Secure your sites: Cervenka is coming

White-hat hacker to host meet on prevention and damage-control

Publication : Times of India (Bangalore)
Page N0. : 1
Date : 14.08.2000
Circulation : 2,03,083

He has stunned the Internet world with accurate hacking. He has ripped apart their firewalls and security infrastructure only to show them how 'safe' their websites are. As an honor, the web gurus named him. Blue Adept. The man in question: Tom Cervenka.

A Net security expert with the US-based Internet Component Management Group (iCMG), Cervenka will be in Bangalore on August 24 to conducts a one-day workshop on Hacking portals and websites-prevention and damage control' at the Taj West End Hotel

. Cervenka a celebrated white-hat ethical hacker, has identified security loopholes in almost all high-traffic websites including Hotmail, Yahoo, Lycos, Excite, Ebay and Eudora.

A hacker is identified as a white-hat or black-hat depending on the direction in which he diverts his talent. White hat hackers are those who identify possible security loopholes and advice companies on the measures to be taken so that a particular sites is e-safe

. "Hackers are not just a nuisance but can also be the cause for business disaster in the digital economy. No firm seeking a position in this new business world would attempt to do so without necessary security measures. But these measures still do not guarantee immunity from hackers." Says V. Mridula, manager, Business Development Enterprises, iCMG, Bangalore.

This is where ethical hacking-an exercise to show that a site can be hacked-plays a role. "The Bangalore workshop, the first of kind in India, will examine the relationship between ethical hackers and corporate web device providers and e-commerce sites." Adds Mridula.

The Bangalore seminar aims at educating webmasters, designers, programmers, developers, business analysts and technical managers. Cervenka will also cover the coding aspect which is as simple as sending an e-mail and sensitive as online transactions. "Computer experts will get an opportunity to watch live ethical hacking and also learn tips on prevention Portals, Websites hacking and the damage-control modes." Says Poornima B R., Chief of Operations and Branding, iCMG, Bangalore.

Among the topics Cervenka will lay his hacking are background and philosophy of hacking, ethical hacking, relationship between ethical hackers and web-service companies and role of software companies, lawmakers and media.

For registration and other details of Bangalore seminar call 2865620 or 9844102432 or email: info@iCMGworld.com