To say that data breaches have become a common occurrence would be like saying that Starbucks has quite a few locations to serve you – it’s at once both obvious and an understatement – which is why so many companies are investing heavily to secure their networks.
And for good reason.
Consider this: According to a study by IBM, the average cost of a data breach is $3.86 million. This figure includes costs such as lost business, legal fees, and reparations to affected individuals. Additionally, the study found that it takes an average of 280 days to identify and contain a breach.
Another study, the Verizon 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report, found that the most common type of breach is still financially motivated attacks, followed by attacks on web applications and cloud-based email servers. The report also noted that phishing attacks have continued to increase, with 22% of breaches involving phishing attacks.
As more data is stored digitally, the risk of a breach only increases, making it important for companies to take proactive measures to prevent breaches, including implementing strong security protocols, training employees on best practices for data security, and implementing physical security devices.
What is Physical Security?
Physical security is a crucial component of network security that protects against unauthorized access to critical ports and data centers. One element of physical security are port block devices that ensure unauthorized personnel cannot tamper with critical infrastructure or data centers. However, not all port block devices – also called port locks – are created equal. To that end, we give you our advice based on years of experience in selling various port locks on what to look for before investing in these products.
Compatibility
Look for port locks that support all physical protocols, including Ethernet, fiber optic, digital optical, USB, serial connections, and more. If your port locks are not compatible with your network infrastructure and entire array of devices, then you will have security gaps. For instance, locking all computer USB and HDMI ports while keeping Ethernet ports (simply because the product you selected isn’t compatible with Ethernet devices) provides only partial protection.
Robust Security Features
The primary reason to install a physical port block device is to bolster the security of your network. The ideal port lock should come with robust security features that ensure the protection of your infrastructure. Look for port locks that offer physical lockable inserts that can only be removed with a key. What’s more, the key should be coded to your specific locks and not be available for purchase without authorization. Steer clear of port locks that are matched to one of a handful of color-coded keys that are available for purchase to anyone, which allows any bad actor to purchase a matching key and remove your port locks.
Ease of Use and Installation
Physical port block devices should be easy to install, use, and uninstall. To this end, the best port locks have a universal key. Brands of port locks that require different keys for different types of locks not only increase the cost of physically protecting your network but also the level of frustration in having to manage a variety of keys for a variety of locks. Look for port locks that have a universal key compatible with all types of locks, whether USB, HDMI, Ethernet, and more.
Price
Price is an essential consideration for any business looking to adopt new security technology. It’s crucial to strike a balance between the device’s cost and the benefits it offers in terms of security. While physical port locks with more expensive security features are desirable, they’re not always practical for smaller businesses with budget constraints. As such, look for port locks that balance cost-effectiveness with the necessary security features.
Our Recommendation
The Smart Keeper line of port locks offers 23 different locks that can be unlocked with the same professional Smart Keeper Port Lock Key, providing extreme versatility without the need to maintain multiple keys. In addition, Smart Keeper’s port locks sit flush with the port, making them virtually impossible to remove without a Smart Keeper key.
In addition, Smart Keeper offers the highest level of security, as Smart Keeper locks cannot be removed unless a Smart Keeper key with a matching pattern is used. All locks and keys are a common color – making it impossible to determine key patterns by color.
What’s more, neither the purchaser nor the end user knows what key pattern has been deployed to a particular installation site. The installation sites are registered, and key patterns are assigned by the Smart Keeper team. If additional locks or keys need to be purchased, then the Smart Keeper team can provide products that are pattern-matched to the previous deployment.
In addition, if a purchaser wants to buy locks or keys for a particular installation site, they must first go through a simple vetting process to determine that they are, indeed, authorized to buy for that site. All of this is designed to make it much harder for unauthorized persons to procure a key on their own and use it to open ports without permission.
