IT Baseline Protection Manual - The Information Warfare Site

Safeguard Catalogue Infrastucture Remarks
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S 1.4 Lightning protection devices
Initiation responsibility: Head of Site/Bldg Technical Service
Implementation responsibility: Site/Bldg Technical Service
The direct impact of a stroke of lightning on a building (damage to structural
elements, roof truss fire, and the like) can be prevented by installing a
lightning arrester complying with the DIN/VDE 0185 standard. Besides this
outside lightning protection it is mandatory to provide an internal lightning
protection as an overvoltage protection. this is required because the lightning
arrester does not protect the resources accommodated in the building. This can
only be achieved by overvoltage protection (cf. S 1.25 Overvoltage
Protection), the high costs of which must be justified in relation to the items to
be protected.
Example:
As a result of a lightning strike, damage was caused to IT equipment (PC's,
server, laser printers) to the amount of DM 20,000 in the southern German
branch of a service company. As a result, the building was furnished with
external lightning protection without internal lightning protection (overvoltage
protection). A second lightning strike led to damage of approximately the
same extent despite this external lightning protection.
Additional controls:
- Is external lightning protection actually required?
- Are there any requirements imposed by authorities or insurers?
- Is the lightning protection device regularly checked and maintained?
- Is there sufficient overvoltage protection in the building?
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IT-Baseline Protection Manual: Oktober 2000