C/D/H Talks Tech

Author:

Doug Lindhout

For a more in-depth bio and list of my areas of expertise, take a look at http://www.cdh.com.

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Articles by Doug Lindhout

A couple recent conversations remind me how tough the network security officers have it; on the one hand, they need to construct the “impenetrable” (or at least close enough) wall between the valuable corporate jewels and the nefarious types that are after them.  On the other hand, the demands on the business are ever changing, sometimes putting the new requirements in direct conflict with the security system currently in place.

One of those conversations revolved around a community college that was facing increasing demand to support remote access by students to classroom material.  This college is competing for the client/student right alongside other community colleges as well as the on-line universities.  The students want convenience and will vote with their tuition money.  Creating a hole in the fortress wall is a big deal when there wasn’t one before, yet the security administrator knows that to simply cross his arms and say “No” isn’t serving the college.

Another conversation related to just one of the many health care security challenges.  This double-whammy flu season holds the potential to keep a higher than expected number of workers home, and will undoubtedly leave hospitals and doctors’ offices shorthanded at a time when demand for patient services surge.  This puts pressure on IT to quickly deliver work-at-home support at levels beyond design capacity.

In one case the pressure was competitive in nature while the other dealt with external environmental factors.

In any case, I’m not advocating that you lighten up on your traditional computer security initiatives.  However, I do believe that even your best efforts will not mean that your networks will not succumb to demands beyond their capability.  This is why disaster recovery plans are so critical for your organization to develop and implement.  Of course, doing so must happen without reducing the IT network’s security posture.

So, while no one can predict the future, you can be certain that the future will hold unforeseen challenges and circumstances.  You can stay ahead of the curve by developing plans and identifying resources that can help you adjust to situations beyond your control.

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