Verizon Launches IT Consulting Services

April 29, 2010
Verizon Business announces a new IT security consulting practice that will integrate physical security with information security and compliance programs.

Verizon physical security services include a physical security assessment and penetration test, security awareness training, social engineering experiment and evaluation of relevant security technologies, such as smart cards and biometric scanners. Evaluations cover an organization's corporate offices, data centers and warehouses, and document storage and disposal practices.

The new services are designed to help safeguard physical, network, application, data and end-user IT layers by addressing access control, facility safety and surrounding environmental conditions.

Only 43% of organizations had restricted physical access to confidential cardholder data, according to Verizon Business’ 2009 data breach investigations report. This means that 57% had left cardholder data open and exploitable via a physical breach, according to Verizon.

"Organizations know that a proactive approach to security is key to protecting critical assets, but too often, they overlook physical security considerations, such as requiring access cards to enter a facility, making this one of the weakest links in the security chain," says Dr. Peter Tippett, vice president of technology and innovation at Verizon Business. "Our research shows that simple security measures done well can make a big difference to an organization's ability to prevent data breaches. These new services help companies address both their information and physical security requirements in a holistic manner, helping to more effectively protect the organization—and its own customers—from security breaches."