Two approaches to improving cyber security and which may be right for you.
Digital technology has made life much easier for many individuals. From reacquainting with old friends to completing basic financial transactions, our devices and networks have allowed us to achieve greater levels of personal connection and convenience. These are new opportunities all created in just a matter of years—with new technology still being developed as we go.
But in some ways, digital technology has also introduced a new series of problems. With the rise of new products and networks comes issues of data security. Cyber criminals are constantly finding ways to tap into the trove of personal information available on the web—and it's proven costly. According to a study from Ponemon Institute, the costs of cyber crime have risen 19% in one year.
For major corporations, there's a lot at stake: potential loss of trust, goodwill and revenue. To combat this it's important to implement the right strategies to make sure you're actively controlling cyber crime.
There are two individual approaches, different but complementary, that you should consider for your cyber security strategy:
Use Integrated Approach Toward System Implementations
Many agencies have expressed their confidence in implementing an integrated approach to big data, cloud computing and mobile technologies. And that's with good reason: having an integrated solution would not only provide a more affordable means to sharing and storing information, but also include a holistic sync with all the various elements of the implementation.
This would include coordination among the apps, networks, servers, storage and virtualization segments that would require cyber security parameters to be built into each layer and around the entire architecture. (Granted, budget limitations is a real factor for any federal institution, so going toward the route of open source should definitely be a consideration.)
Use Intelligence-Driven Approach to Mitigate Attacks
According to RSA, agencies are pushing toward an intelligence-driven approach as advanced threats continue to evolve. This method takes advantage of behavior analytics and smart device capabilities to combat cyber-threats while capitalizing on mobile and cloud environments. They suggest three key factors to the intelligence-driven approach to fighting cyber crime:
- Immediate external visibility and context into cyber crime threats across all online and digital channels
- Extended analysis capabilities, enabling detection of anomalies that indicate threats based on an organization's unique risk profile, and immediate assessment of which threats are the most damaging
- Designation of the right corrective action to mitigate the specific threat at hand, quickly and efficiently
These attributes will serve as a balance among the factors of risk, cost and end-user convenience, while providing a layer of security that protects identities and assets across multiple channels. So even if there's no guarantee that attacks will be thwarted, being able to access the right intelligence will allow you to at least detect impending breaches and minimize potential loss or damage.
The main thing to keep in mind is to continue observing the latest threats, trends and prevention methods. Cyber security will be a constant threat, especially as technology evolves. But the availability and willingness with which agencies share their information will help both the public and private corporations to stay ahead of the game.