Server virtualization is becoming all the rage in many data centers as enterprises seek greater efficiency and cost savings by consolidating their hardware. Unfortunately, some of these enterprises have overlooked the security implications of virtualizing their environments -- but hackers and security researchers haven't.. At ShmooConearlier this month, security pros had a chance to get an up-close-and-personal look at one of the newest, previously unreleased exploits for the virtualized server environment. While not quite a zero-day vulnerability (the researchers worked directly with VMware before releasing details), the directory traversal exploit against VMware Server and ESX/ESXi is still catching virtual server admins with their pants on the ground. Justin Morehouse and Tony Flick's presentation, "Stealing Guests...theVMware Way," detailed the attack and included an easy-to-use tool that would allow an unauthenticated attacker to download any guest virtual machine from an affected system. Even without the tool, the attack was simple enough to carry out with a Web browser -- throw in a quick search with Shodan, and well, you know what they say about "idle hands." Still feeling insecure about choosing to virtualize your servers? You're not alone. According to the CDW's "Server Virtualization Life Cycle Report: Medium and Large Businesses," 17 percent of IT executives said their most significant barrier to server virtualization was concern about security. Concerns such as these may be one reason why only 37 percent of data and application have been virtualized. But virtualization efforts are ramping up quickly, according to a Gartner study that predicts approximately 50 percent of x86 architecture server workloads will be virtualized by the end of 2012. The added complexity of virtualization could decrease visibility into network traffic and the data flowing in and out of sensitive servers; it could also create questions as to whether one virtual system compromise will affect other virtual guestsystems. Ultimately, the question is: How do you know your data is secure in your virtual environment? The link for this article located at Dark Reading is no longer available. . Explore the newest vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructures and the strategies to protect against evolving cyber risks.. Server Security, Virtualization Risks, Cybersecurity Tools. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Some positives, some negatives. So it goes with Sourcefire's most recent release of their 3D IPS System. This review covers the big changes with two aspects of their software: RNA (Realtime Network Awareness) and RUA (Realtime User Awareness). With this release they've upgraded RNA by including it into macro management. Two of the most important changes in 3D System Version 4.7 lie in the RNA and RUA components. When we looked at the RNA in its first releases, we found its ability to provide network visibility by passively discovering systems, applications and vulnerabilities useful. However, RNA was not integrated into IDS and IPS policy definition at that point. In this release, Sourcefire finally brings RNA into the big picture by letting the network manager easily use RNA-discovered information to refine IDS and IPS policy and build compliance policies. . The link for this article located at Networkworld.com is no longer available. . Explore the key features and obstacles associated with the launch of Sourcefire's 3D IPS solution, focusing on the improvements in network visibility it offers.. Sourcefire IPS, Intrusion Prevention, Network Security. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Network Physics has introduced NetSensory Enterprise Architecture, a distributed intelligence tool that promises to provide global applications infrastructure visibility, troubleshooting and reporting. . . .. Network Physics has introduced NetSensory Enterprise Architecture, a distributed intelligence tool that promises to provide global applications infrastructure visibility, troubleshooting and reporting. The architecture is built on a new distributed operating system, the NetSensoryT OS 4.0, which runs on the company's NP-2000 appliance and a new hardware appliance, the NP-DirectorT. The solution is designed to provide global visibility to help enterprises ensure the integrity and security of their entire applications infrastructure across the network, from servers to clients. It uses the distributed intelligence of NP-2000 appliances at the edge, enabling broad visibility into end-to-end application service flows, management across all converged network types, and unlimited real-time scalability. "Today's centralized management tools lack application and user relevance, can't scale, aren't real-time, and fail to provide clear visibility across converging public and private networks," Bob Quillin, vice president of marketing and product management at Network Physics said in a statement. "The NetSensory Enterprise Architecture is the only platform designed to answer the needs of the new distributed environment by relying on edge intelligence and a federated database model." The link for this article located at networkingpipeline.com is no longer available. . DataWeb Solutions launches DataVista Infrastructure Framework for insights and oversight in international systems.. NetSensory, Application Management, Infrastructure Monitoring, Network Visibility, Distributed Tools. . Anthony Pell
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