As technology improves, so must security. From asset management to basic security, IT is taking powerful steps toward a wide range of security issues. Forbe’s Vick Vaishnavi said, “The last 12 months have seen numerous newspaper articles detailing IT security breaches involving companies from all around the world.”
Vaishnavi goes on to explain the common denominator to these breaches – they all involved some type of “unauthorized access,” in some form. This has driven many corporations to examine not only general security, but their Identity and Access Management (IAM) processes. Overall, we are beginning to see a process like IT asset management becoming better shaped and internally organized.
This multifaceted approach is certainly a positive one for companies across the world. By taking a look at internal and external processes, the company can understand and implement a holistic approach that also can have a positive impact on the environment. For instance, in DarkReading.com Ericka Chickowski outlines why IT security needs risk management, it is clear that the “fixation on technology” is counterproductive.
IT Increasing Security Measures
Dominic Saunders concentrates on ways to make the staff more aware of security. The first, unsurprisingly, fits in the “logical” context – removing the staff’s state of “drowning in a sea of paper.” Saunders recommends a multi-sensory approach, such as training videos that can be watched at their own convenience. Companies must rid themselves of instructional manuals that are not written for them in mind – and with only that medium as a way to learn about certain processes.
Yet, IT is taking plenty of bold tech-based steps for security in 2012, which is an interesting and primary point of emphasis besides the integral risk and asset management considerations. Here are some of the “10 crazy IT security tricks that actually work” as determined by Roger Grimes:
- Admins: Grimes takes a look at two interesting “admin” fixes, involving the bold technique of getting rid of admins altogether. In this, getting rid of privileged accounts is involved. However, a more normal technique is found in renaming admins, which can eliminate password campaigns in their tracks.
- Custom Directories: Most malware doesn’t look anywhere except inside default directories, according to Grimes. This allows installing to custom directories to have great effectiveness. Even if they get in – they won’t succeed.
- Network Traffic Flow Analysis: Are “hundreds of gigabytes of data suddenly and unexpectedly heading offshore,” in the words of Grimes? A number of free and commercial solutions are out there to investigate such a problem that could help identify security issues.
- Screensavers: Password-protected screensavers are a life saver, in personal or business contexts.
A Positive Outlook for the Future of IT
Overall, IT is beginning to better shape every aspect of its security – from internal procedures to tech-based defenses – to be able to meet increasing security breaches that have been seen. There are even green efforts being taken to help restructure the IT world and move into the future. The need is certainly in sight and the defense-based developments are a priority in 2012.
