Administrator Guide

Technical support and resources
ID 483
1 Introduction
As the threat landscape evolves, IT and security professionals struggle to manage the risks to their data and resources.
Data is being used across many devices, on premise, and in the cloud, and high impact data breaches continue to mount.
Historically security emphasis has been placed on the operating system, on applications, and on firewalls. Another
network infrastructure concern is Intrusion Detection System (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS). IDS analyses
the network traffic for signatures that match known cyberattacks. IPS stops the packets from being delivered. These areas
continue to be important areas to address. Threats to hardware continue to rise, which requires secure hardware-based
infrastructure for firmware, BIOS, iDRAC, and overall supply chain assurance.
The Dell Technologies 2020 Digital Transformation Index found that data privacy and cybersecurity concerns are the
Number One barrier to digital transformation.
1
Also, 63% of companies experienced a data compromise due to an
exploited vulnerability
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.
As servers become more critical in a software-defined data center architecture, server security becomes the foundation of
overall enterprise security. Servers must emphasize security at both the hardware and firmware level by leveraging an
immutable Root of Trust. The Root of Trust is used to verify subsequent operations within the server. This verification
establishes a chain of trust that extends throughout the server life cycle, from deployment through maintenance to
decommissioning.
The 14th and 15th generations of Dell EMC PowerEdge servers with iDRAC9 deliver this chain of trust. This chain of trust,
along with security controls and comprehensive management tools provides robust layers of security across hardware
and firmware. The result is a Cyber Resilient Architecture that extends across every aspect of the server. Cyber Resilient
Architecture includes the embedded server firmware, the data stored in the system, the operating system, peripheral
devices, and the management operations within it. Organizations can build a process to protect their valuable server
infrastructure and the data within it. They can detect any anomalies, breaches, unauthorized operations, and recover from
unintended or malicious events.
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Dell Technologies 2020 Digital Transformation Index
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Match Present-Day Security threats with BIOS-Level Control. A Forrester Consulting Thought Leadership Paper commissioned by Dell, 2019