Page 759 - StudyBook.pdf

Operational and Organizational Security: Policies and Disaster Recovery• Chapter 12 743

tems open to attack, or make damage caused by disasters more significant. Once
identified, the administrator needs to create countermeasures to deal with them.
This can include such elements as installing a firewall to protect the internal net-
work from the Internet, installing fire suppression systems to protect against fire, or
other factors that will be discussed in the sections that follow.
While implementing countermeasures is something that should be done before
a disaster, countermeasures should also be created and implemented after a disaster
occurs. Sometimes vulnerabilities may go unnoticed until after problems arise.
Once a disaster occurs, however, areas that could have been protected but were not
become clearer. For example, if a hacker breaks into a server through a service that
was not required, restoring this unneeded service on a replacement server would
involve making the same mistake twice. Changing systems to remove vulnerabilities
will not protect you from a disaster that has already happened, but it will protect
the system from repeat attacks.

Utilities

Even if an administrator is comfortable with the internal measures they have taken
to protect data and other assets, outside sources may still have an impact on systems.
Utility companies supply essential services, such as electricity and communication
services. In some disasters, such as major storms or earthquakes, these services may
become unavailable.Without them, servers and other vital systems are left without
power and unable to phone for assistance to bring them back online when power is
restored.To continue doing normal business functions, administrators need to imple-
ment equipment that will provide these services when the utility companies cannot.
Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are power supplies that can switch over
to a battery backup when power outages occur. Multiple devices can be plugged
into a UPS, similar to a power bar, and the UPS generally provides such functions
as surge protection and noise filtering.When a drop in voltage occurs, the UPS
detects it and switches over to battery backup. Components plugged into the UPS
can then receive power for a limited amount of time (often ranging from 10 to 45
minutes), until normal power is restored or the system can shut down properly.This
does not allow you to continue normal business functions, but will protect data
from corruption caused by sudden losses of power and improper shutdowns.
When power is out for lengthy periods of time, additional measures may be
necessary to supply electricity to equipment. Power generators can run on gasoline,
kerosene, or other fuels for an extended time, and provide energy to a building.
Certain power outlets may be connected to the generator, so that any systems
plugged into these outlets will receive power when normal power is lost.

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