Computer-aided dispatch systems (CAD) are most commonly used in law enforcement, emergency medical services, as well as for other public safety purposes – but they are also used in the private sector. Such a wide range of usage of CAD systems was incorporated due to its great performance and a large number of benefits of this technology.
But the thing is, just like any piece of software that operates via the internet, there’s always the danger of different online threats like hacking and data exploitation. There are different ways in which this problem can be evaded though – and be sure to stick around because that’s exactly what we are going to be talking about in this article.
Why is it important to protect your CAD software?
Here’s the thing, no matter the usage of the CAD software, any type of online threats can greatly impact both the proficiency of the operation, as well as compromise the means of dealing with it.
A breach of security can also lead to leakage of important information which, if it happens to end up in the wrong hands, can heavily impact the well-being of others. This information can range from personal records, to situations regarding the safety of a great number of people like fires, terrorist attacks, and many different incidents.
SSL encryption
One of the first things that you need to ensure in order to keep your dispatch software safe is that it has SSL encryption. But, what does this mean, and what are the benefits of having such encryption?
Firstly, SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. Explaining it simply, SSL is the standard technology for keeping an internet connection secure. As experts for dispatch explain, SSL encryption ensures the safeguarding of any sensitive data that is being sent between two different systems. This ultimately results in preventing criminals from both reading and modifying any information that is being transferred.
Which systems are being guarded and how?
Basically, any two systems that are between a server and a client or between a server to server can be protected by utilizing SSL encryption.
SSL encryption protects your software by making sure that any data that has been transferred between users and sites, as well as between two different systems remains pretty much impossible to read. It uses such encryption algorithms that are able to scramble any type of data in transit, ultimately preventing hackers from reading it as it is being sent over the connection.
The type of information could be pretty much any type of sensitive or personal data that dispatch software transits send. These can be personal information like names and addresses, or medical and police records – anything that comes to mind.
Opting for cloud-based solutions
Cloud-based solutions are a great option when it comes to securely store the applications and data that are necessary for dispatch centers. Experienced cloud providers ensure that all the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS) compliance standards are adhered to, which ultimately leads to the best security measures possible.
It should also be mentioned that, besides enabling enhanced collaboration between departments, cloud-based solutions also offer automated maintenance updates – which is a great thing to have. Automatic updates dramatically alleviate a lot of the IT workload.
Cloud-based solutions also offer different payment models that are going to entirely eliminate costly hardware purchases and further reduce the total costs of CAD system ownership.
Patching and updating your software regularly
One of the easiest ways to find and fix vulnerabilities regarding your CAD system is to make sure that you keep it up to date. There are studies that show that around 60% of data breaches were in some way linked to an available, but yet unapplied software patch.
Basically, whenever a software patch becomes available, it’s usually due to the fact that the vendor has identified a glitch, bug, or some other relevant risk. The patch in question, in most cases, resolves issues like these. So, if you happen to choose not to install the patch, you’re leaving all those vulnerabilities open for online threats to exploit.
Be sure to continually monitor your network
While all the previously mentioned factors are important, monitoring your network is something that can never be overlooked since without doing so, it’s extremely challenging to recognize any unusual changes that may indicate a cyber threat. Cyber risk monitoring provides a vital insight that you need in order to monitor and detect anomalies.
To sum things up
In the end, it all comes down to taking time in order to do all the necessary research before opting for a certain computer-aided dispatch system. There are many different encryption options, and ensuring that your dispatch software is equipped with one that is going to do the job. So, be sure not to overlook doing research, and now that you know what you should look for, it surely isn’t going to be all that difficult.
