Security concerns hinder Web services

CBROnline reports that a recent survey by Evans Data found that almost 25% of developers feel security is the number one reason for not rolling out Web services. This is up 5% on a previous survey run in March. The survey also highlighted other hindrances to Web services uptake, with more than 20% highlighting ambiguous standards and uncertainty over implementation (16%) as the major stumbling blocks.

But, despite the security concerns, the number of company applications that include a Web services component stands at more than 55% and is expected to be as high as 87% by next year. Evans Data speculates that the growing concern over security and Web services may be a factor of the increased pace of development in these areas.

As far as security goes, the survey found the technologies most likely to be used right now are XML encryption (46.4%), security aspects of Simple Object Access Protocol (41.8%), and XML digital signatures (41.6%).

The International Data Corporation (IDC) says a layered approach to fighting viruses is the only way to go. In a recent report, the research organisation says that to be truly effective against viruses, companies need to look at a combination of desktop anti-virus, server anti-virus and content filtering.

It also warns that blended threats such as Nimda and Code Red are evidence that crackers are becoming more sophisticated in their approaches and blended threats are on the rise. Blended threats are those that can spread through multiple channels such as e-mail, Web sites and across networks.

"Blended threats are specifically designed to get past point-solution security products. The best way to provide overall protection for a company`s network is through an integrated approach utilising layered security applications. As blended threats gain more harmful payloads, a layered approach will become even more critical," says IDC. [More at CBROnline]

Intel is going to appeal against a judge`s ruling that its Itanium processors infringe on patents owned by Intergraph. According to CBROnline, Texas District Court Judge John Ward ruled that two Intergraph US patents are "valid and enforceable" and that Intel`s products "literally infringe" upon them, Intergraph said. Judge Ward also said Intergraph is entitled to an injunction on the Itanium and Itanium 2.

The companies have been involved in patent infringement lawsuits since 1997 and in April this year Intel agreed to pay Intergraph $300 million in damages for an infringement on the Pentium processors.

The dispute this time is over "parallel instruction computing" (PIC), which allows multiple processor operations to occur simultaneously, in parallel, increasing performance. Intergraph claims that PIC is fundamental to Intel`s IA-64 architecture, which uses EPIC (explicitly parallel instruction computing). [More at CBROnline]

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