Info management key to IT security

A top US security official has argued that information sharing is overrated and that better management of data is vital to IT security, according to Government Computer News.

Tony Sager, chief of the vulnerability analysis and operations group in the National Security Agency's Information Assurance Directorate, was speaking at the Symantec government symposium on IT security in Washington, this week.

He said IT security officials are already overloaded with information, but that data often contributes little to improving the security of government IT systems. “The key to success in IT security is information management,” he stressed.

The use of sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn as lines of communication for firms has produced challenges for companies, which must now track a new area of public interaction, states Risk.net.

“Like every other customer-facing communication channel, regulated businesses need to govern social media interactions pertaining to the company, products or employees,” says George Tziahanas, vice-president of compliance at Autonomy, an enterprise software company that produces social media governance software.

According to Tziahanas, there's a greater tension in Europe between the concepts of privacy and regulatory supervision. The balance in Europe tilts towards the privacy side, whereas in the US, it tilts towards the regulatory side.

Sophis has unveiled a hosted risk management system called Sophis Value, says Sys-Con Media.

Value is available to businesses in three alternative delivery models, namely: on-site, hosted or as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution via iSophis.

Pascal Xatart, Sophis CEO, says: “Changes in the market environment mean our clients are seeking alternative solutions for the delivery and maintenance of their IT systems. Our hosted offering will be particularly compelling for hedge funds, boutique asset management firms and family offices.”