Voltage Security Says US Armys Data Insecurity Problems are a Lesson for Us All

Voltage Security Says US Army's Data Insecurity Problems are a Lesson for Us All

Voltage Security Says US Armys Data Insecurity Problems are a Lesson for Us AllCommenting on a report from the US Inspector General’s office on the effects of BYOD (bring your own devices) on US military data security – which found that military command was unaware of more than 14,000 mobile devices in active use across the US Army – Voltage Security says this is a classic example of what happens on the data security front in very large organizations.

According to the VP of Product Management with the data-centric security and stateless key management specialist, Mark Bower, even in a highly-controlled organization the size of the US Army – which has around 560,000 active staff and about the same number of Reserves and National Guard personnel – there are going to be operations where staff, for various reasons, ignore their corporate security mandates.

“And, it is exactly the same in a large enterprise, as not only do you need security policies, but you need the technology in place to enforce those policies and ensure the governance surrounding the data as it flows into, across and out of the organization,” he said.

“This is where an effective, data-centric security strategy enters the frame, as even in an organization the size of the US Army with its 1.12 million personnel, there is a need to ensure that all of the data remains protected and private anywhere it moves, anywhere it resides, and however it is used,” he added.

Bower went on to say that a lack of technology to both enforce the required security policies - as well as control what happens to the data, whether it is held in a local or cloud environment, or even across a mobile device - is almost certainly the reason why the US Army had more than 14,000 smartphones and tablet computers floating around outside of its direct security control.

Bower said that it is also revealing that the US Army command allowed sensitive data to be stored on the portable devices, suggesting that at least some of the smartphones and tablet computers were owned by the government as well as army personnel themselves.

“It is also very worrying,” he added, “that US Army staff are also storing military data on their own personal smartphones and tablet computers, as this report seems to imply.”

“The US Army has come a long way since the days of `Full Metal Jacket’ – Stanley Kubrick’s seminal Vietnam war movie of 1987 – as today’s battles are fought with the aid of computers and other Theatre of War IT systems. As a result, encrypting the data as it is used and moved across the army network, through the cloud and over mobile devices, assumes paramount importance,” he said.

“It is not exaggerating to say that the loss of data in today’s military could give the enemy an upper hand in a battlefield situation - as well as potentially resulting in unnecessary loss of lives. This takes the data protection aspect of security to a completely new level,” he added. "And, let’s not forget, it just takes one email and attachment containing sensitive materials to fall into enemy hands to create a breach that’s difficult to contain - the stakes are high.

Featured

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

  • Study: Only 35 Percent of Companies Include Cybersecurity Teams When Implementing AI

    Only 35 percent of cybersecurity professionals or teams are involved in the development of policy governing the use of AI technology in their enterprise, and nearly half (45 percent) report no involvement in the development, onboarding, or implementation of AI solutions, according to the recently released 2024 State of Cybersecurity survey report from ISACA, a global professional association advancing trust in technology. Read Now

  • New Report Series Highlights E-Commerce Threats, Fraud Against Retailers

    Trustwave, a cybersecurity and managed security services provider, recently released a series of reports detailing the threats facing the retail sector, marking the second year of its ongoing research into these critical security issues. Read Now

  • Stay Secure in 2024: Updated Cybersecurity Tips for the Office and at Home

    Cyber criminals get more inventive every year. Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve and are a moving target for business owners in 2024. Companies large and small need to employ cybersecurity best practices throughout their organization. That includes security integrators, manufacturers, and end users. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction. 3

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3