Archive - November 2000
Physical Security for Data in Transit
Eric Vanderburg
Briefcase chained to his wrist, the officer cautiously looks for anything out of the ordinary as he makes his way purposefully to a black vehicle with government plates. You would think he might relax with two armed men flanking him and another waiting at the car but his rigorous training keeps him focused. The thought of the coded orders he protects falling into another’s hands reminds him of the need to stay alert.
The scene depicted here highlights the importance the government places on data being transported. Organizations also transport valuable data but too often little is done to protect it. The scene above is an extreme case. Shareholders do not expect companies to go to that same length to protect each hard drive or backup tape but they do expect reasonable physical security measures to be taken to protect data in transit.
