Mitigating Veiled Security Challenges within Data Centers

In addition to the risks posed by hackers, today's data centers face a variety of security challenges associated with its network, storage, and cloud infrastructure, that aren't clearly perceptible. These challenges primarily include insider threats, physical security threats, Internet of Things-related risks. Though achieving across-the-board security for an enterprise data center can be a significant challenge, there are certain ways to mitigate these security challenges:

1. Insider threats or risk to your data center from your employees is a major hidden security challenge to your data center. Insufficient staff training and experience with security technology puts the information within a data center at risk. To mitigate this risk, conduct continuous data security training including situational awareness training in key departments such as IT, HR, and finance.

2. Physical security from rogue employees and unauthorized break-ins and thefts can be ensured using:

• Alarms including motion detectors, breakage, and door sensors. Water and Temperature Sensors can alert you of flooding, AC failures (overheating). Fire alarms are a safety must.
• Video Cameras to monitor the inside and outside doors as well as the server rooms.
• Access Control using multiple forms of authentication—like two-factor authentication—to limit access to certain areas within your data center.
• For the physical security of physical assets, it is always best to ensure your IT assets are cleared of data before they ever leave your facility, or undergo physical destruction or software-based data erasure.

3. The Internet of Things: The multiple unknown variables risking your data center through the multiple IoT connections require measures such as changing default passwords, outsourcing storage, and encryption to prevent interception.