07.21.11
Security Strip Search
[Cartoon]
Personal communications technology has become an organization’s greatest threat for the theft of information. While transferring data from one computer to another a few years ago was only in the realm of computer experts, it is now common place. Anyone with an intelligent personal device or just a memory stick could copy and steal vital information from an organization.
Some organizations have taken the approach to restrict all access to information only using authorized equipment. Authorized equipment is usually provided by the organization. In this type of an organization, if you have a great idea for an iPad application, you will need to present your case to IT. If IT has not decided to include the iPad as equipment provided by their organization, then you are out of luck.
This idea of controlling the equipment follows the same dialog as gun control. There are those that want to lockup all guns because guns kill people. There are those that believe people kill people and guns are sometimes used as the means. The parallel to “guns kill people” would be that personal equipment is used to steal information. The other side, “people kill people”, would be that some people will steal information and personal equipment may be used.
There is no doubt that the ease of use and availability of personal equipment makes information theft a greater vulnerability for an organization. This does not mean that personal equipment is a problem.
The better approach is to embrace the availability of personal devices as an opportunity. Look at the advantages. The organization does not need a capital outlay for personal equipment, training, or network services. Individuals take on all of this responsibility. The organization gets the benefit of the many creative ways that can better serve their customers and employees.
To meet this challenge requires a holistic approach. This is the kind of approach taken by Enterprise Architects who view an organization as providing unique capabilities in a changing environment. In this view, it is not time to lock down resources and limit individual capabilities. It is time to take the greatest advantage of the changing environment while protecting corporate assets from theft. Look to Enterprise Architects to propose the supporting strategies.
The Enterprise Architects can see what is coming and are already preparing. They know that this will be their time. Corporations will be able to completely focus on their business, and automation will be viewed as an agile enabler. Automation will finally become the self-service contributor that the Corporate Office has always wanted it to be. –Enterprise Architects Masters of the Unseen City
Closing the Business / IT gap.
