Posts Tagged ‘protect open source applications’

Who’s Going to SXSW 2011?

by FireHost Evangelist on August 11th, 2010

We are!

SXSW Interactive is a “must attend” event for developers, designers, web marketers, and anyone else who does business online. Last year, almost 40,000 registered to attend, and 2011 is projected to be even bigger. The schedule reveals numerous opportunities for attendees to interact with the brightest minds in emerging technology. Networking events. Speaking events. Live music. A tradeshow. SXSW covers the whole gamut.

FireHost is vying for a speaker placement, and we need your help getting picked. If you’re planning to attend SXSW and have concerns about the security and integrity of your personal or corporate identity online, cast your vote for our presentation at Panelpicker.sxsw.com.

Our proposed topic answers the questions:

  1. How is the security landscape changing online?
  2. Is building a corporate blog on  and open source platform like WordPress safe?
  3. How could some of the devastating hacks like TechCrunch have been avoided?
  4. How do I find security vulnerabilities in my web application?
  5. What role does secure web hosting play in keeping my site safe?
  6. What are the most common developer mistakes that lead to cybercrime in open source?

Read the full synopsis and cast your vote at Panelpicker.sxsw.com.

We’ll see you in Austin.

Web 2.0 Enabled Sites Wear a Target for Cybercrime

by FireHost Evangelist on July 24th, 2009

20TargetData compiled by Secure Enterprise 2.0 indicates that businesses who incorporate Web 2.0 functionality like social networks, wikis, and blogs are the most popular targets for hackers.

In fact, websites that incorporate these features accounted for 21% of hacking incidents reported in the first quarter of 2009. The top threats to “socially enabled” websites are SQL Injections (21% of attacks), Authentication Abuse (18%), and Cross Site Request Forgery – CSRF (8%). You may download a full copy of Secure Enterprise’s report here.

“Businesses often use open source applications like Community Server, WordPress, and Drupal to integrate social features into their websites. Every enterprise deserves the ability to keep content fresh by using blogs and forums. It’s great for marketing and user retention. We help facilitate these mediums by addressing vulnerabilities in open source software all the way from module installation to hosting,” encourages FireHost CEO, Chris Drake.

FireHost CTO, Kevin Wall explains why a holistic approach to site development and hosting is important. (more…)

Symantec CEO Identifies Three Key Security Risks

by FireHost Evangelist on July 17th, 2009

enriqueSalem_02In an interview with SC Magazine, Symantec’s CEO and President Enrique Salem discussed the new security threats facing companies doing business on the internet. When asked about the top security threats, he responded with three.

“In 2009, we see three key trends that could impact IT security – a continued explosion of new malware variants, advanced web threats, and an uptick in threats related to social networking sites.” Mr. Salem reinforced that “cybercriminals are more sophisticated and driven than ever, and they operate in an increasingly profitable underground economy that makes it easy for them to not only buy and sell stolen information such as credit card data or even identities.”

Data from Symantec’s Global Intelligence Network indicates we have reached the point where there are more malicious programs created than legitimate programs every day, and that cyber attackers leverage vulnerabilities fueled by application code. Hackers compromise specific (often open source) websites, and then use them as a means for launching other attacks across the internet. (more…)