Securing network infrastructures: meshed topographies simultaneously preserve security and accessibility - Storage Networking

Over the past six years, malicious Internet attacks to corporate networks have increased 87%. This alarming growth of unauthorized network access clearly shows that the initial goal of creating shared, open infrastructures was not accompanied by an equally strong commitment to network security.

Let's take a pragmatic look at network security, while focusing on preventing network violations at the access point and discussing some practical recovery options.

Growing Security Threats

In the past, external security breaches represented a small percentage of violations, with most violations coming from within the network. From 1996 to 2001, the source of network attacks has shifted from internal to external violations.

While the number of intrusions by hackers has increased, internal security breaches--often by disgruntled employees--still represent the greatest number of computer crimes. Over the last two years, growth in the technology industry has slowed dramatically, resulting in large-scale layoffs. This, m turn, has made corporate networks the target of many disgruntled employees. In 2001, for example, technology and manufacturing companies reported $151 million in intellectual property theft, accounting for 41% of the losses related to computer crimes.