Security Expert Questions the Data on Norton’s Alleged Most-Vulnerable City List

March 24, 2010 - PRLog -- An Internet security expert, interviewed by Seattle Biz Coach Terry Corbell, doubts the veracity of the Norton research in its recently released list of 50 cities most-threatened by cyber crime.

“While some of the factors used in assessing ‘risk’ would seem to appropriate, my bottom line was expressed best by G.K. Chesterton: ‘It’s not that they don’t know the answer. It’s that they don’t even know the question’,” says Dr. Stan Stahl, a noted Internet security expert in Los Angeles.

Norton’s list of cities was developed as a result of the cyber-attack data compiled by Norton and other factors. The top five: Seattle, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Raleigh.

Dr. Stahl tells The Biz Coach that missing from the Norton criterion are details that would serve to mitigate risk, such as:

• Number of information systems security professionals in the city
• Average number of information security professionals per 1,000 computers and per company
• Percentage of computers who connect to hotspots using a VPN (virtual private network).
• Percentage of companies ISO27001 certified (ISO refers to international organization standardization)
• Numbers of CISSPs (certified information systems security professionals), CISMs (Certified Information Security Managers), etc.
• Percentage of businesses/homes with professionally managed firewalls

The full Biz Coach report: http://www.bizcoachinfo.com/archives/3107.

Mr. Corbell’s expertise is why the New York Times featured him twice. First, columnist Brent Bowers profiled him ("Been There... Done That... Here's How - New York Times"). Mr. Bowers also asked him to take questions from the newspaper’s readers. It resulted in an avalanche of readers seeking Mr. Corbell’s business counsel ("Advice on Taking an Entrepreneurial Leap - New York Times").

In addition to his Web site, The Biz Coach is also published on the Money News page at Seattle's CBS-TV affiliate, KIRO. KIRO is the "2009 National Edward R. Murrow Award Winner for Overall Excellence."

Mr. Corbell has written more than 500 business-coaching columns since 2001 for several media Web sites.

Mr. Corbell has provided confidential business solutions and best-management practices for Seattle-area companies ranging from high-tech to professional service firms, and for the public sector since 1992.

As managing member of CMS Associates LLC, http://www.cmsassociatesllc.com, he is developer of The CMS Approach – strategic proprietary systems and best-practices management.

Mr. Corbell is writing a book tentatively entitled, “How to Watch Your Back in the Jungle – Avoiding Business Predators.”

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Biz Coach Terry Corbell is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. As a longtime media columnist, he publishes performance-enhancing strategies at The Biz Coach: http://www.bizcoachinfo.com, Proven Solutions for Maximum Profits.