Talk Back: Is network security too tough on the end user?

[dang]

Checkout our latest Talk Back: Is network security too tough on the end user? (http://news.designtechnica.com/talkback15.html)

[RageSlave]

Excellent article. Well thoiught out to say the least. I agree that security is the toughest thing to enforce on a network. Quality employees helps but everone gets lazy some times.I've been studying Security for better part of 2 years and have still to hear a god security plan that has been well implemented by the user populace. So how do you make it work? Funny how we are dominant race on the planet, and yet we fail at so many things in life through sheer laziness. I got rear ended once by a lady who was too lazy to press down on the brake pedal! hmph! And she admitted that to the cop! LOL
Noone was hurt, but what a hassle that ordeal!
How do we suvive sometimes? I'll never know. People grow complacent and the world is no longer their Oyster I guess. I am very careful about my passwording and remembering it because I know what happens when you need to recover from a network hack and it was my own fault. I never want to do that again.

[vladmin]

I'm surprised noone mentioned Biometrics. We were discussing using it to some extent over here but haven't gotten chance to use it. It's my opinion that no matter what you do or how far technology lets us get with security there will always be inherent password issues and security breaches. The only thing we can do is be careful and try to stay on top of as many things as we can. Keeping it fairly simple is also good as the more steps or phases one implements seem to cause more issues as well as unwanted overhead and chances for something to go wrong. Security is a pain for sure, I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten passwords.

[neogeek]

Originally posted by RageSlave
Excellent article. Well thoiught out to say the least. I agree that security is the toughest thing to enforce on a network. Quality employees helps but everone gets lazy some times.I've been studying Security for better part of 2 years and have still to hear a god security plan that has been well implemented by the user populace. So how do you make it work? Funny how we are dominant race on the planet, and yet we fail at so many things in life through sheer laziness. I got rear ended once by a lady who was too lazy to press down on the brake pedal! hmph! And she admitted that to the cop! LOL
Noone was hurt, but what a hassle that ordeal!
How do we suvive sometimes? I'll never know. People grow complacent and the world is no longer their Oyster I guess. I am very careful about my passwording and remembering it because I know what happens when you need to recover from a network hack and it was my own fault. I never want to do that again.


I agree bio-metric tokens are just damn cool. But they still fall prey to the same problems as the other single source sign on. They need some type of plugg in for the "other" applications. In my humble opion that some type of ISO standard for authentification would then allow a token be properly used. If it be fingerprint, eyescan, voice print, or even just a complex password.
Part of what holds back true single source my be the users out there. That fear of "BIG BROTHER" and tracking by a single auth. WIth Total Information Awarness (TIA) around the cornner we could be looking a national ID and token to go with it...
WHO knows..

[Ioman]

When I worked at Intel, I was told that an Intel laptop was worth $80K on the black market. For security purposes I thought is was a terrible idea to have your company ID taped to the top of your laptop. Intel did this and so does a lot of companies.

Sometimes I think that security is too strict in some areas and not strict enough in others. I am not a system administrator but I can tell you that sometimes it takes an advanced user to just remember the security protocols and settings. Users simply cannot be trained quickly for stuff like this. I think in my opinion it will fail every time.

[RageSlave]

Smart cards work well but, are subject to being lost or otherwise curcumvented. An admin I met told me how he would leave his ID at home sometimes and have others open the door for him. Also he would have other people logon to their machines and use the run as to do his own work. I don't think that he kept his job long at all. Finger prints can be dupicated with scotch tape too. I think that a fingerprint reader,with the ability to see heat signatures might work well. but who knows.

[ECA]

Whats REALLY funny.
As tech improves and changes, the OLD ways become the best.
The idea that the FBI, and CIA lost over 500 laptops in the last 5 years is hilarious. With there money they shouldve had GPS built in, and that neet software that writes to the system, and when you get online, it sends the email address to the company.
Haveing multiple passwords to enter a system, using 8+ letter and numbers, NOT using words to create passwords(patterns, misc charactors) works best. And takes LOTS of time to enter the system.

If you want a FUN way to do it. Add an infrared, button password. As you are infron t of the computer it ID's the person and in you go. Like a dongle system. You could incript a 64 bit, password into it, and it could be changed randomly and quickly. Just DONT loose it.

[kepaloha]

I totally agree Ioman, I think it will fail as well. Ioman knows where I work, hell he used to work with me, and since he left, the security password crap got 3x's as worse. Now more than ever people are calling to get their passwords reset or unlocked or just want to complain about how stupid all these passwords are.

And Ioman, you know exactly what I'm talking about don't you?:D

[ECA]

Originally posted by kepaloha
I totally agree Ioman, I think it will fail as well. Ioman knows where I work, hell he used to work with me, and since he left, the security password crap got 3x's as worse. Now more than ever people are calling to get their passwords reset or unlocked or just want to complain about how stupid all these passwords are.

And Ioman, you know exactly what I'm talking about don't you?:D

and how many passwords for the internet do you have. More then 5 and I would be worried. How SAFE are those, REALLY.
Only 2 problems with passwords.
1)humans.
2)being lost.

If you could make an automated system, that NEVER had to leave work, you would make money.

Haveing badges, with IR codes or Sku codes, that are LEFT at work at a secure desk, would be GREAT. But who would use it. The proplr dont have to remember the codes, just the card whne they come in to work. They can be changed anytime by the computer group, and If they loose them, they HAVE TO be in the building(unless someone Took it on purpose).