Spending on Intrusion Detection Alone is a Waste
Interxion Responds To Meta Group Predictions
The META Group’s prediction that spending on Intrusion Detection (ID) technology is set to increase (1) is undoubtedly a positive indication that firms are still looking to improve their IT security. However, those businesses relying solely on ID could be wasting money by leaving critical gaps in their infrastructure, warns Interxion.
Research from Interxion (2) has found that a typical network can be subjected to as many as 8,000 attacks each week. Although ID technology can adequately log these unauthorised events, it can do nothing to prevent them from happening in the first place. When Interxion added proactive Intrusion Prevention technology to the test network, the number of attacks immediately fell by 80 percent.
“Intrusion Detection is the proverbial ‘after the horse has bolted’ approach to IT security. It’s akin to a business leaving its office doors wide open so unauthorised people can just stroll on in and have a snoop around before being challenged by security guards,” said Anthony Foy, group managing director, Interxion. “Rather than addressing security breaches after they have occurred, businesses must take preventative steps in order to block unauthorised attacks.”
Interxion, Europe’s largest provider of carrier-neutral data centres and managed services, is advising businesses to take a two pronged approach to IT security – combining both proactive and reactive measures.
“ID is a valid part of a company’s armoury as it acts as a safety net in case a worm or hacker is able to circumnavigate Intrusion Prevention solutions. However, instead of depending wholly on ID, savvy businesses – which are concerned about the integrity of their networks – should look to combine it with prevention technologies,” continued Foy.
(1) Source: META Group, 7 August 2003:
http://domino.metagroup.com/PressHome.nsf/(webPressRelease)/CCCEE7F62127
483985256D7800617722?OpenDocument
(2) Source:
http://www.interxion.com/cms3000/modules/content_pages/page_preview.asp?
page_id=205&action=newsdetail&id=73