Quick response key to preventing attacks
By Ashley Curtis
27/04/2011
Private sector firms need to be able to "respond quickly" to prevent cyber-attacks, reports computerworld.com.
Businesses need to implement appropriate network management solutions, including anti-virus, anti-malware and other security measures, in order to fend off the threat of a cyber-emergency.
The super-worm Stuxnet - the first worm written to destroy factory control systems - has brought cyber-security into a new era. On Monday, Iran said it has been hit with a second worm called Stars, however it has been said that Stars does not fall into the same category as Stuxnet.
Janet Napolitano, part of US Department of Homeland Security, told a lecture theatre in Berkeley that lessons need to be learned from the super-worm: "The key thing we learnt from Stuxnet was the need for rapid response across the private sector.''
"There, we need to increase the rapidity of response, because in that area - as in several other recent attacks - we've seen very, very novel ways of attacking. When you're getting at control systems, now you're really talking [about] taking things over, so this is an area of deep concern for us," she added.
Napolitano's speech comes as thisislondon.co.uk describes privatised utility companies as "woefully underprepared" for a cyber attack which could leave water, electricity and gas extremely vulnerable.
