Bermuda-based technology services company Independent Consulting Solutions (ICS) will be holding a seminar next week to update local businesses on best practice strategies to combat security threats to computer networks.

ICS will join forces with US Internet security solutions company Check Point Software Technologies to host the one-time event. They will address the changing nature of network security threats and how intelligence security solutions can help protect a company?s data and online environment.

The seminar is open to anyone responsible for securing company information and I.T. networks and will take place at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess from 11.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. on Thursday, September 23. Presentations will include information about advances in Virtual Private Network (VPN) and firewall technology, as well as the latest developments in internal security to protect organisations from the spread of worms and application attacks.

Specific topics the presenters will discuss include Internal Security Gateways, VPN-1 Edge/Safe offering Office, Securing Access from Anywhere, Intelligent Firewalls and Integrated Management.

?This seminar will be relevant for all sizes of organisation, from a single-site customer to large enterprises with many overseas offices,? said Robert Salmon, president and CEO of ICS. ?There will be an opportunity for all attendees to see and touch actual solutions and to spend meaningful time with senior technical specialists both from ICS and from Check Point.

?We understand all too clearly the need for a complete holistic approach that takes security way beyond the firewall,? he added. ?While properly configured and located firewalls have been successfully deployed in many organisations, defeating more than 90 percent of network attacks, hackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their approaches to circumventing the traditional access control policies enforced by perimeter firewalls.

?Today they are advancing well past scanning for open ports on firewalls and are now directly targeting applications.?

According to Mr. Salmon some of the most serious threats in today?s Internet environment come from attacks that attempt to exploit known application vulnerabilities.

?Since application-driven attacks are sophisticated in nature, effective defences must be equally tight and intelligent,? says Mr. Salmon.

?As such, this seminar will look at the complete picture and offer solutions which enable all sizes of organisation to cost-effectively protect both their networks and their applications, while providing robust access control to I.T. resources.?

Alicia Harwell, territory manager for Check Point Software Technologies, said all attendees will have a chance to compare their current security procedures with the complete range of solutions offered by the company.

?We will give a quick overview of Check Point and then quickly dive into the specifics of our products including those relating to stateful inspection, application intelligence and what platforms are supported, such as Nokia, SecurPlatform, Crossbeam and others,? she said.

Check Point Software Technologies, through its Next Generation product line, offers a broad range of intelligent perimeter, internal and web security solutions designed to protect business communications and resources for corporate networks and applications, remote employees, branch offices and partner extranets.

The company?s solutions are sold, integrated and serviced by a network of more than 2,300 Check Point partners in 92 countries.