Slashdot Mirror
AT&T Plans CNN-style Security Channel
An anonymous reader writes "Infoworld has a story about AT&T's upcoming effort to create a CNN of network security. From the article: "Security experts at AT&T are about to take a page from CNN's playbook. Within the next year they will begin delivering a video streaming service that will carry Internet security news 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to the executive in charge of AT&T Labs.""
Presumably AT&T is going to go deeper into the security game and this is a good move for them. If they want to build credibility, brand this channel with subtlety and simply report the news. But rather than providing this as a service to their existing customers, stream it live to the Internet for everybody's consumption. That will help to build the AT&T brand for security much more so than limiting the audience. The costs cannot be that much more, right?
Interestingly, the page the article is linked on has a signal to noise ratio for this particular article of about
Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
The service, which currently goes by the code name Internet Security News Network, (ISN) is under development at AT&T Labs...
Ten good reasons not to use "ISN":
Naming issues aside, this souinds like it could be very cool...but will this ever be available to the public at large, or will it remain restricted to AT&T customers?
____
~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey
Wow, at first I was going to laugh at AT&T...disgruntled former employee and all. Then I read the article...and wanted to clap. This is a meritous idea that hopefully will provide content to those of us who want more from this field.
Hopefully they won't outsource the reporting :P
I mean even to people who LIKE technology AND work in networking, how much news relevant to networking could there possibly be in one day? I understand the desire for DoS warnings to be sent and investigated, or even reporting on trade shows...but 24/7?
it will be offered as an additional service to the company's customers
It's only going to be available to AT&T customers. That's too bad. Now it doesn't sound nearly as cool or half as useful to me.
How long do you think it will take for that to happen?
-73, de n1ywb
www.n1ywb.com
Within the next year they will begin delivering a video streaming service that will carry Internet security news 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Seen on a job availability notice for this project:
ANCHOR PREREQUISITES
- Ability to fluently read and speak '1337' while broadcasting
Do you like German cars?
95% warnings of new Windows vulnerabilities and ranting about same, 5% advertising the all new Google Commercials.
If my grammar and spelling are off, I am [distracted/tired/careless] (take your pick)
Most companies deal with IT security in secrecy, only disclosing new attacks and vulns right before they're ready to release a patch.
By the time it hits the news outlet, they'll be just too old for security professionals to be deemed useful.
Andrew Jaquith, senior analyst with The Yankee Group in Boston. "There is really no good, consistent source for security information on the Internet," he said.
There are already a handful of really good sites out there. How will ATT compete with the likes of: The Internet Storm Center, Security Focus, Packet Storm, and Security Peline which are current and relevant.
Also in the TFA, there were statements that the news serviecs will be offered to ATT customers. Will non-customers also have access to the site for free? If not, how does this compare to other managed services offerings from the likes of Symantec, ISS, and others?
Microsoft :)
"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
-Hoban Washburn
It has been said that with the large conglomerate ownership of media these days, that the Watergate scandal would not have come to light. Think about that for a few minutes and see where it takes you. Scary, is it not?
:)
I thought about it, and I'm not scared in the least.
If the Watergate scandal happened today, Deep Throat wouldn't have NEEDED the large conglomerate media to get the story out, he'd have just started a blog. If you doubt that a blog could have penetrated the cover-up and conspiracy, just ask Dan Rather, he's got some nice Word documents to show you.
I agree, mainstream media is a joke these days, luckily there is an alternative. No one needs a big corporate monolith to get news out, we all have access to the biggest printing press there is.
All movements for social change begin as missions, evolve into businesses, and end up as rackets.
Windows exploit found .... Windows exploit script available .... Linux kernel exploit found .... Linux kernel patched .... Windows user are waiting for patch .... M$ announced patch will be availabe next month .... XXXX nummber of windows system turned zombies ... Linux kernel exploit found .... Linux kernel patched .... M$ relesed long awaited patch .... 1/2 of the windows useres can not install patch .... Only licenced windows users can install patch .... Linux kernel exploit found .... Linux kernel patched .... ISP disconnected un-patched widows systems from the Internet
I *WAS* the AT&T Security Sales overlay for Globals and have personally worked for Hussien the AT&T CIO. While I think this is a good move for AT&T to increase brand awareness for their security product offering, I think the SlashDot crowd will be left with an empty feeling as AT&T's security suite focuses almost exclusively on Network based attacks with little to no coverage for application based attacks, spoofs or social engineering. AT&T *does* have some inovative products in their space, but a fairly narrow focus on the total security picture. Because of this, I can only think the "TV-show" will be similarly focused.
-Adam
I am just sitting here trying to figure out how, if at all, they will be able to adapt this idiom to computer security reporting.Aside from this, I wonder if they're going to adopt a Headline News style "looping tape" format, or if they'll have shows. I actually could totally go for a Snow-Crash-CIC-wet-work style "reality" show demonstrating various white and black hats at work.
Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
For the lastest merger news. I believe is the public site for merger info.
AT&T and SBC Merger is not yet complete, so the companies are suppose to proceed as still two companies.
However, the time frame for this is after the merger SHOULD be complete - End of 05 or early 06. Though, this would seemly play very nicely with SBC IPTV plans for Project Lightspeed. Lightspeed PR
All information in this post is based on public information released by SBC.
Since a huge portion of their networks are the main source of security breaches. Maybe they can run 24-hour tickers showing the amount of spam, worms and viruses they are unable to control originating from their network, and at some point, one of their idiot executives will agree that port 25 needs to be filtered from their broadband users?
Having worked as a consultant for one of AT&T's Managed Security Centers, I can only weep for the people who rely on this "service".
A few good people at lower levels, but middle and upper management was *completely* clueless about real security. Complete disorganization, and falsification of reports.
But Hey! - now they'll be on video, so I guess that will make them the de facto experts.