2007-03-09
Managing the secure use of portable devices
Information theft and proprietary data leakage are making headlines frequently. Major organizations are forced to inform the public regarding compromised private customer records, and some are also slapped with steep fines.
Most occurrences of information leakage and data theft are attributed to insiders, network users with legitimate access to enterprise data. Controlling and monitoring how data leaves the organization is very challenging since commonly used gadgets like iPods, thumb drives and even cell phones can easily be used to download data from PCs. The problem is that those gadgets are not managed.
Unmanaged portable devices pose a huge risk for organizations and create a massive gap in enterprise security management. Typically those portable devices have been introduced to organizations by individual users with no coordination support or control of network administrators. Since companies don’t have visibility into these devices, they are prime targets for information theft and data leaks. Employees can download business-critical, proprietary information or even run the risk of inadvertently introducing malware to corporate networks with their portable devices.
So what’s the solution? A management platform that protects, manages and secures the use of removable media and portable devices. Enterprises must consider utilizing a management platform which effectively extends the reach of enterprise management to include these vulnerable endpoints; portable devices.
Ideally organizations should be able to centrally control, monitor and log how data is downloaded and uploaded from desktop and laptop computers to removable media and portable devices. Unauthorized transactions should be blocked and all activities monitored and communicated in real time to management servers. The solution should shield networks from malware copied to endpoints and secure networks from exposure to the outside world through WiFi, Bluetooth and other interfaces.
Is this technology available today? Yes, endpoint security technology is deployed by some of the world’s most security-sensitive organizations including the Israeli Ministry of Defense and El-Al Airlines, as well as regional banks and international financial organizations, law firms, major healthcare companies, etc.
“Data security is a number one priority for our bank and we have been looking for an efficient solution to address the area of endpoint protection.” Amnon Beck, senior vice president, First International Bank.
In conclusion, be aware of your vulnerable endpoints and scope out the needs of the enterprise. You will begin to notice what seems like an infinite number of possibilities for information leakage. The mission of the enterprise should be to seek out a management platform that effectively extends the reach of the enterprise management to include these vulnerable endpoints; removable media (CDs, floppies, memory sticks), portable devices (iPods, PDAs, modems) and communication interfaces (PCMCIA, Bluetooth, WiFi.)
Most occurrences of information leakage and data theft are attributed to insiders, network users with legitimate access to enterprise data. Controlling and monitoring how data leaves the organization is very challenging since commonly used gadgets like iPods, thumb drives and even cell phones can easily be used to download data from PCs. The problem is that those gadgets are not managed.
Unmanaged portable devices pose a huge risk for organizations and create a massive gap in enterprise security management. Typically those portable devices have been introduced to organizations by individual users with no coordination support or control of network administrators. Since companies don’t have visibility into these devices, they are prime targets for information theft and data leaks. Employees can download business-critical, proprietary information or even run the risk of inadvertently introducing malware to corporate networks with their portable devices.
So what’s the solution? A management platform that protects, manages and secures the use of removable media and portable devices. Enterprises must consider utilizing a management platform which effectively extends the reach of enterprise management to include these vulnerable endpoints; portable devices.
Ideally organizations should be able to centrally control, monitor and log how data is downloaded and uploaded from desktop and laptop computers to removable media and portable devices. Unauthorized transactions should be blocked and all activities monitored and communicated in real time to management servers. The solution should shield networks from malware copied to endpoints and secure networks from exposure to the outside world through WiFi, Bluetooth and other interfaces.
Is this technology available today? Yes, endpoint security technology is deployed by some of the world’s most security-sensitive organizations including the Israeli Ministry of Defense and El-Al Airlines, as well as regional banks and international financial organizations, law firms, major healthcare companies, etc.
“Data security is a number one priority for our bank and we have been looking for an efficient solution to address the area of endpoint protection.” Amnon Beck, senior vice president, First International Bank.
In conclusion, be aware of your vulnerable endpoints and scope out the needs of the enterprise. You will begin to notice what seems like an infinite number of possibilities for information leakage. The mission of the enterprise should be to seek out a management platform that effectively extends the reach of the enterprise management to include these vulnerable endpoints; removable media (CDs, floppies, memory sticks), portable devices (iPods, PDAs, modems) and communication interfaces (PCMCIA, Bluetooth, WiFi.)
