficient defence that is widely understood to be easily breached. The study, sponsored by Credant Technologies, questioned 277 IT security professionals. Astonishingly, the type of unprotected data being carried would have serious repercussions to the organisation should it be misplaced – from intellectual property(67%), customer data (40%) and employee deta... [more]

Checklist for achieving optimal IT security
posted on 21/06/2010

Like Darwin’s theory, the security industry has evolved totally on the nature of its surroundings. Since, global organisations have spent millions protecting themselves against the fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) that comes with threat to IT and Information. By playing to the negative core of this new threat to existence, the security industry has established itself as the white knight which would defend us against every new threat. Initially, scepticism meant that it was simply a question of whether you believed the FUD or not; did you or didn’t you need information security protection? Gradually people decided they did, but this evolved rapidly and the need became a standard business requirement. Many questions arose about the level of protection you had – was it sufficient, was it up to date, the most comprehensive, with an increasing band of vendors constantly trying to outdo each other. The burgeoning world of enterprise software, clever tools that made computers more po... [more]

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