Entries tagged as ‘Data Security’
Don’t agree? Read this, then just try and convince me otherwise.
The scariest part is how many people, processes and organizations had to drop the ball on data security for this to happen. Data loss these days is no longer a scandal - it’s about being human.
Storage vendors, please hurry! The safety of my personal information is in your hands!
Granted, PC encryption is just one of many changes that are needed, as crooks can and do steal data from places other than PCs. But basic hardware-encrypted data is an essential foundational security step that needs to be adopted ASAP.
Categories: Data Security · Desktop · Laptop PC
Tagged: PC, UK, Data Security, encryption, MailSource, ebay
Take the Oops factor out of the security equation with mobile encryption
The UK government’s data security woes continue, the latest a misplaced USB stick containing detailed data on 10,000 serious offenders -and all 84,000 prisoners in England. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, in charge of UK prisons, is the Embarrassed Minister of the Month when it comes to UK data security.
Of course there will be lots of hand-wringing about this persistent trend. The reality is that while processes can be improved, people will be people; stuff happens.
Encryption makes lost drives no-news events
Mandate fully encrypted mobile storage like Seagate BlackArmor and the UK government will at least “oops” proof data on the move.
Categories: Data Security
Tagged: BlackArmor, Data Security, encryption, FDE, prisoners, UK government
Treat your customers’ data like money, or suffer the consequences
Digital content is the new currency. Want proof? Substitute ”a pile of cash” for ”data” in the following stories:
How good of a bank vault is your solution?
It’s a new way to think about what you do for your customers. You are processing and storing your customer’s liquid assets. Your solutions need to reflect that reality, or you may end up having to help them recover from a nasty surprise.
An alternative to “Old School” bank vaults and security guards for data is encryption. Seagate’s Maxtor BlackArmor drives are better than a loaded gun in keep thieves out of your stuff. Without the password, NO ONE can get to your data. Period.
Who’s had data irretrievably lost or stolen? How did you recover?
Categories: Backup · Business Solutions · Data Security
Tagged: Maxtor, Data Security, BlackArmor, theft, iosafe
FDE will mean less crushing and more re-using of disk drives
The Minneapolis Star Tribune profiled two local companies that have thriving businesses destroying retired disk drives. The process is startling similar to the metal crushers used in junk yards.
If you had any doubt that erasing data from a drive doesn’t really erase it, read this article.
Video of a drive shredder in action
Seagate will ship about one billion disk drives in the next five years. Imagine if they all had to be crushed and recycled when they are retired? Or worse yet, thrown in a junk pile somewhere?
An exciting feature of the industry’s new Full Disk Encryption technology is that drives can be erased with absolute certainty by simply deleting a password. That means that still-functional retired drives can be resold as “gently used” drives.
Make room next to that used car lot!
FDE is currently available on notebook drives like the Seagate Momentus FDE, and it will be coming soon to servers and storage systems near you.
When you get rid of a drive, do you erase it, crush it, or cross your fingers? Let me know!
Categories: Data Security
Tagged: FDE, full disk encryption, Data Security, Asset Recovery Corp, Shred It, Star Tribune
A single lost laptop may cost them $54M
More proof of the growing value of personal data: Best Buy is being sued for $54m over the loss of a laptop computer. That’s for one laptop. Here’s the blog from the person suing Best Buy.
Granted, lawsuits don’t often settle for the amount proposed, and the lawsuit isn’t just about the data. But it’s another step up the monetary value ladder for personal information.
An individual, not a class action suit
What’s extraordinary is that this is an individual. Until now, the ”scandals” around personal data loss have related to personal records from thousands or millions of individuals. I’ve posted several times on these events - here and here, for example.
Encrypted laptops are the future
The clear message: data on laptops needs to be secure! Seagate’s got a take on this - check it out.
What’s your data worth? How much would you sue for the information on your PC? Let’s compare notes.
Categories: Data Security · Laptop PC
Tagged: laptop, Data Security, Best Buy, data loss, lawsuit
The British government lost personal records on every family with a child under 16.
The British government lost data with personal information on every UK family with a child under 16. DrunkenData passed on this story from the BBC.
Every family with a child under 16!
Get used to it folks! Data’s created or used for more and more of…everything, and its value (and sensitivity) is multiplying. It’s as if the money we carry around in our wallets went from $50 to $5,000. The wrong place to keep such valuable stuff, right? Not so different from mailing personal data for every family with a kid through the UK postal system. Lots of room for ”oops”es.
There will be many more of these kinds of mistakes until we collectively figure out what to replace that data wallet with.
Your customers have this problem. How are you solving it for them today?
Categories: Data Security
Tagged: BBC, Data Security, lost data, personal records, UK
