The NCSA Guide to PC & LAN Security
Stephen Cobb, CISSP
Chapter 5: Secure Power
This chapter is about: Spikes, Sparks, and Electrical Threats
...the chapter addresses threats and risks that arise from the fact that computer hardware runs on electricity. Our first concern is insuring a smooth and constant supply of electricity. This is not just something for the office electrician to think about. Every personal computer user needs to know about surges, spikes, and overloads. If the supply of electricity to your hardware is interrupted unexpectedly, or varied significantly from expected parameters, the consequences can be serious. There are several other security implications that arise from the fact that computers run on electricity. These include radio interference, which can be used for eavesdropping and sabotage, plus radiation, a potential liability threat.For some companies active in this field check out the following Hot Links at NCSA:
- Physical Security and Systems Protection
- Site access control, hardware security, restraints and alarms, power supply protection, back-up, media tracking.
- Avtek Electronica
- UPS, surge protection equipment, and other solutions. - Best Power
- Power protection and conditioning products. - Clary Corporation
- Uninterruptible Power Supply manufacturer. - International Power Technologies
- Power protection products. - Spectrum Energy
- Surge protection for computers and phone line modems. - Tripp Lite
- Power protection products.
The Story So Far
- No typos or errors reported so far.
- Links and supplemental info being prepared.
- Check back in 10 days for more links and info.
Table of Contents with Links to Chapters
- Chapter 1. Security Matters: Assessing the problems, threats, and issues
- Chapter 2. Security Solutions: Basic concepts and techniques
- Chapter 3. Security Planning: Risk analysis and security policy
- Chapter 4. Secure Hardware: Defending and insuring equipment
- Chapter 5. Secure Power: Spikes, Sparks, and Electrical Threats
- Chapter 6. Secure Sites: Defending sites and systems
- Chapter 7. Secure Access: Controls, passwords, and encryption
- Chapter 8. Secure Data: Backup, backup, backup
- Chapter 9. Secure Code: Defeating viruses, worms and other malicious code
- Chapter 10. Secure Software: Piracy, bugs, and other "soft" threats
- Chapter 11. Secure Networks I: Generic network defense
- Chapter 12. Secure Networks II: Protecting name brand networks
- Chapter 13. Secure Communications: WANs, remote access, and the Internet
- Chapter 14. Secure People: Hacking and ethical issues
- Chapter 15. Security in the Future: How to become and remain secure
- Appendix A: Threat List
- Appendix B: A Brief Guide to Batch Files
- Appendix C: Computer Security Policy
- Appendix D: Notes on EMR
- Appendix E: Export Restrictions on Encryption
- Appendix F: Further Resources
- Appendix G: Glossary
- Appendix H: How Public Key Encryption Works
- Appendix I: Introduction to LANs
- Appendix J: Securing Safe Software
- Appendix K: Appraising Microsoft AV