Is Our Telecomm Infrastructure Secure?

The country’s telecommunications infrastructure is not only critical to the economy; it’s also the key to homeland security and disaster response. It’s only through reliable communications that first responders can achieve cohesive emergency management — so how do we make sure that infrastructure is secure?

In an article in the latest issue of Security Products magazine, Andy Hilverda says a number of high-tech options do exist to secure the nation’s telecommunication systems. In the article, he outlines some of the key areas of vulnerability, and looks to the various options there are to improve security.

“A security plan must be scalable to allow telecom companies to control access to multiple facilities and track multiple identities,” he says. What options are available? They include:

• High-tech options: These include biometrics for authentication or identification, multi-location video security, IP-based security and wireless video verification.

• Key control issues: New technologies allow companies to control and audit the comings and goings of any subcontractors and technicians who visit their sites.