Web Design · SEO service · hosting

MIT develops network analysis tool

MITs Lincoln Laboratory has developed a network mapping tool that enables managers to track likely hacking routes.

The tool, dubbed NetSPA for Network Security Planning Architecture, scans the network architecture, the individual computers it connects and a list of likely vulnerabilities to generate a threat mitigation program.

"It's a matter of what the attacker can get to and in what order," says Kyle Ingols, a computer scientist working on NetSPA
"If you spend time patching vulnerabilities the attacker can't get to first, you've left your network exposed longer."

The software also suggests the quickest way to block off holes effectively and ways to configure the network to mitigate the damage from an undetected attack.

"Instead of patching or fixing or blocking a thousand hosts, we could say there are 10 critical hosts and patch those first."

The tool uses vulnerability scanners that are commonly available but also speeds up the scanning process and adds in scans of firewalls and router settings to predict likely hacking routes.

Amazon crushes Kindle rumours

Amazon has moved to squash rumours of a new version of its Kindle ebook reader any time soon.

Analysts had been predicting a cut down version of the Kindle for the education sector but now the company has said that there will be no new model this year.

"Don't believe everything you read -- there's a lot of rumour and speculation out there about Kindle," Amazon spokesman Craig Berman told the New York Times.

"One thing I can tell you for sure is that there will be no new version of Kindle this year. A new version will come out sometime next year at the earliest."

He made no comment on rumours of a model aimed at students.