As we increase the amount of encryption occurring on our infrastructures and have keys deployed pervasively on multiple applications, the current model of letting each app manage its own keys becomes untenable. Sure, smaller organizations with relatively modest encryption needs will be able to juggle a few independent encryption silos, but for how long? Encryption requirements certainly aren't going away.
As far as cross-platform capabilities go, in the absence of an open key-management interface, switches, storage systems and tape drives that use encryption keys can cooperate only by publishing their key-management APIs for third-party use. No vendor presently provides a purpose-built key manager that can support the wide range of systems used for encrypting data in flight for network, disk and database applications, as well as data at rest on tape or disk.
Currently, most key-management vendors are emphasizing data at rest, because this represents one of IT's greatest challenges. Tape and backup applications require that a huge number of keys be generated, then securely maintained for decades. Keys may also be needed at remote locations to make data accessible for disaster recovery or e-discovery.
It's All About The Policies
Besides consolidating management overhead of multiple independent systems, the biggest indicator for EKM success is consistent policy application. Microsoft demonstrates a potential solution for this problem in its Windows Rights Management Services for Windows Server 2003. Of course, Windows RMS works only in homogeneous Microsoft environments; see "Going the All Microsoft Route" page 45. But for our purposes, it's the principle behind RMS that's important: Microsoft says RMS "augments an organization's security strategy by protecting information through persistent usage policies that remain with the information, no matter where the information goes."
Verizon is demoing crowd analytics technology that uses 5G along with AI and mobile edge computing to give stadium operators insights into the flow of fans throughout a venue.
As we move closer to fully realizing the potential of Wi-Fi 7, it becomes evident that the RF, signaling, and throughput tests are not merely procedural checkpoints but the pillars of excellence in wireless communication.
With low earth orbit (LEO) satellites fast becoming the norm and 3GPP unifying telecom standards around the globe, the satellite IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) sector ought to be looking at a bright horizon. But is this the case?
