Network security is an issue that is increasingly important as businesses and even households shift more workflow processes and key tasks to the network and into the cloud. While some users may find it a challenge to protect even a single digital device, keeping an entire network secure can be a tall order for even the most tech-savvy users.

A consumer electronics retailer has confirmed a data breach attempt to compromise the details of 5.9 million payment cards. On 13 June, Dixons Carphone released a notice disclosing its investigation into an instance of unauthorized data access. The company came across the suspicious activity while reviewing its systems and data. Subsequently, it contacted security experts to help determine what happened.

If you’ve been in information security for a while, you’ve likely had some experience with file integrity monitoring (FIM). It’s a capability with a long history, going back to the original open-source Tripwire tool for monitoring file hashes. And FIM has staying power. It’s still around, and there are still new deployments. There aren’t a lot of security controls that continue to be valuable over such a long time frame.

Businesses test for network vulnerabilities in many different ways and the public’s opinion of good-guy hackers greatly depends on the companies that hire them.

The digital world has become a dangerous place. It’s like the Wild West (the movie kind, not the real kind, which was decidedly less wild than it’s portrayed), with outlaws out to do you harm and make off with your precious data. Fortunately, like any good western, there are also honour-bound gun slingers seeking to bring law, order and – most importantly – security to the digital landscape.