Security Tracking

As more businesses integrate their technology with the Internet, there’s a greater chance that hackers or crackers will compromise their systems. Remember, hackers are very knowledgeable computer users who use their knowledge to invade other people’s computers. Crackers are hackers who hack for profit.

No matter what a hacker or cracker’s intention, a company wants to keep them out. If it can’t keep them out, then it wants to find out how they got in and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Sometimes the best way to guard against hackers and crackers is to learn more about them. "White hat" hackers are security professionals who show companies how to improve system security:

• ALT 2600: A hacker magazine.
• Hack FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about hacking.
• Jargon File: Learn how to talk like a hacker.

Many services exist to help companies keep their systems secure. Some services monitor the Internet to see when company systems are compromised. These services then report what type of system and software was broken into and provide a software fix or explain how to solve the problem. Businesses depend on these services to keep their systems running. Usually, a business either has someone on staff to keep systems current or pays a company to keep their systems current.

• Incidents.org: This Web site tracks and reports security incidents.
• SANS Institute: The Systems Administration, Networking and Security Institute is a key security organization for tracking security incidents. They also train and certify security professionals (GIAC Certification).
• SecurityFocus: A respected security tracking consulting company. Also provides daily information on security incidents.
• SecurityTracker: This Web site posts current system security incidents.
• @Stake: One of the premier consulting companies. @Stake helps business increase security. @Stake employs white hat hackers to compromise business systems and then help businesses fix those systems.
• Security Information Resources: A comprehensive list of security resources.

Security tracking is also important to government and educational institutions. The information available in these systems can be even more sensitive than those found on business systems. The U.S. government has an entire division as well as many special units in Federal Agencies devoted to track security incidents and fight cybercrime. Many states have departments as well. Universities are responding by training more students in the necessary skills and knowledge to become information security professionals.

• ACM SIGSAC: The Alliance for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Security, Audit, and Control.
• CERT Coordination Center: The Computer Emergency Response Team at Carnegie Mellon University. This center is primarily funded by the Department of Defense.
• Tracking a Hacker: An essay by a United States District Attorney on how the USDA office tracks security breaches.
• CyberCrime Unit: This is a special unit of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the U.S. Government.