Business security specialist Corporate Defence Solutions (CDS), a subsidiary of UK-based MIS-CDS, has successfully completed a comprehensive security audit and risk analysis for Imperial Motors at the automotive giant's Randburg, Kempton Park and Jeppestown sites in Gauteng.
CDS channel manager, Dharmesh Mohan Dullabh, says Imperial Motors approached the issue of security in its organisation in the correct fashion.
"Before it made any buying decisions on comprehensive security solutions Imperial Motors assessed its own organisational vulnerabilities," says Dullabh. "Too many companies rush in to buying the latest security tools only to discover they really don't need them."
Dullabh adds that any professional can point to one or other security solution - be it a firewall, encryption utility or monitoring tool - yet few will admit that part of the solution may simply be a network restructuring".
"Take payroll systems for example. Keeping your payroll system loaded and accessible from your primary server is in itself a security risk given the sensitivity of your payroll information," he says. "In this case, moving your payroll to a dedicated, protected machine is a far more efficient and secure solution than hiding your server behind a dozen firewalls, and it won't cost your company half its payroll value either."
"Risk and security audits are imperative to identify these and other issues well in advance, before any substantial investment or policy decision is made," he continues. "They accurately chart your IT infrastructure and pinpoint security weaknesses that may exist in your hardware settings, network architecture, commercial or custom applications and legacy systems."
CDS went a step further with the Imperial Motors audit, taking the physical infrastructure of its premises into account to tie in physical security issues with its evaluation.
"This is a fundamental part of our strategy because information security can't be seen as separate from overall business security," says Dullabh. "After all, what use is a firewall or encrypted code if would-be thieves can walk through your front door and help themselves to your equipment?" Based on its findings, CDS has delivered a phased security rollout plan for the entire Imperial Motors group, and negotiations are currently underway to deliver on the recommendations of the audit.
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