Do you have appropriate cybersecurity protocols in place? Is it being proactively implemented? Are you worried about the safety of your customer / financial information, employee records, intellectual property? Or do you still believe that cybersecurity is purely a technical matter and a sole responsibility of CIOs? 

 

If these questions are making you uncomfortable, you are most probably pushing the issue of cybersecurity under the rug. You aren’t serious about the lurking threat right outside your door. Cyberattacks are very common these days, and the issue with these threats is that you don’t know how, when and/or what will hit you. The challenge becomes even more formidable as companies embrace various emerging trends like cloud computing, big data and internet of things. 

 

Take for instance the ubiquitous use of devices like smartphones or tablets by employees to access corporate information. This gives IT administrators little to no control over their security. Likewise, with social media, employees tend to unintentionally disclose sensitive data such as their location or the airport they are in. These basis cues along with the employee’s job profile can be used to ferret out say the identity of a potential acquisition target, or a troubled financial company.

 

Consider cloud computing which opens up a completely new set of data-security concerns as companies have to relinquish control of security to an external stakeholder. Targeted attacks in the form of hacking are the oldest forms of cyber nuisance. But with evolving technology, hacking is also getting more complex and advanced. Data breaches from within the organization are becoming common due to multiple failings of people, processes and working practices.

 

As you can see, in these complex situations, your best chance to safeguard your business is to be prepared with defensive measures. Don’t let your company’s cybersecurity recede to the background and certainly don’t wait for an incident to happen. Act now! Ask yourself – Are you confident that your organization’s information security activities are effective?