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Week 6: Back on Your Feet There are 3 replies:
Week 6: Back on Your Feet Original post: Wed 10/26/2011 at 6:14 PM

            There are a variety of ways an organization can protect its computer system data. Crash-proof utility software helps save information if a computer (or system) crashes, because it saves information to a safe location within the computer. Encryption programs scramble information. To decrypt information, users must enter a predetermined password or key. Content filtering programs prevent the transmission of unauthorized information. The program scans e-mails, etc. for information to ensure that sensitive information is not being leaked. Authentication and authorization can be used like security clearance. User IDs and passwords can help a company control what each user has access to.   Companies can restrict where a user can access information from, how often a user can access information, and set the hours a user can access information. Biometrics can be used to protect the company’s most sensitive information. Biometrics uses an individual’s fingerprint, iris, face, voice, etc. as a password. Only the user with the certain characteristic can assess the information. Surge protectors are an easy way to prevent the current situation from happening, because they safeguard computers/electronic devices from voltage spikes. 

            All companies should back up their computer systems. The most efficient and secure way to do this is to enlist the services of an online backup company. Online backup companies save company information to a location outside of the bank. Online backup companies guarantee the safety of the company’s information. Companies can also save sensitive information on external hard drives. External hard drives are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. External hard drives are small, and can easily be stored in a fireproof safe when they are not in use.  

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Edited:Wed 10/26/2011 at 6:14 PM by Emily Jane McLaughlin
Re: Week 6: Back on Your Feet Posted: Sun 10/30/2011 at 2:44 PM, in reply to Emily Jane McLaughlin

Emily,

Good ideas and info.  My question is due to the amount of personal information a bank stores on a customer, how do they make sure their backup data is never being compromosied by an outside company providing data backup services for a paticular bank?  Banks are a huge target for hackers to attempt to gain information.  Banks must ensure the outside source they are using to store their information is totally secure.

Re: Week 6: Back on Your Feet Posted: Sun 10/30/2011 at 3:01 PM, in reply to Emily Jane McLaughlin
Emily, you have a lot of good suggestions about backing up information stored in the database.  It sounds like all of your backups of the system are kept onsite.  Due to the fact that entire buildings (safes and all) can be lost in a disaster scenario, how would you make sure that the data is safe in a worst case scenario of the entire building being destroyed.  If you don't have offsite storage, how will you ensure that the data can be recovered?  What if the voltage spike is high enough to destroy the surge protectors?  Who would be able to access the banking information?  Online storage systems can sometimes be hacked by outsiders.  Do you think it is a good idea to transmit all of the backup material to an online storage system whose safety and security are watched over by company outsiders?
Re: Re: Week 6: Back on Your Feet Posted: Mon 10/31/2011 at 7:07 PM, in reply to Gregory Joe Wood
Greg and Tim,
An off site storing facility is not necessary since the data will be stored online.  Online companies exist specifically for this purpose.  This may not be the best back-up solution for a bank; however, the online companies do guarantee data security and confidentiality. Safes are extremely good places to store physical data back-ups in banks, because they are fire proof, air tight, and pretty much impossible to damage.  Also, banks tend to belong to a network of banks that store information in the same place.  This helps prevent data loss in emergency situations, as several banks would have to "go down" before any data loss would occur.  Further, banks have several security methods to protect customer information.  If a bank was to use an online backup service it would encrypt the data to ensure privacy.