| RS

Protecting your physical and digital assets

Keeping your premises and data safe from unwanted visitors

Today’s security is no longer just a matter of a padlock and bolt on your premises. Nowadays intruders are more likely to be armed with a laptop than a crowbar, and are more interested in stealing the data in your system than the equipment in your workshops.

In 2012, 322,000 crimes were committed against businesses within the manufacturing, transportation and storage sectors. Compare that to the 2.5 million cyber crimes reported to the UK police during 2015, with over a quarter of UK businesses targeted.

Because of the increased importance of data, and the advent of the internet of things (IoT), you now need to protect your business on two levels:

Safeguard your buildings from unauthorised physical access
Protect your data and software from hackers and fraudsters

Fail on the second count, and it could be very expensive for your business. Apart from the business impact and loss of consumer trust, you could soon be hit with a mammoth fine. The General Data Protection Regulation is coming into force in May 2018; after that, if you have a data breach and you haven't taken the correct precautions, you could be fined up to €20m.

Choosing the right high-spec solution can also bring cross-system benefits.

“People don't think holistically about what else a door security system can do for them. In fact, thanks to the IoT, you can now link your security to many other internal systems, leading to massive improvements in efficiency and cost savings.”

John Davies, Managing Director of TDSi Access Control

Data is currently more vulnerable than ever, as the IoT, despite all its advantages, can potentially create a 'back door' letting hackers into unprotected systems. For example, you may have security cameras that operate on an open network. A hacker could get through them to access your main network and destabilise your entire online security system.

The ease of moving data is also a point of vulnerability. According to Bhavesh Modha, UK Channel Account Manager at iStorage, "UK dry cleaners find over 22,000 USB sticks or drives in customers' pockets each year."

Cost cutting v cost savings

Security is an area where it really does pay to invest in the best – such as iStorage portable storage devices with their military standards of security.

Choosing the right high-spec solution can also bring cross-system benefits. According to John Davies, Managing Director of TDSi Access Control, "People don't think holistically about what else a door security system can do for them. In fact, thanks to the IoT, you can now link your security to many other internal systems, leading to massive improvements in efficiency and cost savings."

Here are just a few examples of what else an access system can do:

Connect with your HR system to check staff working hours
Set up cashless spending – e.g. in the workplace canteen
Connect to the phone and IT systems

Security technology is developing almost daily. Biometric readers can now identify fingerprints, palm prints, voices, eyes and even typing mannerisms. It's also becoming more affordable. Less than 12 years ago, fingerprint readers cost up to £1,400. Now they're around £450 – and the technology is much more robust.