Trusted Computing Group

This week, Security Magazine, traditionally focused on the world of physical security - video surveillance, access systems, door systems, alarms and the like - featured as its lead story a new twist on swiping the badge and entering the building: linking that swipe to access to the network.

The reality today is that it's not enough to merely monitor and control who gets through the door at most enterprises. Companies need to know that the person with the badge is really employed there and as the appropriate level of access not to just the conference room or the cafeteria but to the crown jewels of most orgs: the network that is the heart of the operation. And Trusted Computing Group's IF-MAP (Metadata Access Protocol) is doing just that by enabling physical security systems to communicate with network gear.

In fact, while we started with badge access and network access, the key is that IF-MAP can do so much more. It can be the conduit that allows the network to become aware of any and all physical environment events and conversely, physical systems (security, building, SCADA) can become aware and respond to events that occur on the network or are communicated via the network from other disparate systems.

If you have not followed our efforts in protecting SCADA networks, you might want to check this article out by Scott Howard, Byres Security, on using IF-MAP and gear supporting the Trusted Network Connect specifications to ensure that critical infrastructure and networks are protected.

Beyond IF-MAP, TCG standards are being used for all kinds of security applications. For example, you might want to check out an interesting research paper on using the TCG's Trusted Platform Module in video cameras to protect information. You can read more here.