Security has always underpinned everything we do, but as security threats — both business and personal — multiply almost before our eyes it’s time to look at how best we can defend ourselves. So, over the next couple of weeks Viewpoint is taking an in-depth look at security.
We’ve got so much to share with you that’ll help you make the most of the defences you’ve got, or will steer you in the right direction if you’re looking to review your security. We’ll be updating Viewpoint regularly, so make sure you keep checking to get the very latest.
And if you’ve got a burning security issue you’d like to put to our experts, then join the conversation by leaving a comment below and we’ll get things started.
Security not your thing? No problem. We’ll still be posting regularly on other topics and issues from the world of technology.
Security needs to be part of our DNA
Security used to be a standalone activity; important, but on the periphery of the ‘real’ business. Today, that approach is a sure-fire way to security disaster.
Risk is everywhere, all the time. Many risks we don’t give a second thought — logging into online banking via any ISP available or downloading demos on to our networks for example; we ignore the threat because recognising it would inconvenience us. It’s all a bit head-in-the-sand. Bruce Schneier has written extensively about our inability to judge risk correctly, and how that leads us to minimise most risks as a coping mechanism so we can get on with our day.
Your IT security has more capacity than you think
But smart security is about opening your eyes and taking a good look at the threat landscape and the defences you have available. It’s about facing the uncomfortable reality of risk and not letting it paralyse your effectiveness. And it’s likely that you’re better prepared than you realise — our networks already have the potential, flexibility and agility to deal with most of the threats the world can throw at them. Your focus now needs to be on getting your assets working as hard as possible for you, defending you against the risks your security assessments tell you pose the greatest threat to your organisation.
Security is what you’ve got, but it’s also how you use it
Two main issues hold back security effectiveness:
1. A lack of reporting or visibility of real-time information that creates awareness of threats and fuels smart decisions.
2. An inability to pull out the crucial insights that lead to effective protection from the mass of monitoring and intrusion-detection information available.
Make this week the time you review your IT security: take the security challenge and make sure your organisation is ready for whatever’s out there.
