As if security-aware organisations needed another reminder that data network security is only as strong as its weakest link. PC World has revealed yet another extraordinary story about vulnerable network devices – 840,681 of them to be exact.
These stories are becoming commonplace and they raise serious concerns over some products’ exposure to potentially damaging security breaches. They also highlight many devices’ dependency upon software updates to maintain security and the costs associated with rolling out security patches. In addition, there is negative impact of business disruption as a result of downtime during network device maintenance.
Putting these annoyances to one side for a moment, the single biggest issue is this: If network links are carrying data of any value at all (and let’s face it, its difficult to say any business data is without value), then they must be encrypted. Only by encrypting the network links can you overcome the inherent risks associated with vulnerable network devices and ensure your organisation (and data) is secure.
Not all encryption is the same. When it comes to robust network security, encryption should not be treated as a tick box option. “Near enough”, simply is not good enough. In a world where cyber-crime is on the increase and organisations are weighed-down with Big Data, there is little or no justification nowadays for low-assurance solutions.
So, what should you be looking for? Its simple. When you are encrypting your network links, aim high! High-assurance encryption solutions feature end-to-end encryption, with no weak points at the data links. They are dedicated, tamper-proof devices that provide authenticated, standards-based encryption. What’s more, they should feature state-of-the-art encryption key management and carry certifications from leading testing authorities as a third-party validation of their security and performance characteristics.
Discover more about high-assurance encryption
