Security experts release guidance on converged security threats

That's the verdict of a paper published by The Information Security Awareness Forum (ISAF), PricewaterhouseCoopers, the National Federation of Fraud Forums, Portsmouth University and the Security Institute. The paper seeks to help both IT professionals and manufacturing business managers to better understand the security issues created by the increasing demands placed on physical and information security resources - and explain the steps required to counter the issues in the most effective manner. ISAF – which was born out of the ISSA-UK Advisory Board and is a cross-industry initiative set up to raise IT security awareness – is now in its third year and, according to ISAF chair Dr David King, the paper will act as a foundation stone for members and others throughout IT to build innovative security defences. "This paper, which details the many business benefits that accrue from a `joined-up' security strategy, sets out the framework required for professionals to collaborate and develop the best possible security strategies," explains King. "It represents a summation of the array of knowledge that the Forum and its partners have amassed," he adds. The paper also explains the structural vulnerabilities created by IT-enabled modern offices and their buildings – such as access control, aircon, CCTV and fire alarms – and looks at the methodologies required to better defend these assets. Tapping the resources of more than 30 national and international security organisations, together with leaders from the fraud and business continuity communities, the PwC-supported paper will, the Forum hopes, assist anyone involved in security and its management to better understand the potential problems the interconnected business environment creates.