Tech must step in where we forget

After a minor security scare--his house keys were misplaced--my brother went on a defense mode and installed a biometric door lock that supports access via fingerprint and/or a PIN number.

But, ironically, if both access modes fail, the door can be unlocked with a traditionally-made metal key. So, my brother would still have to carry a key that can potentially be misplaced once again.

It kinda defeats the purpose of installing a biometric locking system, I thought. And that's a common challenge in security today--its usage.

In an interview with ZDNet Asia this week, Symantec CTO Mark Bregman urged the need for technology to fill the gaps that human behavior inevitably creates.

Bregman noted that users are easier targets because enhanced IT security tools have made it tougher for hackers to penetrate physical networks. Because user education has its limits, he said, technology must then step in and plug the holes.

I think the key thing to note here is that one cannot work without the other. The best security protection needs both user education and advanced technology.

And one of the best ways to "educate" users about security is fear, mainly because it evokes the necessary human reaction.

In the film The Day The Earth Stood Still, the storyline touched on humanity's ability to change only when it faces a crisis and stands at the brink of destruction. The movie discusses how even the hardiest of humans, will find the capacity to change if faced with earth's imminent extinction.

It was the fear of losing his keys again--hence, putting his home at risk--that prompted my brother to seek out biometric technology as an alternative security measure. But, should the fingerprint reader or number keypad fail to work often enough, my brother will likely choose to revert back to using the traditional key.

Humans are forgetful and soon enough, the fear they once felt will only be a distant memory. Technology can play a critical role here and fill in those memory lapses, but it can do so only if it is reliable and trustworthy.

Needless to say¸ the industry still has some work to do.

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Eileen Yu

Eileen Yu began covering the IT industry when Asynchronous Transfer Mode was still hip and e-commerce was the new buzzword. These days, she gets stirred up over issues concerning Internet regulation, intellectual property rights and software patents, online privacy and data protection. Eileen is senior editor at ZDNet Asia, where she oversees the business tech news site.