Entries tagged as ‘security’
Solving the “data on the loose” problem starts with safer loose data
Despite an almost daily cadence of news stories about exposed customer data, most IT departments seem resigned to the fact that their number might be called. It’s just fate, right? What are they supposed to do – ban thumb drives? Restrict notebook PCs to the office?
New products from Dell, Seagate and others are finally providing realistic solutions. For a small premium to standard notebooks and mobile storage devices, companies can now make their employees data loss-proof with self-encrypted disk drive technology like Seagate’s Seagate Secure.
Blesssed by the NSA
These notebooks and portable drives can still be lost or stolen, but the data is 100% protected with government-grade 128-bit AES encryption. The incident remains an inconvenient hassle rather than a newspaper headline.
Even the NSA has given this technology a thumbs-up.
Unlike software solutions, the disk drives in these products are encrypted automatically so employees can’t turn it off or forget to turn it on. There is no performance penalty. Laptop passwords can be centrally managed with McAfee’s ePolicy Orchestrator and other vendors’ products.
While mobile encryption doesn’t plug every hole in your defenses (malicious or misguided workers, for instance), it does provide a foundation of security that you can build upon.
Let’s hear from users (or panners) of this technology – what do you think?
Categories: Random
Tagged: BlackArmor, employee mobility, encryption, ePO, ePolicy Orchestrator, FDE, McAfee, Momentus FDE, National Security Agency, NSA, Seagate Secure, security, SED
McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator adds self-encrypting PC drives to its bag of security tricks
There’s a security industry axiom that says “It’s better to place the guard next to the jewels.” With McAfeee’s latest move, it looks like the information security industry is taking that to heart by bringing self-encrypting disk drives (SED) into the mainstream mix of security infrastructure elements.
Unlike software-based encryption, SED drives like Seagate’s Momentus FDE drives encrypt everything written to a drive, at the drive. This takes away potential ‘back doors’ or access points to PC data and encrypts at full speed. It makes encryption hackproof and “free” from a performance and individual PC management standpoint.
What’s been lacking are the hooks in some enterprise management tools like McAfee’s ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) that simplify management of self-encrypting PCs. Wave Systems, SECUDE International and others already support Momentus SED.
McAfee’s announcement makes SED an easy-to-add security tool for a much broader market. Expect rapid growth in SED as more companies place more guards next to their digital crown jewels.
Categories: Data Security · Laptop PC
Tagged: encryption, ePO, ePolicy Orchestrator, FDE, McAfee, Momentus, notebook, Seagate, SECUDE, security, SED, self-encrypting drives, Wave Systems
Storage performance specs are so last millenium
Going by today’s headlines, storage vendors should add a new spec to their data sheets: hackability.
Case in point: yet another theft of reams of customer data, this time in the UK. Tapes left in a car.
Wired Magazine’s Fetish spread features the Maxtor BlackArmor drive from Seagate. This is a new kind of extreme storage device. It’s virtually unhackackable, offering AES encryption encased within the hard drive itself. So if it gets stolen or lost (does it matter which?), you can sleep secure in the fact that someone else may have your drive, but they don’t have your data.
It’s got a high “eye candy” factor, too – so you can be safe AND cool.
Update: CDW is taking orders for BlackArmor now.
Categories: Data Security · Digital Home · Products
Tagged: AES, BlackArmor, Maxtor, Seagate, security
Digital Rights Management requires rock-solid data security in the infrastructure
Atrato’s been making waves with their innovative approach to performance for content serving applications. Now they’ve announced that they are working with Seagate to add full disk encryption (FDE) to provide compelling data security to the solution.
Secure data is a clear need for customers in the business of content distribution. Their product is basically bits and bytes. Without bullet-proof security, these guys risk a “pay if you want to” message to this developing market.
The rules of engagement for Digital Rights Management are still taking shape. Atrato’s capabilities will be a valuable tool for those trying to influence the future to carve out a profitable and sustainable business model in this space.
Comments? Is this a killer product for media companies or just interesting technology?
Categories: Company Profiles · Data Security · Digital Home · Industry trends
Tagged: Atrato, content management, digital rights management, DRM, FDE, Seagate, Seagate Secure, security
Security breaches of sensitive customer information don’t follow logic
Steve Duplessie is concerned for Hannaford, a Maine retailer suffering from bad press related to credit card data theft from their customers.
He points out that they followed Visa security guidelines perfectly, yet are getting as much or more grief than TJMaxx, who he thinks did “everything wrong.”
You’re right Steve, it’s not fair. And that’s the point! Information has gotten to be so valuable to people and businesses that it’s no longer good enough to reactively “follow the process” in keeping it safe. Businesses need to get in front of the curve or risk subjecting themselves to the unpredictable wrath of society.
Data security needs to rise to the top of IT priorities. Companies of all sizes need guidance and solutions that let them be proactive in protecting their customers.
Categories: Business Solutions · Data Security
Tagged: Hannaford, IT, security, Steve Duplessie, TJMaxx, Visa
A factual comparison of encryption methods
Here’s a thorough article on disk drive-based encryption, with comparisons to software-based encryption. Key takeaway: if you encrypt within the disk drive, there are no external access points for an intruder to exploit.
What’s the real-world risk of someone going to such lengths? Someone could break down my locked door at my house as well.
The “no-worries” benefit
A major commercial value of hacker-proof encryption on a business PC is the “no-worries” benefit. If a disk-encrypted notebook with customer records on board is lost or stolen, there is no credible risk of the data ever being retrieved. Whether or not the notebook is found, the business is safe from becoming a media poster child for lax security of their customers’ personal information.
Seagate’s take on this topic is here.
Categories: Data Security · Laptop PC · Random
Tagged: Computer Technology Review, encryption, full disk encryption, notebook, PC, security
Full Disk Encryption is the elegant solution to elaborately hacked passwords
Engadget has recently raised the alarm over gaps in software-based encryption security. First, they reported that keys can be recovered from DRAM with a complex but possible process. Next, they pointed out that thumb drives could be used in a simpler variation of the technique.
Good news: you can close this gap with a hard drive with Full Disc Encryption (FDE), like the Momentus 5400 FDE.
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The cryptographic key never leaves the hard drive
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It’s stored on an ASIC in the hard drive with no probe points
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Any attempt to remove the ASIC from the drive package locks the drive and cuts power to the chip, erasing its memory
For those serious about security, stop messing with bandaids and lock it down tight. Here’s a more detailed description of this.
I’ve posted several times on data security and encryption issues.
Categories: Data Security · Laptop PC
Tagged: 5400, engadget, FDE, full disk encryption, hard drive, Momentus, security, thumb drive
December 3, 2007 · 1 Comment
Encryption is the key to taking the sting out of a data breach
Data breaches are painful for those whose data was lost, but they hurt everyone involved. Here’s Computerworld’s article about what companies that lose data need to do once the breach is discovered. Not surprisingly, it varies by state – meaning a breach can require by law a byzantine notification process. But that’s probably the least painful part of such a security lapse, as TJ Maxx and many others will testify.
The breach that exposes the consumer hurts the business entrusted with the consumer’s data, which hurts the vendor entrusted with keeping that data safe. It pays to be very thoughtful and deliberate when designing and deploying a secure data architecture for your clients. Encryption is an essential component, per Computerworld:
“Encryption is the single most effective way to avoid the negative business impact of data breaches,” says [Robert] Scott [managing partner at the Dallas office of Scott & Scott LLP, a law and IT services firm]. “Under most privacy statutes, if you have encryption, you get a free pass from notification.”
Seagate is delivering full disk encryption (FDE) solutions, with a laptop FDE drive available today and desktop and enterprise security solutions in the works. FDE is seen by many as the most efficient and effective encryption technology.
Proper use of encryption technology can make the difference between a business-ending scandal and a correctable minor incident that makes a solution provider into a hero.
Categories: Business Solutions · Data Security · Products
Tagged: Computerworld, data breach, encryption, security
