AT&T Security Chief Says Carriers Should Predict, Prevent Attacks

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December 14, 2005 (5:50 PM EST)

AT&T Security Chief Says Carriers Should Predict, Prevent Attacks

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By K.C. Jones , TechWeb Technology News

A centralized military presence would be more effective in warning a neighborhood of incoming attacks than if each family sent grandpa up to their roof with field glasses.
AT&T Chief Security Officer Ed Amoroso used that analogy to explain his company's strategy for fighting cyber attacks.
"Every one of you is fighting the same cyber war," said Amoroso, a keynote speaker Wednesday at Interop in New York City.
Carriers have the power to detect problems by observing activity with a broad view. That, he said, puts them in a position to detect and prevent attacks of all kinds, rather than requiring each subscriber to individually erect firewalls and take redundant precautions against attacks. Though software creators need to improve their methods and reach for higher security standards, carriers must also take responsibility in providing much-needed improvements, he said.
"I remember getting the feeling in the early 90s that we were on the edge, on the cusp of something great," he said. "I think we're there now."
Amoroso said that evolving applications need to be better integrated and better protected, especially with broadband leaving computers more vulnerable.
Amoroso recounted several instances in which he knew something was amiss before attacks were confirmed. He specifically mentioned Slammer and Blaster, explaining that even though analysts said the attacks came without warning, he spotted unusual traffic leading up to the attacks.