Security threats Toolkit

Scheme aims to reduce threat for net-linked devices

Elinor Mills CNET News

Published: 21 Sep 2009 15:56 BST

ICSA Labs, which sets standards for commercial security products, plans on Monday to announce a new programme for helping corporations protect themselves from attacks and snooping via internet-connected devices such as printers, copiers, ATMs and security cameras.

Under the ICSA Labs Network Attached Peripheral Security Certification and Assessment programme, experts will evaluate devices used in corporations and work with vendors to help them understand the inherent security risks to internet-connected devices, said George Japak, managing director of ICSA Labs, which is an independent division of Verizon Business.

The devices targeted are not those that are part of the computing network infrastructure, such asd desktops, servers and routers.

"There is a lot of functionality on those devices being centrally managed and controlled via an internet connection, and those internet connections can be compromised," he said. "These unsecured devices are as much of a risk as an unsecured server sitting out on your network."

Remote attackers can exploit weaknesses in software to remotely steal data that sits on the devices, such as sensitive documents that someone has printed or copied. But the devices can also be used to propagate malware across the network, he said.

Credit: Reducing threats for Net-linked security cameras, ATMs from CNET News