Sumeet Sabharwal

BANGALORE, INDIA: In the early days of the web, one of the things that confounded nascent webmasters was managing UNIX file permissions.  Configuring read, write, and execute permissions for user, group, and world rights using a series of numbers can be confusing, and the price of getting it wrong ranged from a defaced website to serious and significant criminal activity. 

It’s not just a little ironic that the secret to the success of Web 2.0 applications is giving read, write, and execute permissions to the entire world, but in many ways that is exactly what has happened.

Arguably the trend began with the emergence of blogging technology in the late 1990s. Blog software took the power of publishing to the web out of the back room and put it in the hands of anyone who had something to say.  This fundamental shift changed the game, and opened the door for the micro blogging and social networking applications that dominate the playing field today. 

The massive success of platforms like Facebook and Twitter are real world examples of how networked communications change the way we do business and live our daily lives.  The trade off for that deep level of interaction is a much greater exposure to hackers, malware, viruses, and other threats.  Businesses that want to take advantage of the Web 2.0 marketplace must be more security conscious than ever before.

We’re conditioned to think of online security as the systems in place to protect against malicious attacks, but that’s just part of the overall picture.  Consider a local sporting event.  Police and arena security are on site to stop violent or criminal behavior, but the vast majority of what a security team has accomplished at the end of the day is simply protecting the spectators from each other. 

Keeping the traffic moving, lines organized, and crowds alert means the difference between a safely executed event and a potential tragedy.  Understanding the full role of an online security solution is vital to ensuring your processes are adequate.

There are two primary components to a quality security solution, the technology aspect and the human aspect.  In the modern day cold war of administrators and developers versus hackers, having the latest technology has to be a base line requirement. 

Moore’s Law, paraphrased, states that our computing power doubles roughly every two years.  It’s not enough to stay ahead of the curve in hardware and software technology.  Virus definitions and service patches need to be maintained and updated. 

Stopping Denial of Service attacks and network intrusions requires constant vigilance.  Protecting your network applications and important business data isn’t a “set it and forget it” process.  For companies that are serious about security, it’s a 24/7/365 responsibility.

That’s where the human aspect comes in.  Having the best technology is only effective if you have a top notch operations team at the helm.  Online security can’t be one more thing on a crowded administrator’s plate; it has to be a full-time commitment. 

For SMBs and startups maneuvering a tough economy, finding the resources to deliver that commitment can be a budget breaking proposition.

At NaviSite we have the most up-to-date technology available, and we work closely with our industry leading brand name partners to maintain that edge. 

In a fast moving Web 2.0 environment, Online security needs to be equally nimble, balancing performance and protection, maximizing the user experience while minimizing risk to valuable business assets.

(The author is the managing director of NaviSite India. The views expressed in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CIOL)