a better way

It is said that the biggest weakness in any security system is the human factor. Many people today have to remember a number of password for things such as Internet Banking, ebay, Facebook etc. The inherent problem with this is that most people will either use the same password for everything or they will write them down, not so good. The is ever more important when it relates to your business data which, in the wrong hands, could be valuable. So what can be done?

encryption will set you free

The single best thing that you can do is to adopt encryption throughout your business. This means that if you were to loose a laptop, USB stick, CD Rom that had company data on it then the information would not be legible without knowing the password to decrypt it. Even if the hard disk was removed from a laptop and put into a new computer is still would not be readable.

so what’s my options

Now we have established why you need to encrypt your data we really should look at what you can do to encrypt it. If you are already using Windows 7 Ultimate or Enterprise you may have seen Bitlocker which is Microsoft’s drive encryption technology which allows you to perform whole of drive encryption. This in essence means that you encrypt the whole drive giving you maximum protection. If you don’t have this then you may have heard of Truecrypt which is an Open Source encryption solution and is capable of creating secure volumes as well as whole of drive encryption. In the commercial space there is Secuware which is able to perform whole of drive encryption along with Pre Boot Authentication (PBA). It is also able to perform file and folder encryption both stand-alone as well as network managed. All of which go towards making a fully managed solution.

All three of these are great products in their own market spaces and, depending on your requirements, will serve you well but more importantly will protect your data from prying eyes. If you would like to know more about encryption solutions then call us on 0844 310 0040 or complete the call back form below.

As a result of this we decided that a product was needed to help ensure that should the worst happen and your laptop is started back up then your data is deleted from the drive and, where possible, the location is traced so the police can recover it. We decided on Laptop Cop which met all of the criteria that we set out plus much more. For those of you out there who love the “cool” stuff then you will love some of the features that Laptop Cop has. For example once your laptop is stolen or lost then you log on to a web portal and put the unit in “Stolen” mode. In this state you will be asked what you want to do about your data, either recover then delete or delete only. At all times, even when not in stolen mode, the Laptop is on and connected to the Internet the location is being broadcast back to the portal so that you know where it is. What also happens when in stolen mode is the tables are turned on the thief and everything that they do is recorded, all keystrokes are recorded and if there is a webcam built in to the laptop then this is used to capture evidence about the thief.

When you combine this is our encryption & backup solutions you the perfect solutions to mobile computer security.  If you want to know more about our laptop security solutions or require a demonstration then contact our sales team for more information.

The problem is that typically when you ask these users what security they have enabled or purchased for these devices the answer is either “nothing” or “no idea”.  The fact is that the information contained on these devices is typically just as sensitive and confidential as the information contained on the company network so why are these devices being treated differently?  The directors, managers or any one else using these devices need to understand that they are no longer carrying a phone anymore and that these devices are in actual fact a part of the business network and they need to ensure that the proper precautions are taken to ensure that the data contained on them is kept safe.
One simple question to ask is does your device have a password or PIN set on it to prevent unauthorised
access to the device?

Another consideration is what is your procedure in the event of the loss of one of these handsets?  Do you have the facility to remotely wipe the handheld device or indeed do you know how to do this?  The fact is that this can be achieved with Corporate Blackberry handsets, also with Apple iPhone 3G units using ActiveSync for Exchange as well as Windows Mobile devices that are using ActiveSync for Exchange.
If you would like to know more about mobile security solutions or would like to know what can be done to secure your existing devices please contact us by emailing sales@jpt-solutions.co.uk

Data security is something that should not be taken lightly in any business regardless of whether you have 1 PC or a 1,000.  The information you hold has great value to someone whether that be your competitor or a crimal aspiring to identity fraud.  It is your responsibility to keep this information safe and away from people who should not have access to it.

Most businesses that utilise a server will have individual logins for each user which will allow the business to limit that amount of information that the user has access to but this also provides accountability for which person(s) has accessed what data.  However, this concept generally goes out of the window because of one of the following reasons:

• Password Sharing – the users allow one-another to have access their password
• Simple passwords – the users password is something simple like “password”, “letmein”, the dogs name, childs name etc
• Unattended workstations – the users walks away from their computer for lunch and leaves it “unlocked” allowing anyone access to information

All of these items make the best security practises fall flat on their face before you evan get started.

What can be done to fix this

Most of the above issues can be simply resolved by implementing a policy on the server which sets down a standard on all network computers which forces a password changed periodically; forces complex passwords and locks the computer after a period without use i.e. 5 minutes.

Other thoughts

The other issue which is becoming more prevalent these days is the Digital Nomad aka the notebook user.  The Digital Nomad is a new breed of user who essentially speaking is able to work regardless of location.  This work style is becoming more popular with the recent fuel increases however with this new style of mobile computing comes it’s own challenges.  This type of worker will generally carry a quantity of data with them and this information is what they need to do their job.  This can be something as simple as a drawing or can be an entire client database complete with business and personal details.  If this notebook was to be lost/stolen etc then all of this information would be available to anyone who has the computer.  The best resolution to this is to implement encryption software/hardware which can be installed to the notebook.  There are many software solutions available which range from completely free to not so free.  Most of these can provide either encrypted volumes  (additional drives which only appear once a passphrase has been entered) or they are able to encrypt the entire drive so no one can use the computer without the passphrase.  Both of these solutions have their own merits and the implementation will be a personnal choice however it should not be overlooked.

Any lost data can and will inevitably cost your business money and will tarnish your reputation.  A recent data loss has resulted in a contract worth £1.5 million being lost, don’t let this be your business.

For more information on data security solutions then please contact us at sales@jpt-solutions.co.uk