By: Daniel O’Donnell and Ellen Carruthers
There are several key system network vulnerabilities that have been highlighted and become more apparent by the recent publication of many US State Department classified documents on the WikiLeaks website. It is a troublesome situation to say the least not only for the US Government but for all foreign governments and commercial businesses dealing with sensitive data on their IT networks.
There are many issues now under discussion and review as a result of this incident. Legal cases are being developed regarding punishment, if any, for the perpetrators. Congress is in full PR mode making sure the finger of blame points anywhere but at them. Media companies are wrestling with the ethics of what to report and what to hold as protected information for national security. The website at WikiLeaks is currently under attack by multiple fronts. A government IT security review is under way. In fact, an AP/Huffington Post article states the Pentagon is establishing new policies that disable removable media and change the way in which information is moved between classified and unclassified computers.
Here’s an article from Federal Computer Week about the WikiLeaks Fallout: White House Orders Classified Data Security Review
There are three relatively inexpensive solutions that have the ability to secure your confidential information, allow access to authorized personnel while maintaining reliability. This approach includes a Data Loss Prevention appliance, a Policy Management appliance and a flexible, reliable, Smart Network Access device that connects the appliances to the network while providing protection to the network data in the case of a appliance error.
A Data Loss Prevention (DLP) can be implemented into a Network by installing the appliance virtually “in-line” on a network link. All the Network data that passes through that link is analyzed and compared against a set of rules established by the DLP appliance. The objectives of the rules are customized by the Network Administrator and provide parameters for deciding what data is allowed to leave the corporate site, be downloaded to a portable device or be blocked.
One of the most valuable features of DLP appliances is the ability to send alarms to appropriate personnel when requests for the sensitive data are being received. Websense is one of many companies that make DLP sensors.
Policy Management products provide authentication and access to various clouds and or servers within the network. There can be many layers of policies set up to allow access to certain IT assets and deny access to others. A sophisticated policy management plan and the right equipment to enforce the policies will allow access to authorized clients while blocking others. Companies like Layer 7 are protecting corporate IT assets with a product array of in-line appliances. These appliances are installed in the access link. As data flows, certain authentication and authorization codes must be received before access to the cloud or servers will be allowed.
To be most effective, these appliances must be connected to the network “in-line” while maintaining uptime, reliability and availability. This is where the Network Access device becomes crucial. These are Smart Access devices which allow multiple appliances to connect and manage information in-line while providing a “fail-safe” link operation if the appliance is compromised or goes off-line.
Network Critical provides an in-line Network Access device that connects to the data link and provides monitor ports to the appliances. The modular SmartNA architecture allows incremental additions for multiple appliances while maintaining link uptime in the event of appliance failure, power disruption or off-line maintenance requirements.
Chances are there may be some areas of concern with respect to securing your network from outside attacks and inside threats such as seen with the recent US State Departments lose of confidential property. Don’t wait for your own WikiLeaks scandal. Do not wait until you are called into the CEO’s office to answer this question, “How could this have happened?”
By installing relatively inexpensive appliances into your network architecture you can provide sophisticated access policy, manage threats from inside as well as outside your network by connecting it all through Smart Network Access devices.
Be proactive and lock down your confidential information from public view while allowing uptime and information to authorized personnel. Don’t be another WikiLeak victim. Be a security champion!
Click Here to learn more about Network Critical’s SmartNA System.
Follow us on Twitter
Become a Fan on Facebook
Well said! The saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure certainly applies in this situation! It is good to know that Network Critical is committed to providing access solutions that can effectively and securely provide connectivity to the tools that can prevent further incidents such as this.