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Electronics and electrotechnics Industry:
GREATER SAFETY AND SECURITY NEEDED
EVERYWHERE
Besides good usability and a pleasing form, the primary consideration
for various machines and equipment is safety and security.
Our safety and security are guaranteed by locks, sensors,
security cameras, protective clothing, shoes, tyres and different
kinds of protective equipment. Without data security and anti-virus
security information technology will come to a halt; thousands
of viruses will invade computers.
A revolution is in progress – the world is increasingly
mobile and increasingly dependent on technology and communication
in various forms. Mobility has crept up on us, and wireless
is the obvious next phase. Many of the new devices are just
like traditional PCs, with the same security risks, or more.
IT departments or security managers should build a security
infrastructure for the inevitable time when business is wireless.
Managers should give their staff the tools they need to be
productive, and not let distance or location impede them.
Everyone should be able to take advantage of the latest technology.
There are risks out there: DSL connections, cable modems,
the always-on problem, hackers gaining access to systems and
corporate networks, eavesdroppers snooping on data in transit,
thieves going off with data in clear text as well as the equipment
itself – all these compromise confidentiality.
Protect confidential information everywhere
Confidential information must be protected anywhere it is
created, stored, accessed and transmitted. Security must be
“wrapped around” the information.
IT departments or security managers should provide protection
against telecommuting risks through distributed, portable
firewalls to stop hackers in always-on connections. Protection
against mobility risks can be secured by using file encryption
software to encrypt all data on the device itself automatically.
It is good to remember that new devices will inevitably bring
new risks that must be countered with new protection.
Safeguard the home front
Security managers should not assume that the gateway is enough,
or that the firewall stops all evil – or even that all
users are good users. They should protect their data against
internal breaches (did you know that over 50% of security
incidents are internal?). They should make it easy for users
to follow policies. Do not rely on the end-user to remember!
Information from one department to another should be safeguarded.
A firewall should be put up in all critical locations –
perhaps even on each user’s system. The IT department
should ensure that virus software is updated – and run!
In addition, virus signature databases must be automatically
updated and anti-virus software run automatically each time
a file is touched or a script is downloaded to any device.
Sensitive data should be encrypted automatically, but the
complexity should be hidden from the users by making encryption
the default. And lastly, secure authentication should be used.
Published
2003
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