Vulnerable companies should step up defences

Keeping pace with the need for advanced internet security technology to combat threats from hackers and malware intrusions is a demanding task, but a plethora of software is available.

Hong Kong websites and internet systems are bombarded with thousands of potentially damaging attacks on a daily basis.

Experts say that small companies, which are particularly vulnerable, could protect their systems for less than HK$1,000 per month by using the services of dedicated internet security providers rather than relying on in-house or self-installed systems.

Network Box has an S-Scan engine which is not restricted to any one language or location and aims to cover websites hosted across the globe.

Apart from content-filtering technologies, Network Box's unified threat management also includes a firewall, virtual private network, intrusion detection and prevention, antispam, antimalware, data leakage prevention (DLP) and vulnerability scanning.

Network Box's real-time PUSH update technology provides round-the-clock monitoring and dedicated remote management, which protects against known and unknown cyber threats.

Categories of undesirable content include websites that might directly harm an organisation's computer systems - websites compromised by malware - and websites that include subject matter that may be criminal in nature (hacking sites), cause offence (sexually explicit or hate sites) or otherwise harm users (spyware or fraud).

In response to clients' concerns about data leakage, Network Box recently released, and enhanced, its DLP features to allow policy blocks on outbound content. These include specific words, document files, credit card numbers, social security numbers or ID card numbers.

Harry Pun, client services manager for Symantec.cloud in north Asia, believes that cloud computing security solutions could provide an answer. He points out that attacks against smartphones, such as BlackBerrys, iPhones and Android phones, have become prevalent in recent years and many have focused on getting malicious apps on users' phones.

'A comprehensive device management and security solution should be at the heart of any business' mobility strategy. The cloud computing delivery model makes it very easy to deploy messaging security services by simply redirecting e-mail, web and instant messaging traffic through the service provider,' Pun says.

'And, in many cases, it facilitates deploying agent-based technologies to remote workers over the internet rather than via traditional machine-by-machine, on-premises installation techniques.'

Pun says employees everywhere can access the same cloud service, managed and operated centrally.

Meanwhile, Hans Leitjen, Regus' vice-president for East Asia, believes threats to internet security will remain high, as more Hong Kong companies turn to social networks to promote their businesses. A recent Regus survey revealed that 48 per cent of local firms use social networks, blogs, microblogs and forums to win new business.

'Hong Kong businesses are taking the path that without social media activity, marketing strategies cannot hope to be successful,' Leitjen says.