MPT Revises Security Measures, Incorporates Opinions from Public

[InfoSec News <isn () C4I ORG>]

http://www.nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com/wcs/leaf?CID=onair/asabt/news/104881

June 15, 2000 (TOKYO) -- The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
on June 8 released a revised version of the criteria for information
communications network security and reliability that includes new
measures against hackers.

The criteria is widely recommended to telecom operators in Japan.

A systems division of MPT's Telecommunications Bureau in charge of
mapping out the criteria is distributing the revised version.

The new criteria are also accessible at the ministry's home page (in
Japanese).

The ministry will finalize the new criteria by June 23 after
incorporating opinions from the public.

The criteria, which were released by the ministry in 1987, put
together standard measures for security and reliability assured in
commercial networks of the Type-I and Type-II telecom operators and
LAN networks in corporations.

The revised version was prompted by a series of hacker attacks on the
home pages of ministries and agencies in January and computer viruses
such as the "I LOVE YOU" virus in May, which threatened the security
and reliability of information networks.

In addition to including new measures to deal with hackers and viruses
the old criteria did not have, the revised version also incorporates
guidelines for mapping out information security policies for risk
management.

In addition to setting up firewalls, implementing measures to deal
with security holes and recording and storing log information, the
revised criteria require telecom operators to map out security
policies and obtain technology related to security and the latest
industry information.

The above-mentioned measures have already been common practice among
the operators to deal with information security, but the old criteria
did not arrange them as official items.

MPT decided to release the measures as guidelines amid growing calls
for assuring higher levels of information security and reliability
after the recent incidents by hackers and viruses.

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