Security happens to be the main concern of every CIO but is that really the case? Most of the time, the security of an enterprise is neglected unintentionally and confidential data of the organization gets compromised. The IT management of an enterprise has to think of a full proof security plan all over again because of continuous hacking and malware actions.
Almost every business is vulnerable to data breaches, therefore, CIOs must develop new security responses to fight hackers and malicious attacks. Enterprises and CIOs need to be careful about the possible threats and should always be well-prepared to face security challenges. It is very important to know the solutions of challenges for everyone who is concerned.
Is it even possible to have strong security plans within enterprises in this hyperactive IoT environment? Many doubt it, but the answer to this question is yes, it is possible. All it takes is some fundamental changes and businesses will be good to go. Integrating IoT within enterprises also demands security rules to follow.
Staying connected with mobile applications, Bluetooth, email, cognitive computing and instantly analyzing data eases work processes for managers but all such activities are exposed to cyber crimes as well and CIOs just cannot afford to overlook such vulnerabilities.
According to a study conducted by Ponemon in 2015:
– Almost 67% of companies allow their employees to download non-vetted applications to their work devices.
– Approximately 40% of the companies do not bother to take precautionary measures to secure the mobile applications they build for their customers.
Statistics tell us that some companies just don’t invest money for the security of their important data, which is why potential hackers get a chance to penetrate computer systems or networks.
In this post, we will discuss some of the very important security essentials which every CIO must know.
1. Create a risk-aware environment
Any employee in your enterprise can “get infected” with malware by just clicking on an email or by not installing a security patch properly – which means CIOs need to have a security plan that would work for everyone.
What is meant by creating a risk-aware environment? It generally implies that an organization’s goals and the risks it might face are defined in the best way possible. This can be done by educating employees as well as users about various things which are directly connected to your enterprise and its security. Being the CIO, it’s your responsibility to know how people are using devices or internet.
2. Be in charge
There has to be only one centralized policy for managing and enforcing the usage of devices and services.
In addition to having a security policy, CIOs must ensure that the data of their organizations is streamlined and classified into categories like who can have access to files and documents and who would be responsible in case of data leakage. Once the risk profiles are created, CIOs can secure their workplace from cyber crimes efficiently.
3. Secure network access
CIOs must control the data access and usage. They can monitor the devices and the data that are being used so that they easily know and check access points. Having a secure network access will ease the process of tracking down what is wrong with the systems and detecting malware.
4. Be responsive
CIOs also need to manage security incidents happening in two or three different locations. Having an intelligent security plan can save you from catastrophic data breaches. For instance; if you happen to encounter a security issue at two places which might be similar or related to each other, you might forget to address that incident taking place.
In order to respond to security issues – CIOs need to implement an intelligent and cognitive analytics system. Other than that, automated responses must be ready beforehand for potential threats. The advantage of having an automated system is that companies can monitor the on-going operations and can also respond to various problems in less time.
5. Fight cyber criminals smartly
At times, people do not upgrade the versions of software programs they are using – because they feel comfortable using older software. When users continue with the older versions, it becomes impossible to manage updates on a larger scale. In fact, some software vendors don’t make patches for software programs, potential hackers know this practice very well and then attacking systems becomes easier for them.
CIOs can deal with such attacks smartly by keeping track of each and every program which is being used by the employees etc. and by making sure that the software program is updated. Also, by having well-managed comprehensive systems to install updates and gather patches can be very helpful for CIOs to defeat cyber-attacks.
6. Secure the Clouds
Cloud computing increases efficiency of workplaces by giving the freedom to work from anywhere, anytime, but there are some risks attached to it as well. For instance; if some company decides to share or migrate IT information / services on a public Cloud data center, there are chances of unintentionally sharing the data with scam artists or potential hackers.
A solution for handling this problem is that CIOs must develop a system through which they know about the data usage and can monitor activities of their users as well. Also, whenever the employees of an enterprise have to use third-party Cloud-based web / mobile applications to share information – the CIO must be in control to monitor and protect the company’s data.
7. Secure the business proactively
Another responsibility of CIOs is that they must always implement their services along with the data security plan. Having a business plan without secure network access and data usage is pointless and is vulnerable to cyber crimes. CIOs are expected to have planned out how to secure data right from the start as this is the only practical solution to be safe from hackers and malware.
As enterprises are becoming progressively digitalized, cyber threats are growing in number. Cyber security has to be the key business priority of any company and CIOs must address the problems caused by cyber criminals properly in order to run a successful business. Effective CIOs need to make sure that they always remain up-to-date with the changing trends. As we have mentioned earlier, CIOs must proactively work to fight cyber crimes and vulnerabilities their organization might happen to face in today’s digital age.
CIOs can efficiently secure their organization if they have planned a security strategy and have also provided a linkage between the IT enablement and risk management within the company. In addition to this, CIOs can also get in touch with certain ethical hackers who would attempt to look into network systems to find out security vulnerabilities that a potential hacker could exploit in one way or another.
Have you ever faced a cyber crime issue at your workplace? How did you manage to deal with IT problems? Leave a comment down below and let us know!