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SOX-Compliant Data Security for Business Travelers
Protect against data theft over the unsecured wired and wireless networks employees access on the road
“...Just because you choose to ignore a risk, doesn’t mean the risk is going to ignore you.”
--Alan Brill, Senior Managing Director, Technology Services, Kroll Inc.
A White Paper by iBAHN
Statement of Purpose
C-level executives charged with managing risk understand that Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) mandates control of corporate and financial data to safeguard assets and protect against abuse. That mandate extends beyond the secure firewalls protecting internal information systems to the data that travels on laptops and across public networks. At greatest risk are the files traveling employees carry with them on the road, where the use of unsecured wired and wireless networks can expose data to theft and abuse.
According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer information and advocacy organization, security breaches reported since ChoicePoint’s Feb. 15, 2005, announcement have involved nearly 91 million records containing sensitive personal information.i These breaches resulted from unwelcome intrusions, lost laptops, hacked databases and inadvertent Internet postings, among other lapses. The reported breaches are only those cases involving consumer data. The total exposure to corporate financial data loss may be far greater.
The cost of data loss to companies, consumers, employees and patients remains to be tallied. InformationWeek Magazine reports breach-related lawsuits costing upwards of $13 million per individual case, including the cost of litigation, fines and penalties, as well as reimbursement of expenses related to fraudulent credit card charges and credit monitoring and restoration services.ii Costs not calculated: Tarnished reputations and lost business.
By informing employees about the risks associated with unsecured Internet access and providing guidance on securing laptops and other mobile devices, companies can take proactive measures to protect sensitive data wherever it resides. This white paper reviews the SOX compliance mandate and proposes steps for protecting the confidential financial data and personal information transported by business travelers.
Excerpt from "SOX-Compliant Data Security for Business Travelers," A White Paper by iBAHN. Copyright 2006 iBAHN, Salt Lake City, Utah. |
