Defending Against DDoS Attacks and Unwanted Traffic
Key Steps of Protection for a First Line of Defense

The increasing frequency and complexity of DDoS attacks is a growing threat to all enterprises.  This lunch seminar will review the rapid evolution of network and application layer DDoS attacks, showing how enterprises can ensure up-time while maximizing their protection, and uncovering why traditional security solutions, like firewalls, are insufficient. 

Join us for a complimentary lunch event to learn:

·         The types of malicious attacks and how to defend against them
·         Why conventional perimeter protection and DDoS defense strategies leave you    vulnerable
·         Five key steps of protection for a First Line of Defense
·         How the latest attack tools operate and what it takes to defeat them

A full complimentary meal with optional entrees will be served.  Space is limited and only open to qualified IT professionals. This seminar is not designed for small businesses, home office users, consultants or resellers. A corporate email address is required.


Corero Network Security | 1 Cabot Road | Hudson, MA 01749 978-212-1572

Are you still backing up your servers (you are backing them up aren’t you?) to tape?

If the answer is “yes” – it is time to take a look at newer, better and much much more useful technology.

First a brief discussion of tape technology to set the mood:

• Do you know how old the technology is surrounding backing up to tape?  1951
  
• When is the last time you used a tape drive for anything besides your critical business     data?  Cassettes?  8-track?  Home movies?
  
• Do you know if you can actually restore from your tapes?
  
• Did you know they wear out (rapidly) and access to the data can become spotty or impossible?
  
• How many tapes does it take to back up all of your data?  You are backing it ALL up aren’t you?
  
• Does your tape backup require human intervention to operate – as in replacing tapes?
  
• Do your tapes remain in the same building as your servers?  So they would be exposed to the same potential disaster (fire, water leak, theft, etc.) as the servers that they backup?
  

There is a pattern here.  Tape backup is outdated, error prone and unreliable.

There is a better way


A backup appliance

A backup appliance is a device that contains a processor (so it is smart), disk drives and software.  It connects to your network, storage system or directly to your servers to backup ALL of your critical data.  Most (if not all) have the ability to connect to the “cloud” and automatically create a second copy of your data in a secure offsite datacenter (just in case your facility or backup appliance experiences a problem).

Some of the benefits of the backup appliance include:

• Set it up and forget it (no human intervention or changing tapes)
  
• Faster backups
  
• Higher capacity (way higher)
  
• Single file restore (as in “I deleted my spreadsheet and need it back now”)
  
• Ability to backup several servers or all computers attached to the network
  
• Automatic status updates
  
• Backing up servers while they are still performing their normal activities
  
• No tapes to buy, lose, replace, store
  
• De-duplication (why backup the same info over and over again if it has not changed?)
  
• Security (encryption and/or closed access to data)
  
• Automatic cloud storage for disasters
  
• Ability to “spin up” a virtual server on the appliance to serve your data if your server dies.  That means you do not actually lose the abilities of the servers you are backing up
  
• Instant access to backed up data even if your Internet connection is down (if you are just using a cloud backup)
  
• Peace of mind
  

So if you are still backing up to tape – it is time to look at the latest technology for your data and business’ sake.

First I want to state that I am agnostic in the choice of mobile technology.  Our company supports and develops applications for iPhone/iPad (iOS), Android (phones and tablets in the variety of vendor flavors) and legacy BlackBerry phones.  We have developed applications for the BlackBerry since 2002 when it first became more than a pager.

I have been getting asked by diehard BlackBerry customers for quite some time – “what should we do?”

My response is – "it really is up to you but here is what you need to consider…"

1 – The new BlackBerry 10 platform is a completely different platform from the old BlackBerry.  In English that means – none of your current applications, phones or BES will work with the new devices, operating system or BES.  None.  Nada.

2 – Since none of your existing “stuff” will work – you are going to have to go through a migration of all of the components.  Migration is a euphemism for “pay for new stuff”.

3 – Yes, all of your applications that you have developed or purchased for the old BlackBerry will have to be redeveloped and/or re-purchased.  So “yes” you will have to pay for them again.

4 – Yes, that does mean the costs to migrate to the new BlackBerry will be about the same as moving to iPhone or Android.  They may actually be more since there are fewer developers out there for BlackBerry 10 and you will still end up paying some sort of maintenance or licensing for the BES even if BlackBerry gives it to you for free.

Now this is where the silence ensues.  Wheels spin, thinking takes place and realization settles in.  Finally the answer to their question that they asked me about going to BlackBerry 10 passes through their own lips.

“We should look at Android, iPhone and the new BlackBerry and do a real cost/benefit analysis.”

Which is correct.  With one added component that cannot be forgotten now.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).  Your employees have other phones besides BlackBerry.  They have iPads.  I can assure you that the desires of management and the users need to be taken into account.  I have been party to way too many conversations with IT leaders that have been told that they would be supporting iPhone, iPad and Android and if they did not like it – they could find another job.  The time of dictating a single platform for mobile computing and smartphones has passed.

So my advice is – consider your alternatives.  BlackBerry has not given you a choice.

“We need a new server” or better yet “We need new servers”, plural.   One of the CFO’s favorite phrases.

It is from here that the conversation either devolves into an arcane technical monologue or ends up with a quote being presented.  Then silence.  From there it moves on to placing the quote in a pile and hoping it goes away or a purchase order is issued.

What is missing is one simple question that every CFO should ask.  The magic question – “Why?”

The correct answer to the question should not involve a detailed technical listing of features and speeds.  Nor should the answer be – “because our servers are old”.

The two things a CFO needs to request are a justification and alternatives.

Justification as in business justification and an explanation of “what if we do not do this now?”.

Alternatives as in – did we consider cloud servers?  Virtual servers?  Cleaning up our current environment?  Reallocating processing resources?  Centralized storage?  Outsourcing the application?  Software as a Service (SaaS)?  Any other alternatives?  Then ask to see the analysis and make sure it is produced.

With the way technology has evolved over the past five years there is no way that a CFO should ever OK a new server without a real justification and knowledge that their IT people have carefully considered alternatives.

There is a debate going on at many companies.  Do you throttle Web/Internet usage to prevent non-business use of data bandwidth or do you let it go unfettered and allow employees to use whatever sights they wish?

“Bandwidth is getting cheaper” is a common argument for allowing unrestricted access.  Sure it is getting cheaper but name one application that is not using increasingly more bandwidth.  Facebook, Pandora, YouTube, Skpe, FaceTime, Spotify, Hulu, Dropbox…they all take up a tremendous amount of bandwidth either streaming data or copying files and pictures.  If your organization is using cloud-based applications like Salesforce.com or other SaaS (Software as a Service) those fun personal sites can be impacting the way you do business.  Don’t forget VOIP (Voice Over IP) and the data that your phone calls generate.

When is the last time you were told your Internet connection was too large?

On the flip side – you are not running a jail.  There may be some valid reason for people to access non-work sites during the day.  Breaks, lunch, mental relief – they occur and people need something to occupy their time.  Some are even taking online courses to better themselves and do their jobs better.  How much can it hurt to allow limited bandwidth for some innocent surfing?  Ask Procter & Gamble… http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/06/tech/web/proctor-gamble-internet-ban/index.html

The answer lies somewhere in between.  Employees need access to the Web and there may even be an argument for allowing streaming media (podcast or training videos).  There is no easy answer and each organization can find a happy medium before their cost of Internet connectivity gets out of hand.

All you need is the right filtering and bandwidth capability and someone that knows how to administer it and you are all set.  Be prepared to adjust as portable devices (iPhones, Android, tablets) proliferate.