Why do Security Breaches Happen?

High-profile security breaches have been in the news for months, but not because companies aren’t actively trying to prevent a breach, says one expert. But companies are making a big mistake when it comes to IT security.

In an opinion piece on the InfoWorld Website, Mario Apicella says it’s not that companies see the possibility of a security breach and don’t prevent it, but that they are too busy focused on other areas of IT security. “One job I don't envy is being the person responsible for data security at a major company,” he says. “There are very few other jobs where there is so little you can do to prevent so much from going wrong.”

Apicella says companies tend to look at other security measures like encrypting tapes or verifying access to e-mail archives, but the “scary part is that right at this moment, your company (and mine) could be making the same mistake.”

According to Apicella, part of the problem is that there is no “full security blanket” available right now, and no well-defined framework for data security. “As a result, even if the security manager is making every possible effort to protect the confidentiality and integrity of company data, those measures are not guaranteed to work,” he says.

However, Apicella says security vendors are starting to change that, and new products should be starting to come available that will help alleviate those problems, if you can find a vendor who shares your vision. “Make sure your storage partner has the same vision you have on data protection,” Apicella warns. “After all, it’s your head on the chopping block.”