SMCec, Ernst & Young partner on network security

Ernst & Young and SMC Electronic Commerce (SMCec) have joined forces to help improve companies` network security. SMCec, a company in the newly listed EC-Hold group, distributes the Internet Security Systems (ISS) family of adaptive network security products in South Africa. These are used extensively by Ernst & Young Information Security Services to help clients improve their security profile.

The local partnership mirrors the international arrangement, which has made Ernst & Young one of the largest global users of the ISS product family. In addition, Ernst & Young has integrated the adaptive network security (ANS) philosophy into its South African customer base.

Grant Brewer, national leader of Ernst & Young Information Security Services, says organisations, seeking a competitive edge, are using leading-edge technologies, sometimes before all they have been fully tested.

"This can render them susceptible to sophisticated security attacks from almost anywhere in the world," Brewer adds. "ISS is a recognised world leader in the identification of vulnerabilities and in online attack detection and has been an Ernst & Young business partner since its inception."

Brewer says SMCec provides a support base for Ernst & Young`s local use of the ISS products, including Internet Security Scanner, System Scanner and Realsecure.

"Firewalls alone can`t protect organisations against internal attack, and internal users are reponsible for more than 60% of all reported attacks," says Brewer. "ANS technology complements system firewalls by protecting intrusion from behind the firewall and the firewall itself and by alerting management when vulnerabilities are identified."