Data Security

Several hardware-encrypted USB memory sticks are now part of a worldwide recall and require security updates because they contain a flaw which could allow hackers to easily gain access to the sensitive information contained on the device.

There is no doubt that cloud computing is dominating today's IT conversation among C-level security executives. Whether it's due to the compelling cost saving possibilities in a tough economy, or because of perceived advantages in provisioning flexibility, auto-scaling, and on-demand computing, CSOs are probing the capabilities, costs and restrictions of the cloud. At the same time, security and compliance concerns are at the forefront of issues potentially holding large enterprises back from capitalizing on the benefits that cloud computing has to offer.

Forrester often gets inquiries such as, "What requirements should we keep in mind while developing our disaster recovery plans and documents?" and, "Which strategies work best for managing our disaster recovery program once it's in place?"

Trade secrets are increasingly becoming a company's most valuable assets, and not surprisingly, threats to those assets have increased concomitantly. The greatest threat to company data is, of course, not outsiders but a company's own employees A company's ability to protect against rogue employees (as well as against unintentional harm) is governed by both federal and state laws, which vary by jurisdiction and, worse, are in a state of flux in many of those jurisdictions.

Social networking services like Facebook and Twitter foster a false sense of security and lead users to share information which can be used by cybercriminals and social engineers. The very concept of social networking is based on connecting and sharing, but with who?

Ten simple tips to manage your enterprise technology.

Over the last 2-3 years cloud computing has promised, and in many instances delivered, a lower total cost of ownership. This has helped organisations return the focus of operation to their core activities—reducing the effort spent on managing IT infrastructure and applications.

After the debacle that has been Click Frenzy, I'm going to focus on availability. Click Frenzy was a coordinated advertising promotion with a large number of Australian online shopping websites. This sounded like a great idea, and many retailers paid good money to be part of it. The problem was that the click frenzy website struggled under the load and so did a few of the online retailers, resulting in a vicious backlash on social media.

The answer to this question is simple: no. With the developments in social media and two-way communication channels such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, it has made social privacy somewhat non-existent.

Insider threats — for example, data theft, intellectual property loss, privacy breaches and financial fraud — can be the most challenging IT risks for an organisation to address because they may or may not be happening. But if an insider threat occurs, it could no doubt hurt financially and/or publically. So how do you implement early detection to discover and expose these threats?

Information security is one of the biggest challenges facing enterprises this year. Being hacked by criminals is becoming depressingly familiar for a many businesses. A roll call of prominent brands has succumbed to what is an unprecedented number of attacks. Increasing threats, regulations and complexity have catapulted network security up the corporate agenda. Considering billions are being spent on cyber security each year, why are businesses continuing to fall victim to cyber attacks?