CESNET has organized a specialized seminar titled Security of networks and services

Over 70 guests took part in the specialized seminar Security of Networks and Services that was organized on Thursday, 10 May 2007, in the blue auditorium of Charles University by the CESNET association. The main topic of the seminar was the security of networks and services provided over these networks, with a focus on the issues of security incidents.

Consistent and efficient resolution of security incidents including removal of their causes and consequences is an important part of the preventive and active protection of computers and computer networks. That is why it is necessary for administrators and users of networks and computers to be aware of potential security compromising of these systems, having operational structures, efficient procedures, rules and technical means at hand, leading to the fastest possible removal of all issues while minimizing the damage incurred.

Seminar participants have been informed about the security incident issues – including types of these incidents, their importance, detection and creation of a suitable environment enabling their efficient tracking to the originators. In addition, participants have received basic rules for successful incident handling, correct reporting of security incidents detected and responding to reported security incidents. Great attention has also been paid to the legislation issues bound to the computer and network security. The program also included topics from the field of copyright law and issues connected with personal data protection within security incident handling as well as basic recommendations for communicating with an injured party complaining about a security incident.

When creating the content of all contributions presented, we drew upon the actual operation of the CESNET-CERTS security team, which was established in January 2004 by the CESNET association to coordinate resolution of security incidents in the CESNET2 network.

The seminar was targeted primarily at administrators of networks and services of institutions connected to the CESNET2 network and at persons responsible for the network and service security issues and handling of security incidents within their organizations. CESNET had received many topics for the content of lectures directly from administrators of local networks connected to the CESNET2 network. Presenters used this opportunity to hand over a number of network administration recommendations to the administrators, discussing the security issues from the viewpoint of the national research network operator.

The CESNET association was founded by universities and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The association is currently financed mainly from the resources of the governmental Committee for Research and Education and the resources of the members of the association. The association deals with the research and development of information and communication technologies, building and developing the national gigabit optical network, CESNET2, designed for research and educational purposes. With its research activities and accomplishments, the CESNET association can represent the Czech Republic in the pan-European GÉANT2 network construction project as well as other international projects.