One of the big challenges of connecting non-managed or personal PCs to the corporate network is security - amongst other things the risk of either bringing something nasty into the network or perhaps worse leaving sensitive corporate intellectual property in the public domain. It's been one of the primary reasons why remote access has been limited to company managed devices.
One of the more novel approaches to solving the problem - is 'security on a stick'. These diminutive USB sticks, look like conventional USB storage devices but they actually contain an entire mini-Linux PC which monitor (antiviral, anti malware etc) and manage the security of whatever they're connected to according (in line with the corporate policy which has been predefined when the stick is set up).
Picture the scenario - you're traveling and don't have your PC at hand - in today's model you'd either need a Corporate blackberry or you'd need to borrow a colleagues PC to log in to your mail remotely. With 'security on a stick' you can confidently plug the USB drive in any PC in the lobby of a hotel, airport lounge or internet cafe - the stick scans the machine for viruses, then if it's clear create a secure VPN tunnel so that you can login safely and securely. Over the next couple of weeks we'll be exploring the security on a stick in more depth - in the meantime if want to know more check out this link.
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Usually, when it is too good to be true ... it is! Or isn't it?
ReplyDeleteWhen can I get one?
By the way, on security in general: people seem to be obessed about electronic security, whilst the threaths of leaving confidential papers in trains or planes (... or Starbucks), sending cd-roms through the post, leaving USB sticks in rental cars, talk in pubs don't seem to register as much. I wonder why ....
have you checked out GoToMyPC.co.uk? (don't try accessing from the office ... the site has been blacklisted for some reason ...)
ReplyDeleteWe should defenitely get together to test the concept of this.
ReplyDelete