Privacy, Identity and Risk Management Concerns of Security

The term "security" must be redefined and expanded to encompass the new global realities of colliding economic, political and consumer forces that demand more accountability from businesses and governments, said Joseph W. McGrath, president and CEO of Unisys Corporation, in his Texas keynote address May 3rd at the 2006 World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT 2006).

From port security concerns to bird flu risks to large scale identity thefts and cyber breaches, individuals, businesses and governments think differently today about what security and safety mean. McGrath stressed that as a result, companies and governments need more visibility into their operations to better plan ahead and more effectively manage risk, both for their customers and constituents.

"Seeing today is the path to securing tomorrow," said McGrath. "Security -- in a new world -- is not merely about what can go wrong but what needs to go right. Organizations today operate on a slender thread, delicately striking a balance between security as defense and protection, and security as confidence and trust."

McGrath discussed how the private and public sector must work together to improve security worldwide. He stressed that success demands a framework -- a blueprint -- to identify, track and trace, and protect people, goods, and information and IT systems. It demands technologies old and new, all connected through a clear digital blueprint.

"That slender thread can unravel or break at a moment's notice," McGrath said. "To achieve success, you must be more secure not only in a physical sense, you also need to be more confident. This means an organization has to be visible -- not merely preventing problems but also inspiring confidence in the marketplace."

In addition to his keynote at WCIT, McGrath participated in a panel of government and private sector experts who further explored this new security paradigm. The panel discussed the visibility and collaboration needed in identity authentication, which is often at the heart of most security initiatives.