You know, they say that data security is a state of mind. What it means is, only when you're concerned about security will you put some effort into it. It parallels that other saying, "out of sight, out of mind" except in this case it's really the other way around: "out of mind, out of sight." I bring this up because of a story I read in the Edmonton Journal. According to them, Ted Morton, Canadian Sustainable Resources Minister, lost a briefcase full of confidential government documents. He had dinner with a friend, and had left the briefcase in his friend's car. The briefcase contained, aside from the confidential documents, e-mails and a USB computer stick. He had been planning on working from home. (Did that USB memory stick contain any sensitive data as well? Did Morton use encryption to protect the data? Does it matter? Only if the answers are "yes" followed by "no.") Keeping stuff in cars so that it's visible from the outside is not a good idea. People will peer in, and perhaps steal stuff. I've been taught this since I was ten, when my father insisted that I store my school notebooks beneath the car seat, so they couldn't be seen. We're talking spiral-bound 8.5" x 11" papers here. But, the inanity of the situation is not what triggered me to comment on the issue. No, what prompted me to do so was this: Auditor General Fred Dunn told the CBC he was "flabbergasted" this happened; the brief case should have been locked in the trunk. Really? Because the last time I checked, stuff stored in trunks get stolen as well. Indeed, some opine that stuff stored in trunks get stolen even more often because it's assumed it is of value. And why not jump to this conclusion? People park their cars, get out with a package, and lock it in the trunk. Anyone who's watching this progression will naturally assume that there is something of value in said package--be it a box or a briefcase or whatever--and make a be-line for breaking into the trunk. See, if Mr. Dunn had really been thinking about security, he should have commented that Morton ought to have taken the briefcase with him. Granted, that brings with it its own set of problems, like someone stealing it while Morton's having a nice wine or whatever. But, there's no reason why Morton couldn't sit on the thing, for example, or really have it secured (again, it's a matter of how security-aware you happen to be.) What would I have done? I'd probably have taken the briefcase with me and secured it to my chair with a $10 cable lock, just in case someone decided to surreptitiously swipe the thing while I was enjoying dinner ("pickpocket" bumps into you; mutters "sorry"; and the next think you know your bag's gone). Of course, that's not a guarantee against theft either. At least for computers, data breaches can be prevented by using encryption software like AlertBoot even if the computer is ultimately stolen despite precautions.
You know, they say that data security is a state of mind. What it means is, only when you're concerned about security will you put some effort into it. It parallels that other saying, "out of sight, out of mind" except in this case it's really the other way around: "out of mind, out of sight."
I bring this up because of a story I read in the Edmonton Journal. According to them, Ted Morton, Canadian Sustainable Resources Minister, lost a briefcase full of confidential government documents. He had dinner with a friend, and had left the briefcase in his friend's car.
The briefcase contained, aside from the confidential documents, e-mails and a USB computer stick. He had been planning on working from home. (Did that USB memory stick contain any sensitive data as well? Did Morton use encryption to protect the data? Does it matter? Only if the answers are "yes" followed by "no.")
Keeping stuff in cars so that it's visible from the outside is not a good idea. People will peer in, and perhaps steal stuff. I've been taught this since I was ten, when my father insisted that I store my school notebooks beneath the car seat, so they couldn't be seen. We're talking spiral-bound 8.5" x 11" papers here.
But, the inanity of the situation is not what triggered me to comment on the issue. No, what prompted me to do so was this:
Auditor General Fred Dunn told the CBC he was "flabbergasted" this happened; the brief case should have been locked in the trunk.
Really? Because the last time I checked, stuff stored in trunks get stolen as well. Indeed, some opine that stuff stored in trunks get stolen even more often because it's assumed it is of value. And why not jump to this conclusion?
People park their cars, get out with a package, and lock it in the trunk. Anyone who's watching this progression will naturally assume that there is something of value in said package--be it a box or a briefcase or whatever--and make a be-line for breaking into the trunk.
See, if Mr. Dunn had really been thinking about security, he should have commented that Morton ought to have taken the briefcase with him. Granted, that brings with it its own set of problems, like someone stealing it while Morton's having a nice wine or whatever. But, there's no reason why Morton couldn't sit on the thing, for example, or really have it secured (again, it's a matter of how security-aware you happen to be.)
What would I have done? I'd probably have taken the briefcase with me and secured it to my chair with a $10 cable lock, just in case someone decided to surreptitiously swipe the thing while I was enjoying dinner ("pickpocket" bumps into you; mutters "sorry"; and the next think you know your bag's gone).
Of course, that's not a guarantee against theft either. At least for computers, data breaches can be prevented by using encryption software like AlertBoot even if the computer is ultimately stolen despite precautions.
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