Security vs convenience

Convenience and security are trade-offs.

Giving everyone in your office a key to the front door certainly adds convenience. But if you've got 200 people in your office, you probably want to think twice about the security implications.

Not long ago one of my clients had their website defaced. Someone had guessed the password for one of their user accounts, and used it to add spam links to a gambling website in every page on the site.

That user account wasn't even in use anymore. But nobody had thought to disable it.

Here's the thing:

Tightening security can cause some inconvenience.

• Somebody has to remember to disable unused accounts.

• Two-factor authentication makes logins just a little more cumbersome.

• Some of your board members may be unhappy learning they don't have absolute carte blanche access to change anything on your site.

But considering the implications of a security breach, isn't it worth thinking carefully about the trade-offs between security and convenience?

All the best,
A.