Weakest Link

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As with a chain, so also with security: it only takes one weak link to cause a catastrophic Information Security Incident that leads to the theft of confidential customer data, loss of reputation and/or money.

Your company could have a bulletproof security policy on paper, but if no one in your organization is putting it into practice, or if a few people are cutting corners to save time, then that puts everyone at risk. A Kevlar vest does you no good against attackers unless you wear it.

So ask yourself: Am I the weakest link in my organization’s security? If not, how can I strengthen the other links through educating them? See if any of these apply to you or those around you, and strengthen the security chain against attackers.

  • Do you throw away business documents without shredding them?
  • Do you keep all your passwords in an unencrypted file called Passwords.doc in your My Documents folder or on your Desktop?
  • Do you hide your passwords on a post-it note under your keyboard, under a coffee mug, on the wall, or anywhere for that matter?
  • Do you use the same password for absolutely everything and never change it? Or if you do change it, do you only change a single digit?
  • Do you open any attachment or follow any link that comes in your email inbox?

These are basic security mistakes that could lead to you becoming your organization’s weakest security link. Avoid these habits like the plague, and make sure none of your coworkers are doing this either. Read your company’s security policy, and follow it. Educate and implement.

Here are a few steps you can take to strengthen your security today:

  • Install encryption software and use it to encrypt your Passwords.doc
  • Use password-generating software like Personal Security Assistant to make totally random passwords.
  • Utilize the shredder so that document reassembly will be a nightmare.
  • If you don’t know who sent you an email, then don’t run the binary!!
  • Store important files in an encrypted hard drive if the security policy allows it.

Don’t allow yourself to become the weakest link.

This entry was posted in General InfoSec by Troy Vennon. Bookmark the permalink.

About Troy Vennon

I recently separated from the U.S. Marine Corps after 8 years. I spent the first 3 1/2 years building classified and unclassified networks all over the world. There was a natural progression from building those networks to securing those networks. My last 4 1/2 years in the Marine Corps took me to Quantico, Va where I was stationed with the Marine Corps Network Operations and Security Command (MCNOSC). While with the MCNOSC, I was a member of the Security section, which was responsible for the installation and daily maintainance of the 34 Points-of-Presence that made up the Marine Corps 270,000+ user network. After a period of time with Security, I moved over to the Marine Corps Computer Emergency Response Team (MARCERT). There I was the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer of the MARCERT, which was responsible for the 24x7 monitoring of network traffic across the Marine Corps. Specifically, we monitored network traffic for malicious intent and investigated any network incidents as they occurred. While with the MCNOSC, I attained my CISSP, CCNA, and OPST (OSSTMM Professional Security Tester). I have been with MicroSolved for the past 4 months as the Senior Security Engineer, Technical Lead, and Project Manager.

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