Advice on Security Issues

Securing your equipment against theft - a practical guide to cost effective security measures

With an estimated annual cost to UK businesses of over £450 million, PC theft is big business. Opportunist theft is of course an ongoing problem, however for many organisations the major threat now comes from organised gangs of criminals stealing to order for insatiable and lucrative overseas markets. (Up to 80% of the goods stolen are believed to end up in Africa, the Middle East and the former Eastern Block countries).

With a little thought and modest expenditure however there are a number of things which can be done to minimise the threat. Sadly any security measure can be overcome given adequate knowledge, resources and time, and as evidenced by one company.in the midlands (burgled three times in two weeks), even companies with Security Guards, Closed Circuit Television, and monitored Building Alarms are at risk. The most effective form of security is often achieved by using a combination of security systems and products implemented in such a way as to form a number of layers of defence each designed to:

• delay and / or detect the thief on site thus increasing the risk of apprehension
  
• reduce the value of the goods stolen, or to increase the risk of the thief being caught whilst trying to dispose of the goods

The cost of theft to you

The theft of Personal Computer equipment will probably involve costs not covered by insurance (e.g. the insurance policy excess, software rebuilding costs, lost business, delay in invoicing customers, etc.) as well as inevitable disruption to workflows etc., which can make it a very traumatic as well as costly experience. Theft of a PC will also probably involve loss of data (i.e. as stored on the hard disk) which could therefore render the owner liable to personal prosecution under "Data Protection" legislation.

The right theft deterrent for you

This general guide will we hope introduce you to to the various types of security measures available, and offer some insight into those which may be appropriate for your organisation.

Building Security

Building security is obviously essential and forms the first line of defence against any would be thief. As a minimum this should include; Insurance Company approved locks on doors & windows, plus an approved (ideally monitored) alarm system installed by a NACOSS (or equivalent) approved installer.

Other measures which may be appropriate include; Boundary walls/fences, Window Grills/shutters, Guards (these may be full or part time, and either directly employed or contracted from a reputable security company), Close Circuit TV (CCTV) monitoring, and Security Lighting.

Physical Theft Deterrent Systems

A number of inexpensive products are available to physically restrict access to, or to prevent the removal of individual items of equipment. When installed and used properly such products offer an excellent second line of defence against the thief and your Insurers or local Crime Prevention Officer will be pleased to offer advice on what may be suitable for your environment and to provide details of reputable suppliers. For convenience it will be helpful to consider the available options under the following sub headings:

• Access control devices
• Secure containers
• Direct attachment devices
• Security Cable & Chain systems
• Locking Mechanisms & Keying options

Access control devices

Within a building it is often possible to make certain areas or offices "Secure areas" by installing additional levels of access control devices. These could be standard door locks or electronic locks (typically controlled / operated by a variety of technological means including the commonly encountered magnetic card swipes, keypad entry systems, etc.).

At the bottom end of the technology scale these devices can be quite inexpensive whilst costs obviously rise as higher levels of functionality are incorporated (such as catering for multiple security levels i.e.; allowing an individual access to certain areas whilst restricting their access to others)

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