ITG intros penetration testing service

IT Governance (ITG), a compliance solutions provider, has diversified into penetration testing, says Info Security.

According to the Ely-based IT services firm, cyber criminals are increasingly targeting IP addresses, Web site applications, firewalls, network devices, hardware and software. As a result, the firm says, all Internet-facing networks and resources are subject to automated, malicious probing and, when a vulnerability is detected, its exploitation is also usually automatic.

The firm's penetration testing service is billed as examining and testing the technical security measures an organisation has in place to protect its networks and applications.

The major tilt for financial institutions globally is the approach to corporate governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance, writes Next.

Analysts say the enactment of laws like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the US was a reaction to a number of major corporate and accounting scandals which cost investors billions of dollars when the share prices of affected companies collapsed.

Titilayomi Ahmadu, managing partner of business advisory firm Taps Professionals, said at the EuroFinance annual Conference on Treasury, Risk and Cash Management, that the impact of the management measure is reflected in issues of bank solvency, credit availability, investor confidence and declining international trade. She added that some Nigerian banks have faulty foundations.

In a Computerworld Hong Kong survey of CIOs and IT leaders, almost two-thirds reported that they are 'consolidating with some growth plans'. But of the remainder, more expect 'aggressive growth and expansion' than those still controlling costs with a limited growth outlook, says The Standard.

Clearly, the tech gurus of Hong Kong are more positive about tech growth in 2010 than during the past couple of years, when the financial tsunami caused by failure of big US-based institutions played havoc with enterprise budgets worldwide.

But a majority of respondents expected their budget to remain the same as last year, and also say hiring expectations would remain at current levels.