Security solutions vendor Check Point Software Technologies, in partnership with ITWeb, is bringing its Check Point Security Tour to SA for the first time.
The event is scheduled for 14 March at the Radisson Blue Gautrain Hotel, in Sandton, and will feature an exclusive keynote by Amnon Bar-Lev, president of Check Point.
A series of startling findings in the Check Point 2013 Security Report will be analysed at the event. Check Point Software Technologies, a worldwide leader in securing the Internet, says its most recent Security Report findings impact every enterprise.
Doros Hadjizenonos, SA sales manager at Check Point Software Technologies, says, in many cases, enterprises were unaware that the threats were already in their networks. He notes, for example, that the study found bots sitting undetected in 63% of all systems assessed with Check Point's 3D security assessment tools. In addition, peer-to-peer applications are freely exposing parts of enterprise hard drives to the world, with little being done to control these tunnels.
The sheer number of vulnerabilities disclosed every year is overwhelming, the report found, with more than 5 000 new ways for hackers to cause damage and access systems discovered in 2012 alone. "This is the pattern globally, and the situation is no different in South Africa," he says.
"Because we believe knowledge is power, Check Point president Amnon Bar-Lev will address local information security decision-makers to outline the study findings, elaborate on how these security threats access the networks, and highlight what needs to be done to mitigate these glaring risks."
In a pre-event interview with ITWeb, Bar-Lev noted that the company had decided to bring the event to SA as its customer base was growing in the country.
"We want to keep on investing in the South African market for we also believe it is the gateway to Africa as a whole," said Bar-Lev.
"It is our hope to meet our customers face-to-face and explain how our offerings work and to present to organisations on how to best protect themselves."
Bar-Lev will present on the findings of the Security Report, which he said discovered that hackers' techniques are constantly changing, using more advanced and sophisticated attack methods, which raises security challenges to new levels.
The report also notes that data centres, employees' computers and mobile phones are prime targets for hackers who deploy an endless variety of malware, such as bots, Trojans and drive-by downloads, he added.
"Hackers are also using methods like social engineering to manipulate innocent users to gain access to corporate information such as internal documents, financial records, credit card numbers and user credentials."
Bar-Lev also pointed out that numerous data-breach incidents took place last year, exposing data stored on corporate servers related to payment cards, and customer, student or patient data. These malicious activities share the common goal of acquiring confidential information, he said.
He also noted that bots and malicious Web sites are wrecking havoc in the security industry. According to the report, more than 60% of organisations have been affected by bots, while in 75% of organisations, a host has accessed a malicious Web site.
As threats become more sophisticated, the security challenges continue to grow, said Bar-Lev.
To maximise organisational network security, a multi-tier protection mechanism is needed to secure against the different vectors of network threats and breaches, he pointed out.
Describing multi-layer protection, he said: "It's like physical security at a house where you have a fence, a guard, as well as a key for the door."
He added that multi-layered security also involves Web control, like URL filtering, and application control to prevent access to Web sites that host or spread malware.
Hadjizenonos says Check Point has evolved its strategy to address these risks. Its Security Tour is a regular customer and partner information session staged abroad to deliver updates on the information security landscape and the company's strategy to partner with enterprises in mitigating risk.
"We believe information security professionals will be surprised to discover what is really happening in the networks of the world. If you look at the statistics, you'll see the situation is worse than people think," he says. And with the explosion of mobile Internet access, BYOD and cloud computing, there is a range of new areas for security professionals to consider.
"Check Point's Security Tour aims to deliver valuable insights into the true information security environment to local businesses and IT professionals, says Hadjizenonos, because "information security has no borders. What is happening around the world is happening here."
In addition to strategic insights from Check Point's president, the Security Tour will also present in-depth technical talks and product information from international and local experts, allowing local information security professionals a rare opportunity to experience one-on-one interaction and hands-on access to Check Point's solutions. Hadjizenonos notes that these have moved light years beyond the firewall, a point the company will highlight in its talks and demos.
The Check Point Security Tour is free to all information security decision-makers and professionals. Every delegate will also receive a printed copy of the latest Check Point Security Report. For more information, and to apply to attend this event, click here.
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