'Security Should Be Tightened Before Incurring Reputational Damage'

Dimension Data, an IT solutions and services provider, recently released data showing that 73 percent of networking devices have known security vulnerabilities that may expose organisations to external and internal security attacks. The company also reported that each device deployed - such as a router, gateway, switch, etc - has an average of 30 configuration errors, exposing organisations to further risk and network downtime, despite the fact that there are widely published and recommended standards to safeguard against these problems.

These are some of the key findings in the ‘Network Barometer Report’ released by Dimension Data. The report presents aggregate data from 152 Secure Network Infrastructure Assessment (SNIA) services conducted by Dimension Data in 2008 for small, medium and large organisations around the world and across verticals. The SNIA is a network and security assessment service that discovers, catalogues and provides remediation recommendations for hardware and software across organisational networks. The composite picture from the 2008 assessments offers an overview of networks’ configurations, security vulnerabilities and device lifecycle statuses - underscoring the need for improvement and awareness.

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“While the implications are alarming, the problems we uncovered can often be easily addressed,” said Rich Schofield, global business development manager, Network Integration, Dimension Data. “The most basic protection measures against threats that could harm an organisation, such as having proper access and password configurations, are simply not in place. It’s the functional equivalent of leaving the doors and windows unlocked when you leave home. Organisations must take action now, working to shore up their networks before they incur reputational or shareholder damage.”

Other significant report findings include:

* Holes in configuration security - Of the 30 configuration errors found per network device, 15 were related to security configuration. These errors can directly expose an organisation to risk of an internal or external security breach.

* Expiring support – 43 percent of all network equipment reviewed was found to be at least at end-of-sale status, signifying increased difficulty in purchasing spare parts. When this occurs, organisations typically have to procure equipment from alternate, so-called ‘grey market’ sources, which can be much less reliable than the original manufacturer.

* Headed towards obsolescence - Of the equipment that was at least at end-of-sale status, 56 percent was beyond either end-of-software-maintenance or last-day-of-support. Ageing IT and network assets are potential risks for organisations - incurring longer repair times in the event of failure and eventual lack of support.

“Technology that is beyond end-of-sale will become increasingly unsupportable and exposed to risk,” Schofield continued. “Additional commercial implications arise when an end-of-life device fails and must be replaced. Businesses may then have to buy expensive technology in compressed timeframes, without the customary due diligence, which ought to be applied in such procurement decisions.”