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Security

Posted on 13 Mar 2003 at 11:34

Alan Stevens explains how looking beyond merely technical solutions will benefit your business' security

Ask any business manager about their priorities and it's a safe bet that IT security will be high on the list, if not the number one concern. However, identifying security as an issue is easy, but doing something about it calls for a lot more work with a lot of not-so- obvious factors to take into consideration.

On the face of it, you just need to install a couple of quick-fix utilities - a firewall, for example - and maybe a few anti-virus scanners, all of which have been discussed and reviewed in depth in earlier issues of PC Pro. There's also plenty of 'expert' advice to be had when it comes to the technicalities of deployment, even companies offering to do everything for you. But security tools by themselves are far from a complete solution, with all manner of other questions and issues that need to be addressed to ensure they deliver on their promises.

IT budgets, for example, are getting tighter, so questions such as 'what are the threats?' and 'what should we be looking to secure?' have more than just technical implications. When money's scarce, you need to know which approaches provide the best value and what threats are better handled in other, non-technological, ways. Business and IT managers alike are increasingly seeking to identify alternatives to complex and expensive defensive products. Alternatives such as better management of resources, increased user training and clear acceptable use policies can both minimise security risks and help avoid litigation.

The aim of this feature is to discuss some of these important issues and perhaps get those responsible for IT security to, as the Americans say, think a little outside of the box. We'll still cover some of the technical questions, but at the same time look beyond the quick-fix solutions to see how changes in working practices, user training and the setting of realistic guidelines can reap more substantial rewards.

What's important
The first task is to examine and prioritise the threats facing the modern Internet-connected enterprise. Two clearly stand out: viruses, of which everyone needs to be aware, and common hacker attacks, typically involving so-called Trojans or hidden programs, spread by email. A firewall to deal with hacking attacks and good anti-virus protection are therefore essential, regardless of how big or small the organisation. You might also want to consider using firewalls to protect sensitive networks, such as personnel departments, from other LAN users. There are lots of hardware and software products to choose from. Moreover, if you're concerned about complexity, security appliances can provide firewall, anti-virus and other protection in a single plug-in box.

However, firewalls and anti-virus tools are far from 'fit and forget' solutions, even when deployed using appliances. They require continual management and monitoring to make sure they remain effective. You also need to be sure they can work together, not against each other. It's important too that you protect every point of vulnerability on the LAN - a crucial consideration often overlooked.

Not convinced? Then consider this. A few years ago, viruses were spread almost exclusively by floppy disk, with desktop scanning of floppies and hard disks all that was needed. Nowadays, viruses, Trojans and other malicious programs come not just on floppies, but CD-ROM, attached to emails, inside downloaded executables and compressed archive files - even embedded inside pictures, if recent reports are to be believed.