Full disk encryption is expected to be the top security
technology to be tested or adopted this year, what are the
challenges and benefits likely to be?
Increased mobility makes full disk encryption more important,
but so is end-user policy management
The security officer is becoming increasingly aware of the
importance of controls for end-user computing, writes Alessandro
Moretti, co-chair of the (ISC)2 European Advisory Board, The
Information. With end-users becoming more mobile thanks to the
advances of technology, the numbers of laptops in an organisation
is increasing. Therefore, the number one end-user security spend in
2009 is forecast to be full disk encryption, as current partial
disk encryption techniques can be bypassed by the end-user that
saves files in unencrypted folders or the security configuration is
weak (for example, the encryption key is stored in system
files).
Moving to full disk encryption may address some of these issues
but it won't fully address the fundamental concern-the user and
management policies that go along with it. Full disk encryption
still relies on the end-user not recording his or her password on a
sticky note or card stored in the laptop bag. The full disk
encryption solution is only going to be as good as the management
of the security credentials that go with it.
It's my estimation that a full disk encryption solution
integrated with strong (two-factor) authentication could deliver
the desired results but this will come with an increased demand on
budget. Budget which could be spent on the control of even cheaper
mobile storage than a laptop, the increasingly prolific portable
storage devices.
With end-users having easy access to electronic cameras, mobile
phones and memory sticks, preventative controls are needed to
control information leakage. These range from simple USB
port-blocking solutions, to fully loaded digital rights management
implementations. The number one priority for end-user computing
spend in 2009 will more likely be linked to controlling portable
storage devices.
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