Data-centric security : towards a utopian model for protecting corporate data on mobile devices
- Authors: Mayisela, Simphiwe Hector
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Computer security , Computer networks -- Security measures , Business enterprises -- Computer networks -- Security measures , Mobile computing -- Security measures , Mobile communication systems -- Security measures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4688 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011094 , Computer security , Computer networks -- Security measures , Business enterprises -- Computer networks -- Security measures , Mobile computing -- Security measures , Mobile communication systems -- Security measures
- Description: Data-centric security is significant in understanding, assessing and mitigating the various risks and impacts of sharing information outside corporate boundaries. Information generally leaves corporate boundaries through mobile devices. Mobile devices continue to evolve as multi-functional tools for everyday life, surpassing their initial intended use. This added capability and increasingly extensive use of mobile devices does not come without a degree of risk - hence the need to guard and protect information as it exists beyond the corporate boundaries and throughout its lifecycle. Literature on existing models crafted to protect data, rather than infrastructure in which the data resides, is reviewed. Technologies that organisations have implemented to adopt the data-centric model are studied. A utopian model that takes into account the shortcomings of existing technologies and deficiencies of common theories is proposed. Two sets of qualitative studies are reported; the first is a preliminary online survey to assess the ubiquity of mobile devices and extent of technology adoption towards implementation of data-centric model; and the second comprises of a focus survey and expert interviews pertaining on technologies that organisations have implemented to adopt the data-centric model. The latter study revealed insufficient data at the time of writing for the results to be statistically significant; however; indicative trends supported the assertions documented in the literature review. The question that this research answers is whether or not current technology implementations designed to mitigate risks from mobile devices, actually address business requirements. This research question, answered through these two sets qualitative studies, discovered inconsistencies between the technology implementations and business requirements. The thesis concludes by proposing a realistic model, based on the outcome of the qualitative study, which bridges the gap between the technology implementations and business requirements. Future work which could perhaps be conducted in light of the findings and the comments from this research is also considered.
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- Authors: Mayisela, Simphiwe Hector
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Computer security , Computer networks -- Security measures , Business enterprises -- Computer networks -- Security measures , Mobile computing -- Security measures , Mobile communication systems -- Security measures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4688 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011094 , Computer security , Computer networks -- Security measures , Business enterprises -- Computer networks -- Security measures , Mobile computing -- Security measures , Mobile communication systems -- Security measures
- Description: Data-centric security is significant in understanding, assessing and mitigating the various risks and impacts of sharing information outside corporate boundaries. Information generally leaves corporate boundaries through mobile devices. Mobile devices continue to evolve as multi-functional tools for everyday life, surpassing their initial intended use. This added capability and increasingly extensive use of mobile devices does not come without a degree of risk - hence the need to guard and protect information as it exists beyond the corporate boundaries and throughout its lifecycle. Literature on existing models crafted to protect data, rather than infrastructure in which the data resides, is reviewed. Technologies that organisations have implemented to adopt the data-centric model are studied. A utopian model that takes into account the shortcomings of existing technologies and deficiencies of common theories is proposed. Two sets of qualitative studies are reported; the first is a preliminary online survey to assess the ubiquity of mobile devices and extent of technology adoption towards implementation of data-centric model; and the second comprises of a focus survey and expert interviews pertaining on technologies that organisations have implemented to adopt the data-centric model. The latter study revealed insufficient data at the time of writing for the results to be statistically significant; however; indicative trends supported the assertions documented in the literature review. The question that this research answers is whether or not current technology implementations designed to mitigate risks from mobile devices, actually address business requirements. This research question, answered through these two sets qualitative studies, discovered inconsistencies between the technology implementations and business requirements. The thesis concludes by proposing a realistic model, based on the outcome of the qualitative study, which bridges the gap between the technology implementations and business requirements. Future work which could perhaps be conducted in light of the findings and the comments from this research is also considered.
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Limiting vulnerability exposure through effective patch management: threat mitigation through vulnerability remediation
- Authors: White, Dominic Stjohn Dolin
- Date: 2007 , 2007-02-08
- Subjects: Computer networks -- Security measures , Computer viruses , Computer security
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4629 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006510 , Computer networks -- Security measures , Computer viruses , Computer security
- Description: This document aims to provide a complete discussion on vulnerability and patch management. The first chapters look at the trends relating to vulnerabilities, exploits, attacks and patches. These trends describe the drivers of patch and vulnerability management and situate the discussion in the current security climate. The following chapters then aim to present both policy and technical solutions to the problem. The policies described lay out a comprehensive set of steps that can be followed by any organisation to implement their own patch management policy, including practical advice on integration with other policies, managing risk, identifying vulnerability, strategies for reducing downtime and generating metrics to measure progress. Having covered the steps that can be taken by users, a strategy describing how best a vendor should implement a related patch release policy is provided. An argument is made that current monthly patch release schedules are inadequate to allow users to most effectively and timeously mitigate vulnerabilities. The final chapters discuss the technical aspect of automating parts of the policies described. In particular the concept of 'defense in depth' is used to discuss additional strategies for 'buying time' during the patch process. The document then goes on to conclude that in the face of increasing malicious activity and more complex patching, solid frameworks such as those provided in this document are required to ensure an organisation can fully manage the patching process. However, more research is required to fully understand vulnerabilities and exploits. In particular more attention must be paid to threats, as little work as been done to fully understand threat-agent capabilities and activities from a day to day basis. , TeX output 2007.02.08:2212 , Adobe Acrobat 9.51 Paper Capture Plug-in
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- Authors: White, Dominic Stjohn Dolin
- Date: 2007 , 2007-02-08
- Subjects: Computer networks -- Security measures , Computer viruses , Computer security
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4629 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006510 , Computer networks -- Security measures , Computer viruses , Computer security
- Description: This document aims to provide a complete discussion on vulnerability and patch management. The first chapters look at the trends relating to vulnerabilities, exploits, attacks and patches. These trends describe the drivers of patch and vulnerability management and situate the discussion in the current security climate. The following chapters then aim to present both policy and technical solutions to the problem. The policies described lay out a comprehensive set of steps that can be followed by any organisation to implement their own patch management policy, including practical advice on integration with other policies, managing risk, identifying vulnerability, strategies for reducing downtime and generating metrics to measure progress. Having covered the steps that can be taken by users, a strategy describing how best a vendor should implement a related patch release policy is provided. An argument is made that current monthly patch release schedules are inadequate to allow users to most effectively and timeously mitigate vulnerabilities. The final chapters discuss the technical aspect of automating parts of the policies described. In particular the concept of 'defense in depth' is used to discuss additional strategies for 'buying time' during the patch process. The document then goes on to conclude that in the face of increasing malicious activity and more complex patching, solid frameworks such as those provided in this document are required to ensure an organisation can fully manage the patching process. However, more research is required to fully understand vulnerabilities and exploits. In particular more attention must be paid to threats, as little work as been done to fully understand threat-agent capabilities and activities from a day to day basis. , TeX output 2007.02.08:2212 , Adobe Acrobat 9.51 Paper Capture Plug-in
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