Security is not just a firewall and anti-virus.
We spent most of the last decade building fast network access and deploying central applications and generally trying to make it easy for users to access those applications locally or using remote access tools.

Now our challenge is to create appropriate layers of security to protect ourselves from the rapdily evolving network security threats out there.  A firewall and anti-virus software to protect your organizations network just doesn't cut it anymore.
 

The evolution of security
Why all the changes in security, you ask?  No one factor had caused the change but rather several reasons all in the same time frame have combined to make a security strategy more important than ever.  Among the reasons are...

• Environment Changes- Low cost Internet and PCs means many more attackers have access and many more organizations are available on Internet.
• Different Attackers- Attackers are no longer unfunded hackers, but rather advertisers and well-funded crime syndicates, in the US and abroad.
• Different Targets- Attacks typically don't target your more sophisticated technologies, but rather attempt entry through your end users, using software exploits, spyware, phishing, pharming and other evolving and blended threats.
• General Pervasiveness of Technology- The lack of controls on simple tools such as USB devices, wireless, FTP and email can allow important business information to be sent outside your environemnt, without your knowledge.
• Different Goals- Attackers don't always want to crash your machine anymore, they want to take control of it and grab what they can, control your PC/network in future attacks or sell control of your PC to bidders.

Business Benefits
The Fulcrum Group can help you wade through the information and misinformation related to network security. 

Our security audit teams can assist you with

• Risk/Vulnerability Assessments,
• Security Audits,
• Penetration Testing,
• Policy Development and
• other related services. 

Our security specialists can help build "defense-in-depth" to provide different levels or protection at different security layers of your network.  We use best in class vendors to configure the right security tools for the right job. 

Our experts include highly qualified personnel certified and experienced in specific vendors technologies but also include Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (CISSPs) on staff.

The Growing Role of Compliance
Business has seen first hand the coming dangers.  Newspapers abound with reports of losses of customer information, hacked systems, lost backup tapes, and "zombied" machines.   Our industries have legislated enhanced security for various types of organizations and the partners that they do business with.  Some of the more critical laws include..

• The Financial Modernization Act of 1999, also known as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) focuses on financial institutions.
• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1996, focused its efforts on the health care industry.
• The.Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) was developed by credit card companies as a guideline to help payment processors from security issues.
• The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), also known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002, is a federal law passed in response to the corporate scandals to set new standards for public companies.