Emtec »

Accueil Adviser Articles Emtec Adviser - Rethinking Security

Emtec Adviser - Rethinking Security

Biometrics, GPS among responses to latest security challenges.

Increasing levels of cyber crime, numerous regulatory and compliance requirements, and an explosion in usage of consumer devices and applications in the workplace likely will drive investments in security solutions such as biometrics-based protection of mobile devices, token-based encryption for sensitive transactions and location-based security systems.

“The consumerization of IT trend presents a double-edged sword,” said Patricia Titus, chief information security officer at Unisys. “On one hand, ready access to popular devices and technologies gives consumers and employees a level of convenience and productivity they've never had before. On the other hand, security officers and professionals now must figure out how to address the new security challenges that arise as hundreds or thousands of these new devices and their associated applications are introduced into the enterprise infrastructure."

Unisys believes the following security trends will emerge in 2011 as organizations respond to the evolving threat landscape:

Increased focus on consumer device security policy. Tech-savvy information workers are blurring the lines between work and home in their use of consumer devices, but employers don't seem to have an accurate understanding of what technologies their employees are using in the workplace. To deal with this threat, organizations should reassess and extend their security policies beyond the physical edges of the enterprise network to secure employees’ use of mobile devices. Such policy changes will likely focus on authenticating the identities of device users and encrypting enterprise data as it traverses the network.

Biometric enablement of mobile devices. While many consumers are taking proactive steps to protect themselves against cyber crime and identity theft, only slightly more than a third of Internet users in the U.S. regularly use and update passwords on their mobile devices. Biometrics such as facial image or voice verification will be increasingly used in 2011 to verify the identities of mobile device users, in addition to the more traditional user ID or password. In addition, Unisys expects an increase in the use of token-based encryption to authenticate mobile device transactions. Examples around the world include smart cards to combat payment fraud and facial image or voice recognition verification through cell phones.

Port worker ID programs. Following recent terrorist incidents involving air cargo, U.S. government authorities are seeking more effective ways to secure shipments entering the country and to verify the identities of authorized personnel in restricted areas of maritime ports. Port security initiatives could be accelerated in the coming year with maritime ports increasingly adopting biometric-based identity and credentialing solutions. This could include a new wave of Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) implementations fueled by the success of TWIC field tests of integrated biometrics systems, such as at the Port of Los Angeles.

Business continuity planning as a defense against cyber attacks. Recent cyber attacks have resulted in highly publicized server outages that have shut down Internet access in government, academia and the private sector. With dependence on Internet communication continuing to grow, Unisys predicts an increasing interest in business continuity planning in 2011 as organizations work to ensure they can conduct critical business in the event of a cyber attack. Enterprises may invest more in alternative paths such as automatic rerouting of communications from voice over IP to cellular or satellite for critical communications in the event of an Internet outage.

Location-based security. Organizations will begin to exploit location-based technologies such as global positioning systems as a means of securing employee access to sensitive enterprise data and systems. Through use of these advanced technologies, IT managers can monitor in real time the locations of employees and limit or prevent their ability to access sensitive information or conduct sensitive transactions in high-risk areas such as public spaces. Use of such advanced location-based solutions can also allow organizations to better track staff deployed overseas and account for their locations in the event of a security incident.