Proactive thinking has always trumped reactive decision making when it comes to data center management. Regardless of the sector, many different kinds of businesses and agencies are subject to regular data breaches and the ensuing ramifications.
While some cyberattacks can be difficult to trace, an indisputable audit trail can be a great way to notice a discrepancy before the issue ripples throughout all aspects of the business. For example, if a security manager closely follows an audit trail and notices an unusual time of server access, they can act quickly to eradicate any potential threats.
Business leaders should keep in mind that government standards and industry regulations, such as PCI-DSS and HIPAA compliance, require a comprehensive auditing trail. By adhering to these standards, businesses can eliminate penalties.
The auditing process defines information such as the specific employee with access control, the day and time of entry and the duration of time spent accessing a server cabinet. By creating certainty when it comes to who accessed the control point and when they did so, businesses can establish evidence for prosecution and overcome plausible deniability.
"Biometric security is the most sure-fire way to conduct an indisputable audit trail."
Anthem pays for neglecting the auditing process
A recent security breach disclosed the personal information of approximately 80 million customers and employees of Anthem, a national health insurance provider, according to eSecurity Planet. The news outlet noted that the insurance company twice did not allow the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) with the federal Office of Personnel Management to perform vulnerability scans.
"Turning down the OIG doesn't change the fact that companies still get audited," Jayson E. Street, an information security manager with Pwnie Express, told the news outlet. "But instead of cleanly formatted findings to help improve security, attackers' audits end with breach notifications. Companies need to do their due diligence before and after breaches happen, and the way Anthem's leadership team has handled this is negligent."
Biometric technology trumps the competition
Help Net Security recently reported that IT auditing is an effective way to prove regulatory compliance. As federal agencies continue to expand their attention on the operations of data centers throughout the country, auditing will become increasingly vital. The process can provide businesses with reports for security, modification and comparison.
Biometric security is the most sure-fire way to conduct an indisputable audit trail. Physical data breaches are preventable. By incorporating fingerprint technology with other authentication factors such as PIN and verification cards, enterprises can ensure that only persons with the approved permission are accessing a server cabinet.