Hardware's Superiority

Hardware's Superiority

A sizeable fraction of computer users are now literate enough to understand the importance of using security software to safeguard their machines.

Corporate users have the latest and best security appliances defending their perimeter, courtesy of the IT department.

On the other hand, home users must take the initiative to install security software, which typically consists of a firewall, antivirus, and spam protection suite. Alternatively, a unified, simplified suite for Internet security

The Proposed Solutions are Inadequate in Both Instances

First, we'll discuss why an external hardware solution is always preferable to security software operating on the computer it's meant to protect.

IT pros are fully aware of the following details since they know better than to rely solely on client-side software and instead will always prioritize the hardware-based security appliances guarding the network's periphery.

When Compared to Software Only Solutions, Hardware Based Security Appliances Have:

Protection against the flaws in the operating system itself: If, for example, all of a company's computers run Microsoft Windows, then any security software placed on those systems will be vulnerable to the same exploits and loopholes in Windows itself. The security method does not have these flaws when external equipment is used to safeguard you. This appliance runs its own unique operating system (or flavor of it).

These devices do not execute mobile code; instead, they simply pass or block incoming internet traffic. Since the appliances cannot execute the mobile code sent by the hackers, this makes it more difficult for them to launch an assault.

Not removable: A common first step in a security breach is an attempt to disable or remove the security program. Software-based security systems are vulnerable since every app has an uninstall button. Hardware-based security appliances, in contrast, are permanently embedded in the system and cannot be removed.

Memory that cannot be modified by the user is managed in a restricted and controlled fashion by hardware-based solutions. By preventing access to its memory, security appliances can better defend the security mechanism from intrusion.

Devices are managed by IT, which also ensures the most stringent security policies and regular updates.

Desktop performance is not impacted, nor are system resources used, because the security appliances are designed to provide the highest level of protection possible while functioning autonomously from other computers in the network.

Avoid software incompatibilities: The security program you install on your computer will coexist with an untold number of other programs, all of which will have access to the same hardware and operating system. As a result, it's not uncommon for two or more unrelated security applications to cause conflicts, "friendly fire," or other problems after being installed on the same machine. Nothing else functions on a specialized hardware security appliance except what it was designed to do.

All these are merely examples of the more fundamental conceptual difficulties associated with relying solely on an installed software security tool to keep a machine safe.

There is much more that can be said about the issues that these approaches present. For starters, they don't have NAT (as you'd get in a specialized external hardware-based security appliance), a DMZ, and they can't prevent even the most elementary forms of network attacks like ARP poisoning.

What, therefore, is wrong with the security that corporate users receive, since we know that software-based security solutions are not the greatest security solution? The IT department ensures that cutting-edge firewall appliances are installed at the gateway.

We've demonstrated why that's the optimal strategy, so why isn't it being implemented?

There's a straightforward solution to that problem: portability.

These days, laptops are replacing desktops in the workplace for a growing number of employees. A growing number of users now perform some or all of their job outside the office, either from their homes or when traveling for business.

All the time, money, and expertise put into establishing a secure corporate gateway are rendered useless the moment a user disconnects from the network by closing his laptop and walking away from the perimeter of the organization (which is protected by a set of dedicated hardware security appliances).

After leaving the safety of the company, the user is left with only the software's security measures for protection. And as we've demonstrated up top, it alone isn't sufficient.

So, What Would You Say is the Optimal Answer

Using a personal security appliance, a concept coined by Yoggie Security Systems, is the best way to address all of these concerns.

Yoggie has not only invented a new name but also an entirely new class of safety tools. The Yoggie Gatekeeper is the first of its type in the world. It is a sophisticated and resilient hardware-based security appliance that attaches to the laptop and scans and safeguards all communication from the outside using a suite of 13 separate security programs.

The Yoggie Gatekeeper is incredibly small and portable, fitting easily within the palm of your hand. It draws electricity and communicates with your laptop via a USB cable.

The IT department can monitor and enforce security policies over remote and traveling laptops without being intrusive to the user's privacy, and the laptop user can enjoy the highest level of security (by offloading it and using external security applications instead of laptop-installed ones) while remaining safely within the protected corporate perimeter.