Verizon Business, U.S. Secret Service to Join Forces On 2010 Data Breach Investigations Report

PRESS RELEASE

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – As part of its continuing effort to better understand security breaches and how they can be prevented, Verizon is joining forces with the United States Secret Service on this year’s Data Breach Investigations Report.

The 2010 DBIR, slated to be issued this summer, will feature aggregated findings from Verizon’s own caseload as well as hundreds of computer crime cases investigated by the Secret Service, in a first-of-its-kind collaboration.

By including Secret Service data, Verizon security researchers expect to gain a unique perspective on data breaches, including what happens after a breach to identify suspects, make arrests, and extradite foreign nationals, and how cybercriminals are prosecuted, among other new findings.

“Verizon is significantly broadening the scope of the 2010 DBIR to gain new insight into how data breaches occur, especially in the consumer sector,” said Peter Tippett, vice president of technology and innovation for Verizon Business. “With a greatly expanded dataset, this year’s report will give a more accurate picture of data breaches around the globe while delving into new areas in an effort to better arm organizations worldwide in the fight against cybercrime.”

Verizon Enterprise Risk and Incident-Sharing Framework at Work

In cooperation with Verizon, the Secret Service is using the Verizon Incident Sharing, or VERIS, framework -- a not-for-profit, open-source structure to describe security incidents -- to classify and analyze its 2009 breaches. Earlier this year, Verizon began publicly sharing this research framework, which the company uses to collect and analyze security-incident data for its landmark data breach investigations reports.

The VERIS framework will enable Verizon security researchers to compare the Secret Service’s caseload data with Verizon’s historical dataset to gain a better understanding of how security breaches occur and what can be done to better manage risk.

“Combating computer-related crimes targeting the U.S. financial infrastructure is a top Secret Service priority,” said Secret Service Assistant Director for Investigations Michael Merritt. “We are proud to partner with our colleagues in the private sector, academia and at all levels of government to better identify and prevent these insidious attacks.”

About United States Secret Service

The U.S. Secret Service has taken a lead role in mitigating the threat of financial crimes since the agency’s inception in 1865. As technology has evolved, the scope of the U.S. Secret Service’s mission has expanded from its original counterfeit currency investigations to also include emerging financial crimes alongside its protective mission. As a component agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Secret Service has established successful partnerships in both the law enforcement and business communities – across the country and around the world – in order to effectively combat financial crimes.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world’s most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions. We securely connect today’s extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees – enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment. Many of the world’s largest businesses and governments – including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions – rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.