Without suitable site, system and data control mechanisms, it is virtually impossible to prevent or detect the unauthorised use of devices and systems. For IT systems, the general mechanism is the identification and authentication of users. However, even in IT systems that use a strong identification and authentication function, unauthorised use is possible if the corresponding security features (passwords, chip cards, tokens etc.) fall into the wrong hands. Many errors can also be made when assigning, managing and updating authorisations, for example if authorisations are assigned too extensively or to unauthorised persons or are not updated in a timely manner.

Using devices and systems without authorisation, unauthorised persons may obtain confidential information, carry out manipulations or cause disruptions.

A particularly important special case of unauthorised use is unauthorised administration. When unauthorised persons change the configuration or the operating parameters of hardware or software components, this may result in serious damage.

Example:

• When checking the log data, a network administrator detected initially inexplicable events, which occurred on different days, but often in the early morning and in the afternoon. On closer examination, it transpired that a WLAN router was configured insecurely. People waiting at the bus stop in front of the company building had been using this access to surf the Internet using their portable terminal devices while waiting for the bus.

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