BEST OF THE WEB

Has trust evaporated in IT security?

I deal with bad IT security news daily – the latest being the loss of an apparently unencrypted memory card belonging to a public health staff that had personal data of more than 18,000 people who live in the Region of Peel just west of Toronto.

Its reports like this that has led O’Reilly Media senior editor Simon St. Laurent to call for an overhaul in the way organizations approach security.

“Security has largely stayed a specialist concern, and is often amazingly casual in both the digital and physical worlds,” he writes.

What’s the answer? Some go out of their way to make sure they leave a minimal data trail – no Facebook, no Google, no credit cards.

If you’re really concerned, he writes, then maybe the “always connected, always on” model of computing may have to go. That means turning the data switch and Wi-Fi off on smart phones and tablets until you really need them.

There’s been talk recently of the need for two-factor identification to boost security, but St. Laurent wonders if we should move straight to multi-factor ID.

I wrote about network security worries in the May issue of Computing Canada. If you haven’t seen it, click here.

Meanwhile, do you think network security is broken? Let us know in the comment box below.

 

Howard Solomon
Howard Solomon
Currently a freelance writer, I'm the former editor of ITWorldCanada.com and Computing Canada. An IT journalist since 1997, I've written for several of ITWC's sister publications including ITBusiness.ca and Computer Dealer News. Before that I was a staff reporter at the Calgary Herald and the Brampton (Ont.) Daily Times. I can be reached at hsolomon [@] soloreporter.com

Would you recommend this article?

Share

Thanks for taking the time to let us know what you think of this article!
We'd love to hear your opinion about this or any other story you read in our publication.


Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

Featured Download

ITW in your inbox

Our experienced team of journalists and bloggers bring you engaging in-depth interviews, videos and content targeted to IT professionals and line-of-business executives.

More Best of The Web