I attended a Microsoft seminar about business vulnerability and computer information security threats. The event highlighted the latest Security Intelligence Report (SIR) version 7.0 released on November 2009. A large group of people from end users, software developers, to IT managers flocked the session. The Microsoft seminar series was rightly dubbed “Risky Business”.

The report showed data, which keep you informed of the major trends in the vulnerability and threat landscape. Over the years, there is a changing landscape of the computer threats as mobile devices emerge. Software vulnerability disclosures and exploits are becoming a common headline on news. Malicious software (malware) and potentially unwanted software easily creeps into the computer infrastructure.

Battling these threats is a challenge of everyone in the computer industry. Microsoft’s security strategy includes varied approach from Security Development Lifecycle, Microsoft Security Response Center, security software updates to security tools and resources. A lot of information in the area of security, products, tools and services available to the users have been shown during the seminar. It made clear that the new focus of information security in every organization is to protect its digital assets.

The seminar has given me a fresh look on computer data and information security. During these financial uncertainty IT security officers are on high demand. I believe it would be good for someone responsible of security to invest getting a full information security master degree from a reputable online university. Information security awareness is a sound investment from both technical or business perspective in preventing data loss and computer breaches.