Firewalls come tumbling down

Internet firewall security systems will not guarantee the safety of your network claim users, with a shocking 9 per cent of firewalled networks suffering security breaches.

The startling figures - exclusive to Network News - come from the latest Network Industry Survey sponsored by Black Box Catalogue.

The report was carried out by IFF Research who polled 145,000 network professionals.

It reveals an alarming shortfall in network security. Of those with access to the Internet, 42 per cent protected their networks with a firewall product, but in 9 out of 100 cases, security was still breached.

Firewall vendors charge thousands of pounds for software which they claim makes the network secure, but experts admit the technology is fallible.

George Zarenba, a director of IT Distribution which sells the Interceptor firewall, said: "Some code for first generation firewalls is now on the Internet. It's now possible to breach that security."

He also blamed human breaches. "If you've got a network manager with a grudge who's giving inside help, it doesn't matter how good your technology is."

Other vendors blamed the operating system. "Most firewalls run on a general operating system. There are holes in Unix and NT which the hackers are going after," said Chris Huggett, VP of international operations for ON Technology.