Do You Know Where Your Data Is?
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Scanning for Database Daily, I ran across this article on data privacy and security dealing with the issues regarding data on mobile/portable devices like laptops, PDAs, USB keys, etc. It talks about the vulnerability of these devices and that data on them.
I tend to agree. While I wasn't thrilled with the Pointsec encrpytion that all JDE laptops had, I understood the potential breaches that could occur. Salesman with CRM or financial information, exectuives with who knows what, and myself and other admins with passwords. Admittedly we had encrypted password files, but still who knows how many IE cache's had passwords saved or something else.
And I thought it was a mistake when Peoplesoft removed the encryption. It felt like a big step backward. and I felt that my data, the actual very valuable part of the laptop, was less secure. I certainly was more careful moving through airport metal detectors.
And it's something for DBAs to be concerned about. As SQL Server CE becomes more pervasive and replication, DTS, or other methods of data extraction occur, you should try to be aware of where this data is. Not that it's your job or fault, but when something happens, they'll come ask you.
You might not get in trouble for now knowing, but you certainly would look good if you knew. Building in some auditing for data movement, at least the automated parts, is something that will start to separate the average from the great DBA over the next ten years.
And one last thing. The article quotes that while keylengths for encryption are always increasing, "human brainpower hasn't improved since the Stone Age." I have to disagree with that. I think people today are, in general, more able and adept at dealing and keeping more information in their heads. At least those of my generation, before cell phones, computers, etc. when the world was very advanced, but we didn't have all the conveniences of today.
This next generation might be taking the first step backwards since the Stone Age 🙂
Steve Jones
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Maybe we're getting smarter
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