White Papers: Webroot

Few readers need to be told that the Internet is a dangerous place. Anyone in the IT field is aware that viruses, spam, and malicious Web sites exist. Knowledge of these attacks and vulnerabilities was the domain of specialized security gurus just a few years ago. But the need to understand computer security has spread beyond the domain of specialists. Today, even IT end users need to be aware of threats and countermeasures to some degree.

Cloud computing and security services seem like they would never go together. The former is a function that exists somewhere outside the host, outside the network, and is tapped when needed to perform a certain function such as data archival. The latter is a mindset, an approach that pervades throughout every facet of an IT infrastructure.

Walls have served multiple purposes throughout history. The Great Wall of China defended against invaders, while the Berlin Wall kept citizens from freely traveling beyond the control of their rulers. Network security relies on similar premises. For years network security professionals touted “perimeter security” as the primary solution to keep the bad guys out and the good guys in. However, just as guns and air attacks overcame protective walls, changes in malware attacks have rendered network firewalls and perimeter-centric security an ineffective defense.

This independent research paper discusses the key issues surrounding Web security and the need for organisations of all sizes to implement robust Web security processes and technologies – namely, a secure Web gateway. Read on for key statistics and implementation tips.