Editor’s Note

Picking Dandelions in the Outfield

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Apr 02, 2007

FROM the inside looking out, it appears that we’re all pretty secure. However, from the outside looking in, there are holes at the perimeter that need our attention. Thinking of perimeter security reminds me of the days when I coached my sons’ baseball team and the American Legion baseball club.

What do baseball and perimeter security have in common? Quite often, when a youngster got a hit in the boys’ league, the ball would squirt through the infield, finding a hole in the perimeter. The older fellas, the Outlaws, ages 16-18, closed the perimeter pretty tightly.

While coaching the younger team, oftentimes the outfielders would have to be reminded why they were there. For me, obviously too competitive to be coaching these children, it was to win. While the younger boys stood in the outfield picking dandelions and holding their arms outward, acting like a helicopter, it was evident that it was entertaining, even amusing at times. Perimeter security was only on the mind of the coach.

When the Outlaws took the field, the goals and game plans changed dramatically. There was no time for dandelions or whirling in the outfield. It was the shortstop’s job to stop anything and everything coming at him. He was kind of the gatekeeper of the infield. It was all about security and keeping runners off the base path.

The older team I coached functioned much like a trade secret—we constantly talked about keeping an eye on the ball and protecting the perimeter to the inside of the game.

Here’s the problem in the security industry. In a recent interview, Dave Drab, an ex-FBI agent and principal of information and content security at Xerox Global Services, said security is always an afterthought. Not enough money is spent in building up our employees as the first line of defense.

Fact is, even with program controls already in place, an emphasis on perimeter security and a model program in the works is not always good enough to protect corporations from the outside world. There always is a need for another layer of security. This is a wake-up call to corporate America.

“Trade secrets can no longer be swept under the rug and ignored by management and the board of directors until a key executive leaves the company and a lawsuit is filed,” said Mark Halligan, of the Chicago law firm Welch and Katz.

Security’s role today begins at the perimeter with fences, gates and guards. But once inside the premises, trade secrets are exactly what this industry is trying to protect. Trade secrets are financial assets protected under Sarbanes-Oxley.

Here’s how security intertwines with the corporate environment. It’s key to strengthen the role of employees as a first line of defense. That means education, training and awareness. It’s also important to treat security awareness as a marketing initiative and to work with the human resources department to write security responsibilities into every job description. Training cannot be overstated. In the corporate world, it’s important to proactively reconcile security policies with work practices, as well as seek uniform and consistent enforcement of disciplinary processes.

Make employees accountable and ensure trustworthiness is a cornerstone. Information has become more valuable and more vulnerable at the same time.

In my conversation with Drab, who has 27 distinguished years with the FBI, the topic of the mafia was soon to appear. Organized crime today is as technologically savvy as during the days of brute strength and forceful resolutions. Drab said today’s crime families are as much a part of terror as ever. In their quest of going for the money, organized crime has mutated to a point where organizations are getting more and more sophisticated with penetrating the perimeter of any facility, security system or network. The mafia is now able to authenticate over the Internet and achieve goals that yesterday were only accomplished by brutes with machine guns.

Never underestimate the value of good employees who are loyal and dedicated to the mission and goals of the company. The people side of the security equation tend to get subordinated.

Because corporate America has changed so dramatically—employing more and more outsourced, global professionals—security is evermore vital in corporate enterprise and network applications. A co-worker in the adjoining office is no closer than a co-worker halfway across the world.

Technology itself has facilitated the globalization of corporations. In Little League terms, our outfields could be from Beijing, Bangalor or Bethesda. Let’s hope when a ground ball is hit through the infield, our perimeter players aren’t picking dandelions or twirling like a helicopter, but have global and individual security enterprise and network interests at heart.