Business case for purchasing Hackershield security testing software

Executive Leadership Team, Advanced Research

Hackershield Security Testing Software

Today, security has become an integral part of information technology networks and Advanced Research is in need of an improved approach to its security precautions. The purpose of this executive proposal is to provide the company's executive leadership team with a description concerning the benefit of testing and identifying vulnerabilities before they are exploited by hackers through the use of Hackershield Security Testing Software, including a description of the application, its purpose and associated benefits in support of its purchase and implementation. Finally, a summary of the research and important findings concerning the benefits of Hackershield Security Testing Software together with recommendations for its purchase by Advanced Research are provided in the executive proposal's conclusion.

Review and Analysis

Description of Hackershield Security Testing Software

This application uses a proactive approach to information technology (IT) security by actively scanning, testing and identifying potential security-related problems. For instance, according to the software's vendor, "HackerShield performs daily security scans employing industry-standard, as well as advanced software and methodologies to scan, test, and identify security vulnerabilities" (Hackershield, 2015, para. 2). In addition, in an effort to standardize the terminology concerning corporate network vulnerabilities, Hackershield Security Testing Software also incorporates the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) list that assigns a number to each type of vulnerability that the software security product is used to detect (Group debates what's in a name, 2009). This application also creates a map of an IT network in order to develop an inventory of its constituent components, including servers, workstations and other IT devices (Ethical hacking and countermeasures: Attack phase, 2009). The purpose of these features is discussed further below.

The Benefits of Hackershield Security Testing Software

There are numerous benefits that can accrue to the use of Hackershield Security Testing Software. For example, according to Manzuik (2015), "HackerShield is a security and vulnerability scanning tool that checks for more than 450 potential problems and can automatically update itself with new security checks from BindView" (para. 2). In addition, this application can automatically fix some types of vulnerabilities and reverse any modifications that have been made to an IT system by a hacker (Manzuik, 2015). Some of the other benefits of using Hackershield Security Testing Software include the following:

It is easy to investigate each IT device for vulnerable programs;

It ensures that the IT network and servers are prepared to defend against Internet attacks (Ethical hacking and countermeasures: Attack phase, 2009, p. 18);

It ensures that the IT network and servers are prepared to defend against any attacks that succeed in bypassing the firewall (Ethical hacking and countermeasures: Attack phase, 2009, p. 18);

It identifies security holes on servers and workstations with multiple operating systems (Ethical hacking and countermeasures: Attack phase, 2009, p. 18);

It provides information concerning any modifications that are made by hackers to system files (Ethical hacking and countermeasures: Attack phase, 2009, p. 19);

IT tests for potential Denial of Service (DoS) problems (Manzuik, 2015); and,

It tests and scans all TCP/IP devices (Manzuik, 2015).

Because Advanced Research relies heavily on its online resources to conduct business transactions and provide potential clients with information concerning our services, any denial of service attacks could have severe consequences that may not be easily remedied. For example, Gao (2013) emphasizes that, "Hacking efforts through Distributed Denial of Service attacks or other means are persistent threats for companies" (p. 13). Just as important, the potential for hackers to hold the company's IT network as a virtual hostage also exists. In this regard, Gao (2013) adds that, "A large-scale attack can interrupt connections to the company's servers, causing a complete shutdown of its operations. Once hackers realize they can disrupt service, they often attack the same company again, often with a demand of blackmail payment before they will stop" (p. 13).

Based on his analysis of the efficacy of the Hackershield Security Testing Software package, Manzuik emphasizes that, "HackerShield was impressive in its levels of reporting. Not only were the reports complete and accurate, but they also gave me the option of selecting certain vulnerabilities and letting the scanner automatically repair them" (2015, para. 5). The Hackshield software package also contains a number of other attributes that would be highly beneficial for Advanced Research that would justify its purchase. For instance, Manzuik (2015) adds that, "HackerShield is one of the best products that I have reviewed so far. BindView's technical support was competent and helpful when I ran into problems. All in all, the product left me confident that each host that it scanned and repaired was safe and secure" (para. 6). Finally, the software package offered by Hackershield is reasonably priced given its broad-based and powerful security features. In this regard, Manzuik concluded that, "At a cost of $1,995.00 for a 25-user license, HackerShield definitely has a home in my security toolkit" (2015, para. 7).

Conclusion

Given Advanced Research's ongoing efforts to maintain the security of the company's information technology network, the research showed that the addition of the Hackershield Security Testing Software represents a timely and justifiable purchase. The benefits of this testing software include its ease of use in developing network maps and identifying potential vulnerabilities for each constituent component. In addition, the Hackershield product can be configured to automatically perform many of its features, and the graphical comparisons of the HTML-formatted reports can identify the most serious security issues at any given point in time. Furthermore, the Hackershield product was shown to be a cost-effective solution to the company's ongoing IT security needs. Taken together, these attributes indicate that the Hackershield Security Testing Software should be purchased and installed on Advanced Research's IT network at the earliest opportunity.