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Strategic Security: Begin With The End In Mind
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macker490
macker490,
 User Rank: Ninja
7/13/2014 | 7:46:23 AM
Security begins "inside the box"
in terms of security: you must protect the software first -- before there can be any meaningful discussion of security.    if you are using an o/s that leaks worse than a seive you have to start by changing that.

once you have protected your software then you can move on to authentication.   all transactions must be authenticated and this includes particularly  software updates not just orders, invoices, EFTs, PII data and the like.

the industry runs around in circles playing whac-a-mole but does not address these issues.   until it does there can be no real progress

we have probably past the point of tolerance for systems that were not built to be secured.   change will be essential in order to continue to expand electronic and digital based commerce.   security is not an option, it's a requirement.   and we have to take an effective approach to it

protect the software first

then work on authenticating transactions
Marilyn Cohodas
Marilyn Cohodas,
 User Rank: Strategist
7/14/2014 | 8:15:45 AM
Re: Security begins "inside the box" -- protect the software first
@macker490 -- you write: the industry runs around in circles playing whac-a-mole but does not address these issues (of protecting the software first).  

So what is your formula for change? 
macker490
macker490,
 User Rank: Ninja
7/14/2014 | 8:29:40 AM
Re: Security begins "inside the box" -- protect the software first
read the first two sentences:

in terms of security: you must protect the software first -- before there can be any meaningful discussion of security.    if you are using an o/s that leaks worse than a seive you have to start by changing that.

once you have protected your software then you can move on to authentication.   all transactions must be authenticated and this includes particularly  software updates not just orders, invoices, EFTs, PII data and the like.
Marilyn Cohodas
Marilyn Cohodas,
 User Rank: Strategist
7/14/2014 | 8:32:49 AM
Re: Security begins "inside the box" -- protect the software first
Seems so basic and so simple. And yet strategic security remains a huge challenge for so many organizations. 
Robert McDougal
Robert McDougal,
 User Rank: Ninja
7/14/2014 | 2:33:49 PM
Re: Security begins "inside the box" -- protect the software first
I think you have summed it up fairly well.  In my experience, security professionals feel too overwhelmed by the scope of security strategy and become paralyzed, thus doing nothing.  I treat security stategy the same as eating an elephant, one bite at a time.
Dr.T
Dr.T,
 User Rank: Ninja
7/16/2014 | 11:34:16 AM
Re: Security begins "inside the box"
I would agree but when we look at security as a whole then where we see the expected outcomes. Having a perfect security-aware software does not really protect us from threats, software would simply be as weak as the username/password we would be using to login.
JasonSachowski
JasonSachowski,
 User Rank: Author
7/14/2014 | 6:46:59 PM
Re: strategic Security: Begin With The End In Mind
I agree @macker490 that we have to start somewhere but I don't think the answer to every strategy is to secure the software first. This goes back to the idea that something we are passionate about can limit our ability to successfully reach our end goals by becoming an obsession. While securing software is an important criteria, it is not always the starting point in every strategic plan: such as understanding the business requirements and ultimately what the data is before begin to develop a strategy to secure it.

@RobertMcDougal makes a very good reference on how our eyes can be bigger than our stomach and we can't seem to focus in on how to get from start to end. It goes back to something as simple as setting smaller achievements throughout the course of the strategic plan so we don't get overwhelmed with the end goals.
Dr.T
Dr.T,
 User Rank: Ninja
7/16/2014 | 11:37:09 AM
Re: strategic Security: Begin With The End In Mind
Agree, if we were able to pick and choose and provide solution piece by piece we would be able to do that and would be avoiding the security issues we are facing today. Software has to be secure that is for sure, the platform and people using that may still pose threats to it.
Dr.T
Dr.T,
 User Rank: Ninja
7/16/2014 | 11:30:26 AM
Begin with the End in Mind
Very good article. Thanks for sharing that. Stephen Covey had it right when he said Begin with the End in Mind. That really applies to security too. We also need to make sure that IT is just one leg of security problems we have. As article mentioned think inside the box and have a general overview of where the weaknesses and threats are and provide proper countermeasures.


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