London, UK, 26 February 2002 - GFI, a global provider of email and network security tools for Windows-based networks, has released a white paper designed to aid IT administrators in combatting the internal network security attacks that currently comprise 80% of all computer security incidents. The report, called “Securing Your Internal Network: How To Find and Fix Any Loopholes,” can be downloaded at http://www.gfi.com/lannetscan/wplannetworkscanner.htm.

The white paper discusses the value of automated security audits in identifying internal security risks such as open shares, open ports, unsafe trusted domains, rogue users, SNMP service, and passwords that are vulnerable to cracking and dictionary attacks. It describes the use of GFI’s LANguard Network Scanner, a freeware tool that will soon be released in an enhanced commercial version, to conduct these audits and thereby guide administrators in proactively plugging security holes.

The paper also addresses the susceptibility of corporate networks to internal security breaches and the use of real-time intrusion detection to safeguard networks from both internal and external security threats. Real-time intrusion detection is available with GFI’s LANguard Security Event Log Monitor (S.E.L.M.), the first host-based security product that consolidates the security event logs of all Windows XP/NT/2000 servers and workstations and alerts administrators about critical breaches in real time.

“Last year, eight computer security incidents out of every 10 reported by network administrators originated from inside the firewall. That demonstrates that trade secrets, customer lists, confidential marketing plans and other important enterprise information can be pilfered literally under administrators’ noses,” said Nick Galea, CEO of GFI. “This white paper helps IT personnel identify and close any security loopholes in their network infrastructure to thwart this kind of internal sabotage.”