Local technology company Paragon (Bermuda) Ltd. yesterday unveiled a new "threat assessment'' computer security service for companies who want to find out just how secure their systems are. The service entails Paragon consultants simulating attacks on computer systems in a controlled environment.

"We've already encountered real security threats right here in Bermuda including viruses, e-mail spamming and port scanning activity,'' Paragon president Graham Pearson said. "With the growth of e-commerce and the Internet, we believe Bermuda's businesses will increase their vulnability to attack. Crossing your fingers and hoping that your defences will outsmart sophisticated attackers is an unnecessary business risk for managers to take.

"With `threat assessment' you can find out exactly where you stand if, for some reason, your company is singled out for attack.'' He explained the service: "Paragon consultants plan and simulate real intruders' attacks, both external and internal, on an organisation's network and computer assets to see how the system would perform under attack.

"Each simulation is customised to match the client's unique systems including their Internet services, e-mail, databases, network configurations, firewalls and other systems.'' Paragon senior consultant Walter Cooke , a certified information systems security professional (CISSP) with 25-years'-plus experience in computer security leads the "threats assessment'' service.

*** BPL HIRES COX, ORCHARD APP BPL hires Cox, Orchard Bermuda Properties Ltd. , owners of the Castle Harbour Resort, has appointed accountant Anne Marie Cox director of finance. She will be responsible for overall management of the company's financial division and budgeting. Prior to joining BPL she was audit manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Bermuda.

The company also announced the appointment of Mark Orchard as development manager responsible for managing the redevelopment of its properties including Castle Harbour Hotel, Castle Harbour Golf Club and the various residential developments.

Mr. Orchard is an associate of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and was previously vice president, commercial development at the Bermuda Land Development Company.

BPL is undertaking a major redevelopment of the Castle Harbour Resort into a five-star tourist destination which will include renovations of the Castle Harbour Hotel, improvements to the golf course, creation of a new spa and tennis club as well as a residential development.

*** MCKENNA LEAVING EMERAL FINANCIAL BUC McKenna leaving Emerald Financial Emerald Financial Group's high-profile senior financial consultant Ingrid McKenna is leaving the company to return home to Dublin, Ireland. Her last day of office will be March 24. She joined Emerald in 1994 when the company, owned by David and Antoinette Bolden , was just starting out in the financial consulting and investment business. She said her decision to leave the company and Bermuda "was not an easy one''.

*** CHAPMAN JOINS HR ASSOCIATES APP Chapman joins HR Associates Bermudian Fiona Chapman has joined HR Associates Ltd as a management consultant.

HR Associates president Doug Soares said, "I am delighted to have Fiona join our consulting team. She is an accomplished HR professional with extensive experience in the international business sector.'' Ms Chapman has over 10 years experience managing human resources within insurance and reinsurance companies. She also possesses a graduate degree in business administration.

HR Associates is a management consulting firm dedicated to improving workplace productivity through improved human resource management.

*** BSX ANNOUNCES STK BSX announces delistings The Bermuda Stock Exchange has announced the voluntary withdrawal from listing of the Rosebud Investment Fund and the Bagheera Investment Fund .

RSL UNVEILS ROAMING CARD BUC RSL unveils roaming card Bermuda-based RSL Communications has announced an enhanced global roaming card, which will provide business executives and other travellers with competitively priced phone calls and "an unparallelled'' level of customer service.

Calls are carried over RSLNET, the company's global communications backbone, allowing lower costs to users.

Initially, the new card is being offered to customers in the UK and will be rolled out to customers in other countries around the world where RSL COM currently operates. The RSL COM roaming calling card allows travellers to make calls from any phone -- including hotels and payphones -- at lower rates than through traditional telephone operators such as BT, AT&T and Sprint. The card will initially be available to use from 55 countries to call to virtually anywhere in the world, all at very competitive prices. The caller dials a local free-phone number, then simply enters their ID code followed by the number required.

*** BACARDI APPOINTS PR OFFICER APP Bacardi appoints PR officer Bermuda-headquartered Bacardi Limited announced this week it had appointed Robert O'Leary to the position of vice president of public affairs & communications. Mr. O'Leary also has been appointed to the executive committee of the corporation. Based in Bacardi's Washington, D.C. office, Mr. O'Leary will oversee the company's worldwide government relations, public relations and corporate reputation strategies. Before joining Bacardi, Mr. O'Leary, 49, served as General Manager of Global Public Affairs for Mobil Corporation, based in Fairfax, Virginia. During his four years with Mobil, he directed the energy industry leader's overall corporate communica-tions and public affairs activities. Most recently, he served as Mobil's lead executive for internal and external communications related to the company's merger with Exxon Corporation.

"We're delighted to have Bob join the Bacardi team,'' said Bacardi Limited President and CEO George Reid, Jr.

*** If you would like to make a submission to Company Moves, which runs each Friday, please fax or e-mail it to the attention of Marina Esplin-Jones 292-2498, or editorial ygazette.newsmedia.bm, or telephone 295-5881.

Under threat: Could a hacker get into your company's computer system?