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All about the e-word

By Yasmine El-Rashidi

The Internet -- investors say -- is about to take Egypt by storm.

"The Egyptian economy is changing, the Internet culture is growing, and Egypt is becoming a dominant regional force in information technology," Mustafa Sarhank, president of Internet Security Systems (ISS), Middle East, told Al-Ahram Weekly.

ISS's recent selection of Egypt as head base of operations in the region says a lot about the state of information technology in the region.

"It looks as if Egypt is witnessing a huge development boom," Alex Bogart, vice president of ISS told Al-Ahram Weekly. "There is a change in the rate of development... full support of the government behind advancement of communications and technology, and interest from investors."

Be it e-commerce, web-surfing or on-line publications, the boom brings with it the dire need for security.

"That's where we come in," Sarhank says. "Our job is to secure networks -- whether they be the Internet, or intranet. Hacking is a universal phenomenon, be it the stealing of secrets or destruction of documents. It happens everywhere, and it is inevitable that as e-business increases, so will hacking."

While the number of hacking incidents in Egypt is not known -- and goes, for the most part, unreported -- Sarhank stresses that it is a problem.

"Do we have proof that it is a problem in Egypt? No we don't. Are we vulnerable? We certainly are," Sarhank says. "As e- business moves from West to East, and e-commerce really booms, Internet security stops being a luxury. In fact, it can't even be looked at as an option (but a) necessity."

Both security gurus explain that while many firms and corporations believe they are safe from the problems of computer whizzes trying to get into their system, it is crucial to realise that there is always a backdoor.

"Some of the more common, popular security systems now have their own backdoors," Sarhank says. "Take the firewall for example. It works in the way an ID works. If I wanted to come to Al-Ahram, you would leave a message at the door that I was coming. When I arrived, security would call your office and tell you your guest is here. I would have to leave my ID at the door. The loophole," he continues, "stems from the fact that the ID I hand in could indeed have the correct guest name on it, but I don't have to be that person. I could be anyone."

"We are like the bank of last resort," Bogart takes over, "the first thing we do is familiarise ourselves with the system, put out a vulnerability assessment report and pinpoint problems. We specialise, though, in intrusion detection and vulnerability scanning."

In other words they lurk.

"We monitor... all those possible back entries," Bogart explains. "And when .. there is a threat in the system, we .. reconfigurate the whole topology of the networks."

ISS's method is gaining ground in the region as the only effective way of securing a system.."

In Egypt, the Firewall is the most popular option, but in a country about to embrace e-commerce, it would be sad if this wall of fire kept its place.

"It actually impedes e-commerce," Sarhank stresses. "If you're offering goods over the Internet, you need everyone to be able to come into your store -- even if they just want to browse. Firewalls don't allow this. It's like having a shop with a lock on the door and saying that only if you have the key can you come in."

The security method of choice is clear. The problem, though, is awareness.

"Six months ago the whole e-business culture was foreign," Bogart says. "But now, I see people beginning to understand it; beginning to understand, also, that you can't look to e-commerce in every country in the same light. We have to understand the culture and mechanics of each country and treat the information technology culture accordingly."

In doing so, ISS has plans to bring training programmes to Egypt to educate the locals on the whole net culture -- hackers and all.

"The main objective of my trip," Bogart says, "was to plant the seeds of the first ISS university in Egypt. The institution would focus on educating people so they can support the growing IT infrastructure in the country."

Sarhank too firmly believes that education is a key.

"When we educate our youth and reach to the grassroots level, it is good not only for those already in the market, but also for potential investors. They will see we are serious and putting down the foundations for long-term change," Sarhank says.

The plans are big and the interest high. The only obstacle, then, would be putting plan into action.

Their motto, though, will save the day.

Ask Bogart "when?" He says only ASAP.

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