Blog / Computer Security Can’t Be That Complicated… Should You Do This Yourself or Pay Someone Else to Do It For You?
In the world of IT, Security hasn’t always been a big deal. For a long time, the only people that cared very much about Security were fringe users. People who were paranoid, conspiracy nuts or criminals. The sort who wanted, or needed, to hide. These days, Cyber Security is sexy. Everyone’s talking about it and the overall awareness is growing.
This of course begs the question: “How do you approach Security?” – The answer: “Just like anything else. Define what the problem you are actually trying to solve is, then find a solution.”
If you don’t have a good grip on the trouble, there isn’t much point in looking for a solution, as regardless of how good the solution is, you can’t be sure it actually solves the problem. That is why different methods of Security have been invented over the years (locks, dead bolts, motion sensors, passwords, etc.)
For example: Let’s say the issue you are trying to solve is that you want to prevent unauthorized people from accessing your building after hours. How do you solve that?
A solid start would be to put locks on doors, restrict access to keys and have a procedure by which doors are locked at the end of the day.
Okay, now what about the windows being broken? – Maybe add bars or use reinforced glass.
What if they get in anyway? – Install motion sensors and cameras linked to an alarm system.
You can keep going with the “What ifs”, but you get the basic idea. Locks on the doors are a very useful solution to prevent illegal access. They’re a bad one if the problem you’re trying to solve is world hunger.
Now consider this situation: You have a door and a problem, but you don’t really know what the trouble is. Installing new hinges won’t help prevent unauthorized access, but if you didn’t really understand what the issue you were trying to solve was, you could say: “That will help with the squeaking”, and assume you fixed whatever the undefined dilemma was.
Security costs money. This is true in the physical world and in the electronic one. So, there’s always the question of what you can do to save money. For example: You need to protect your computers against Malware. You do this by using Malware detection software. You need to prevent attackers on the Internet from connecting to your computers. You use a Firewall for that.
The unasked question to any solution is: “Could we do this ourselves, rather than buying some software or piece of equipment or paying someone else to do this for us?” The answer is always: “Yes, if you have the expertise.” Malware detecting software is just software and there’s nothing stopping you from making your own. The same is true about Firewalls or installing Security glass, etc. If you already employ people with the needed skills, you can save a lot of money by making use of those already in your organization.
The takeaway from this blog is that it pays to make sure you spend the time and energy to try and find or train the proper talent and skills for your outfit. In the old days, the only positions that needed any sort of computer fundamentals were the ones in the IT department. It’s not the old days anymore and everyone needs to have an understanding about computers and Security. IT Security knowledge is an asset for any position, even if it has nothing to do with IT, because pretty much everyone makes use of computers. This means everyone needs to have some level of skill and awareness, when it comes to Computer Security.
“A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” – (From “As You Like It”, by William Shakespeare)
Should you have any questions about Computer Security, please reach out to your TRINUS Account Manager for some stress-free IT.
By Kind Courtesy of Your Friendly Neighbourhood Cyber-Man.
