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In today’s fast-paced and technologically-driven environment, the need for instant real-time communication is critical for any business to remain up-to-date and competitive. The internet has come under a sustained and significant threat from network malware, especially since the emergence of the global Windows network worm in 2001 with Code Red and Nimda. Prior to this, most network worms were on a small, localised scale. When Dr. Gene Spafford and I wrote the original version of the Tripwire software program in 1992, it was to help solve the security problem of how to restore systems to a known good state after they have been compromised. User feedback can provide free online consumer research and security reports, so why is it impossible to leave any? Pornography. Adult Chat Rooms. Violence. Child Stalking. Hacking. There are millions of websites that house offensive content that minors should not be exposed to, and their presence is compounded by their accessibility. The concept of malware morphing is not new. For years, malware authors and anti-virus researchers have documented and classified the methods used to obfuscate and hide malware code with each infection. The popularity of online streaming videos, social-networking and shopping sites have created new attack vectors for hackers to spread malicious code that could wreak havoc on company networks. A project that aims to provide laptops for poor children could teach Microsoft a thing or two about security and design. The internet is bringing us closer together, says Ed Gibson. That means more fronts to watch. For the last several years there has been an increased focus on network security, not only from the professionals who run the network, but also from business leaders, industry groups and government bodies. Time Magazine recently bestowed its prestigious "Person of the Year" honour on "You," recognising the growing social importance of community and collaboration on the web. Seen as an end-user issue, cross-site scripting has been ignored for too long. Now attacks are on the rise. If there is one certainty in the security business, it is that security professionals and hackers are in a constant battle to protect and exploit vulnerabilities. Floppies are obsolete, CRT monitors are a dying breed and CPU cores are multiplying every year. Since the early days of modern computers, research companies have redesigned, reinvented and revolutionised every aspect of computers except one: the ever faithful keyboard. With the ubiquity of the internet, Wi-Fi hotspots and USB devices, the possibilities for unauthorised software on company PCs now seem endless. Just as bacteria evolve around the technological barriers we put in their place, so too do the tactics and strategies employed by computer attackers. When a security measure is put in place, our enemies immediately set out to exploit its weakness. When they are repelled, they adapt their tactics and strategies, regroup and come back yet again. Hot: Expect attackers to increasingly target networked, multifunction devices, such as high-end printers, scanners and fax machines, as these devices continue to grow more sophisticated and move away from proprietary operating systems and software. At the recent RSA conference Europe, the final keynote speaker was the former politician and governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten. SurfControl's CEO may be a relative newcomer to the infosec world, but she is already pursuing an aggressive growth policy for the security vendor, Paul Fisher reports. Deloitte's corporate logo has a very deliberate green full stop at the end. It suggests that what the company offers is backed up by solid expertise and decades of experience and thought. Potential clients need look no further. This is the complete package. End of story.