Safety Basics: Your Last Line of Defense

We often get captivated by the allure of advanced systems and complex solutions such as AI-powered security systems. But let's pause for a moment and consider - have we overlooked the simple safety nets that could safeguard us when these complex systems falter?

Three historical incidents across different industries underline the importance of this critical balance:

1. The 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Disaster: Despite sophisticated safety systems, the power plant was unprepared for a high-magnitude earthquake and tsunami. A simple safety net - building the plant at a higher elevation could have averted the disaster.
2. Titanic Sinking (1912): The Titanic, the most advanced ship of its era, did not have enough lifeboats for all onboard. This simple yet critical safety measure could have saved many more lives when the ship's touted 'unsinkability' failed.
3. Therac-25 Radiation Therapy Overdoses (1985-1987): The Therac-25, despite its advanced software controls, lacked the simple hardware safety interlock that its previous models had. This simple measure could have prevented several massive radiation overdoses in patients.

These incidents are stark reminders that while striving for the next significant innovation, we should recognize the safety basics, no matter how simple they seem.

In information security, the same principle applies. A robust disaster recovery plan, regular system updates, strong authentication protocols, and offline backups for critical online data may not be glamorous, but they are crucial.

When advanced systems falter, it's the basics that save the day.

So what simple safety net will you strengthen this week?

Stay tuned for our next post, where we will delve into examples of disasters that were not due to a lack of security systems but rather a lack of a strong safety culture.