Enterprises are moving forward with service oriented architecture (SOA) projects to reduce complexity and increase flexibility between systems and applications, but some security pros fear they're being left behind and must scramble to learn new ways to protect those systems from Web-based attacks.

"Some applications are exposed like never before," said Ian Lange, a senior security manager at an Ohio-based manufacturer implementing SOA. "We're introducing better ways for systems and applications to interact but we're also giving attackers new avenues to conduct their attacks."