Page 73 - DCAP309_INFORMATION_SECURITY_AND_PRIVACY

Unit 5: Physical Security

5.8 Fireproof Safes and Security through Cables and Locks Notes

To maintain physical security, following points should be considered:
1. Structural protection should be maximized. Secured rooms should have full height walls
and fireproof ceilings.
2. Secure rooms should only have one or two solid, fireproof, and lockable doors.
Many modern PC cases comprise a “locking” trait. Generally this will be a socket on the front of
the case that permits you to turn an incorporated key to a locked or unlocked location. Case
locks can help avoid someone from stealing your PC, or opening up the case and directly
influencing/stealing your hardware. They can also sometimes avert someone from rebooting
your computer from their own floppy or other hardware.

These case locks do unrelated things as per the support in the motherboard and how the case is
constructed. On many PC’s they make it so you have to rupture the case to get the case open. On
some others, they will not allow you plug in new keyboards or mice. Check your motherboard
or case directions for more information. This can at times be a very useful feature, although the
locks are regularly very low-quality and can simply be beaten by attackers with locksmithing.
If you put a cable through the machine, attackers would have to cut the cable or smash the case
to get into it. Just putting a padlock or combo lock via these can be a good prevention to
someone robbing your machine.
Cable locks deter out-in-public, broad-daylight thefts (but not in private places, like your hotel
room; bolt cutters slice through cables like butter). Most laptops, some desktop PCs, and even
some flat-panel monitors are designed with standard cable-lock slots.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
14. If the company consists of more quantity of people, issue .................... and encourage staff
to challenge unaccompanied visitors.
15. A “.....................” trait is considered as a socket on the front of the case that permits you to
turn an incorporated key to a locked or unlocked location.



Caselet Business Value of Security

ULLETPROOF your systems before you are hacked! That’s the simple message of
Roberta Bragg’s Hardening Windows Systems, from Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing
BCo Ltd. So, “mount your hardening, securing campaign in at least two directions,”
says chapter 1, titled `an immediate call to action’. One, the big picture, and two, the
intimate reality of day-to-day work.
Hardening takes time and cultural change in organisations is slow. For this, you would
need “evangelists and disciples, leaders and doers, talkers and strong, silent types”. You
can effect significant changes in the security posture and actual security status of your
networks right now by doing things that are under your control, goads Bragg.

Contd...

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 67