Oracle announced the April 2011 CPU this week, with just a few moderate security issues for the database. Most DBAs monitor Oracle’s Critical Patch Updates (CPU) and are already familiar with the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). For those of you who are not, it’s a method of calculating the relative risk of software and hardware vulnerabilities, resulting in a score that describes the potential severity of the vulnerability if an attacker were to exploit the problem. The scores are…
We have spent much of this series on why benchmarking is important. But we also need to point out some situations where benchmarking may not be appropriate. There are clearly situations where you can’t benchmark, particularly is on granular operational data, which I call Ninja Metrics.
The last two nights, we have celebrated Passover. Basically, we have a big dinner commemorating the escape of our forefathers from bondage and slavery in Egypt. At least that’s how the story goes, although I wasn’t there, so I maintain a healthy skepticism regarding burning bushes, parting seas, and plagues. But the point remains whether or not the stories are true. It’s really an excuse to party with friends and family, and enjoy some time together outside the craziness of day-to-day…
I want to discuss deployment tradeoffs in Database Activity Monitoring, focusing on advantages and disadvantages of hardware appliances. It might seem minor, but the delivery model makes a big first impression on customers. It’s the first difference they notice when comparing DAM products, and it’s impressive – those racks of blinking whirring 1U & 2U machines, neatly racked, do stick with you. They cluster in groups in your data center, with lots of cool lights, logos, and deafening fans.…
In a world full of TLAs (three letter acronyms), none resonates for security people as strongly as FUD. Or Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt for you n00bs. Many of us rail at the offensive use of FUD in security sales. But let’s take a step back and acknowledge that security is like insurance. With very rare exceptions, security doesn’t help anyone sell more stuff. It doesn’t really help companies operate more efficiently. It’s basically about controlling downside risk.
Today Verizon released the 2011 Data Breach Investigations Report: our single best source of actual incident data in the security industry, based on comprehensive metrics gathered during hundreds of incident investigations.
If you don’t already have attackers in your environment you will soon enough, so we have been spending a lot of time with clients figuring out how to respond in this age of APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) attackers and other attacks you have no shot at stopping. You need to detect and respond more effectively. We call this philosophy “React Faster and Better”, and have finally documented and collected our thoughts on the topic. Here are a couple excerpts from the paper to give you a feel for…
So you have defined your peer groups and analysis and spent a bunch of time communicating what you found to your security program’s key stakeholders. Now it’s time to shift focus internally. One of the cool things about security metrics and benchmarks is the ability to analyze trends over time and use that data to track progress against your key goals. Imagine that – managing people and programs based on data , not just gut feel.
Just in case you had nothing to do over the weekend, I came up with some homework to catch you up on our Security Benchmarking series. We’re clicking right along and think the content is kickass. So check it out, comment, and let us know if we are smoking crack.
It’s tax day.
You don’t have time to read this.
I don’t have time to write it.
Actually, my accountant is taking care of my taxes (I don’t trust myself with them). What’s really sucking down my time is preparing all the hands-on portions of the Cloud Security Alliance training.