Dealing with worst-case scenarios. (cover story)

PALMER, Charles; ULLRICH, Johannes

The article reports on the toughest security issues being faced by corporate computer users in the United States. Information systems are vulnerable to attackers in case of a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina or a terrorist attack on a major U.S. city wiping out business operations. Apart from these worst-case security scenarios, other security threats including targeted cyberattacks and biometrics are major security issues. According to Charles Palmer, CTO of security and privacy with IBM Research, when bad stuff happens there is chaos and panic. According to Johannes Ullrich, CTO of the SANS Institute's Internet Storm Center, corporate espionage is so dangerous that one may not even realize what is happening.