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Professional services firm WireHead Security introduced its suite of information security and consulting services aimed at helping small to medium-size businesses, and education and government organizations address the growing problems of online theft, cyber-fraud and the stream of new security vulnerabilities.
The company said small to medium-sized organizations face special challenges in addressing the growing host of potential security problems. Among those problems are new threats such as Web applications, social engineering and misuse of publicly available data, as well as increased use of social networking and mobile computing services. Noting most IT and network managers operate with limited staff and rely on an external consulting firm to ensure they’re following up-to-date best practices, WireHead said it can offer the brand-neutral expertise to give midmarket IT managers a security boost.
“Despite being a No. 1 priority, the rapid growth of network and cyber-security threats poses a daunting challenge for IT at a time of tighter budgets and staff reductions,” said WireHead President Michael Menefee. “That’s why IT and network managers often need to work with external resources like our firm, to gain the expertise they need to address information security threats proactively and guard against the growing number and types of attack.”
In addition, Menefee said regulatory compliance requires robust security testing and analysis. SMBs need to document the steps they’ve taken by turning report data into actionable intelligence that helps them more effectively secure their networks.
“The problem for many is finding a firm that understands their organization’s needs and has services to match,” he said. “We help clients to identify and analyze their network vulnerabilities. By improving the effectiveness of their preventative security measures, our consulting and services enable our customers to better reduce their business risks by remediating their most dangerous and costly security weaknesses.”
According to a recent study by CompTIA, while the number of attacks in 2008 did not grow substantially, the severity of attacks has steadily risen since 2006. The average cost of attacks suffered by those organizations surveyed was between $5,000 and $10,000, while the mean cost was more than $85,000. The study found the most significant cost of security breaches is the overall impact on employee productivity. About one-third of U.S. respondents cite lost productivity as the top consequence of a breach, followed by a disruption of revenue-generating activities.
“Mike Menefee and his team handled the full scope of security testing for us, from vulnerability assessment and penetration testing to examination of our Web applications and wireless infrastructure,” said Meredith College CIO Jeff Howlett. “They delivered a report providing concrete, actionable information, written in language easily understood by senior management. It enabled our Technology Services group to get the necessary budget to upgrade our network equipment, software applications and tools, and move the college to a new level of security preparedness.”