Q-cert works to apply security best practices 


Q-cert is working with organizations that develop, promote, and apply security best-practices, Q-cert director says.
Qcert with MicrosoftMr. Al Hashimy & Mr. Hamoudi during the conference
Out of its keenness on promoting cyber security and protecting businesses and consumers from malicious software, Q-CERT, which joined Microsoft Security Program, attended a press conference held in Marriot Hotel on November 24, 2008 to announce the release of Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIR)'s fifth volume..

""We are committed to working with organizations that develop, promote, and apply security best-practices that result in increased protection and a more trusted computing experience for our citizens. This is why we joined the Microsoft Security Program as the national point of contact, and now welcome the publication of the latest Security Intelligence Report. We expect that through ongoing research and analysis of online threat trends, we can increase awareness of the latest Internet threats, improve security, and diminish the impact of attacks,"" Khalid al-Hashmi, Q-CERT Director, said during the press conference. 

"We are also committed to working with organizations such as Q-CERT to apply the data and intelligence from the report to our research and response efforts to provide customers with increased protection and services,"said Mohamed Hamoudi, Microsoft-Qatar Director.

The Microsoft Security Intelligence Report also demonstrates the progress that Microsoft has made to better secure its software via its secure software development and security response processes. For example, Microsoft vulnerabilities in the first half of 2008 were down 33.6 percent from the second half of 2007. Based on the key findings from the report, Microsoft recommends customers use the data, insights and guidance in the report to better assess and improve their own security practices. Some of the active steps Microsoft recommends include the following:

• Check for and apply software updates on an ongoing basis, including updates provided for third-party applications.
• Enable a firewall.
• Install and maintain up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware programs that provide increased protection from malicious and potentially unwanted software.
• Exercise caution when opening links and attachments in e-mail and instant messages, even if they are from a known, trusted source.

Q-CERT was founded by ictQATAR in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University to serve as the Qatari national center for information security. It provides assistance to the cyber community of Qatar to counter the range of threats highlighted in the Microsoft Security Intelligence Report through activities such as its national Cyber Security Network (CSN) initiative (contact csn@qcert.org), its Critical Infrastructure Protection activities, and its security training program, all of which are accessible through the website (www.qcert.org).






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