Tech Bitch

A computer disc marked ‘Home Office Confidential’ has been discovered hidden beneath the keyboard of a laptop bought on eBay. The disc was apparently discovered by Leapfrog Computer repairs in Westhoughton, near Bolton, Greater Manchester. The technician was gutted when he browsed the disc and there wasn’t even a sniff of hardcore prOn.

The good news with this latest data breach is that the data was encrypted. However, encryption alone is not infallible - computer hackers are determined individuals with no girlfriends and the potential to crack one layer of security. And, we certainly shouldn’t be relying on one line of protection when it comes to our national security.

Come on boys and girls. Safeguarding sensitive data should start at the network door. By monitoring and only allowing known good devices and authorised individuals to connect to a network and download data is essential. Once data access control and encryption work hand-in-hand we can go a long way to reduce the risk of sensitive data breaches and make the world a better place.

Of course, security doesn’t eradicate stupid people. Meaning, individuals given the right to download data from the network must be poked and prodded put through stringent security checks. Once the data has been extracted, technology can help to determine when data was downloaded and to which approved device. Organisations can then gain a clear picture of how data has fallen into the wrong hands and beat act accordingly.