Review an Article Where Security Failed

Review of an article where Physical Security failed

Robert Blake

Union College

ID 0067566

Review of an article where physical security failed

No single organization is immune from security threats, especially if adequate physical security measures are not well developed. Physical security requirements need to meet with regards to staff, control access, electrical elements and architectural enhancements. The primary goal of most organizations should be to prevent the incidents of security breaches through improving the ability to comply with industry standards ad legislation. The organizations need to be better equipped for the sole purpose of ensuring that the continuity of operations is not in any way compromised, in the case of incidents.

Physical security services include;

1. Constant verification methods and practices
2. Policy development and practices
3. Implementation of protective measures
4. Vulnerability analysis related to systems and sites.

Coca-Cola was a recent victim of the physical security breach at its headquarters in Atlanta. The attack resulted in the theft of laptops. Numerous individuals were victims of information exposure in the organization. More than 70000 people were affected. The laptops were stolen by a former employee of the organization. According to information provided by the wall street journal, the stolen laptops were recovered, and the incident was first reported on Monday the 25th.

The spokesman for the organization first told the media that the laptops had not yet been encrypted. The information contained included; names, social security numbers and primary addresses of all individuals who had initially transacted with the organization. The employee who organized the theft episode was assigned to dispose of the equipment properly. Coca-Cola resulted to sending notification letters to 18000 people, whose names and numbers were retrieved from the laptops, and other 50000 individuals whose information was potentially exposed.

According to the organization, its security policies require laptop encryption. A lot of other stolen items containing corporate data were not recovered. The latest breach represents a failure in the primary security policies which have been preceded by a lack of security technology that has for quite a long time, been available to major enterprises. Network monitoring had detected and contained the problem within the organization before tens of thousands of other people were exposed.

The issue of proper disposal of equipment and oversight is in most cases, difficult to oversee in most organizations. Procedures should, however, have been in place to ensure that all data is wiped out before the equipment was handed over for disposal (Robert, 2014). The major factors which might have accelerated the problem include;

1. The increased use of cloud-based services
2. Increased numbers of workers  owning smartphones
3. Increased desire for laptops
4. Reluctance to address lost and stolen devices

Coca-Cola breach might be attributed to the breakdown of major policies in the organization. The company has for quite a long time, been integrating its businesses. Enterprises have gone a notch higher to deploy full disk encryption on the primary technological devices. Although these elements are time-consuming, this is a good step towards salvaging the corporate image of the organization.

Propose possible change in that organization’s physical security that could have prevented the breach/

1. Implementation of a methodology to enforce policies

There is a need to ensure that physical security policies are effective. Laptops and different devices need to meet requirements to connect to the network (Robert, 2014). The business needs to increase its security measures through policy formulation and implementation in the right manner. Security controls and processes should not be shunned.