The Biggest Security Threat - Paper and the Front Door

In Information Technology, most of us digital professionals tend to think about security. We spend out energy on making sure that hackers cannot penetrate from the outside, we look at virus/trojan protection and we clamp down on the firewall to make sure data gets in and out. In addition, if we're really effective, we might start to look at internal security such as who has access to data, vendor management, working from home arrangements, etc.

Because we spend most of the time working with technology, many IT folks will forget the most insecure form of data - Paper!

If you want to see what I'm talking about, go in on a Sunday afternoon and walk around the office and snoop on people's desks. See what paper is sitting around their office out in the open. You may be suprised at what's sitting there. There isn't much point in protecting your database if someone in accounting has printed off the data and left it on their desk.

Another basic security problem that no one in IT tends to worry about - the Front Door!

Most companies have a reception area, and if they are really well secured the reception area will act as a gatekeeper to the other floors. However, most receptionists tend to work from 8:30-4:30. In addition, they tend to take lunch breaks and may not have someone to cover them.

So if you want to test your front door, simply go into the office at 8:30, 4:30 or noon and see if you can walk right in. If you can, then you can probably also walk right out with a printer, a laptop, etc. without anyone questioning it. Most workers if they see someone in the office will assume they've been authorized through reception. If you can crack that reception authorization mechanism, you're likely going to get very little resistance from anyone.

So try it out...and if its a problem, shut it down immediately. Laptop thieves for example are in and out in about 5-10 minutes - if they can get through the front door at any time then you're asking for trouble.