INDUSTRY WATCH
STEPS MUST BE TAKEN
TO ENSURE THAT EVERY
BLUNT EDGE IN TELECOMS
CYBERSECURITY IS
SHARPENED AND SECURED.
compromise and thus are ideal targets for
hackers looking to steal data.
Following a long year of social media giants
battling with digital regulations, data privacy
is a higher priority than ever before. Since
prominent communications brands have
also been implicated in major data breaches,
CSPs are beginning to recognise the need to
embrace trust as a competitive differentiator.
For consumers, the dramatic expansion
in bandwidth and connectivity that will
come with 5G technologies and emerging
IoT devices will provide more options to
engage with media. It will also present
new opportunities for both media
providers and network operators. There’s
no doubt that it’s an exciting time in the
telecommunications sector.
Although CSPs are best positioned to enable
these new business models, they can’t just
sit back and enjoy the riches of growth. They
still need to work to secure their customers
from the risks inherent to the data economy.
Telecommunications infrastructure
is a unique access point to national
security for cybercriminals
The infrastructure of telecommunications
organisations is inherently more exposed
to hard-hitting cyberattacks compared to
other consumer-oriented organisations. Bad
publicity, brand damage and regulatory fines
can cause short to medium-term damage
but an attack on a telecoms company has
the potential for a much deeper impact than
most other services have to worry about.
Telecommunications systems are embedded
so deeply within the networks of nations
across the globe that their security has
become paramount. They are constantly
functioning as facilitators of not only
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INTELLIGENTCIO
financial and business transactions but
also emergency response communications,
meaning that the consequences of a breach
are substantial. Steps must be taken to
ensure that every blunt edge in telecoms
cybersecurity is sharpened and secured.
Guarding assets with Privileged
Access Management
Companies today look after a whole host
of information and data, much of it being
confidential and of critical importance.
To guard this data yet still allow certain
individuals to access it, privileged
credentials exist across almost every
enterprise’s IT environment.
Cybercriminals know this. That is why almost
all advanced attacks today gain access to
a target’s most sensitive data, applications
and infrastructure by exploiting a company’s
privileged credentials. Telecommunications is
by no means an exception.
Despite this knowledge, organisations
allow privileged access to critical assets
and systems to remain unsecured and
unmanaged. Assets are therefore left
vulnerable to damaging cyberattacks
that could impact telecommunications
companies and citizens far beyond the limits
of a simple data breach.
Companies must up their game in securing,
controlling and monitoring the use of
powerful privileged accounts to minimise
disruptive damage to these systems.
In order to proactively reduce the risk of
privileged access abuse, telecoms companies
must first understand the most common
types of attacks that exploit privileged
access. They must know how an attacker
thinks and behaves in each case to exploit
the organisation’s vulnerabilities.
They must then prioritise the most
important privileged accounts,
credentials and secrets. Identifying
the potential points of attack and then
focusing especially on those that could
jeopardise critical infrastructure or the
organisation’s most vital information, is
also essential.
After understanding weaknesses and
access points for attackers, telecoms
companies must determine the most
effective actions to close the gap in
these areas. Which actions are the
highest priority? What can be achieved
quickly and which actions require a long-
term plan?
As an overarching rule, organisations
should recognise that attackers are
constantly looking for new ways to
gain access and act appropriately in
response. By taking the time to plan
out a strategy for managing privileged
access and returning to reassess it
as your organisation and the threat
landscape evolve, you can develop a
formidable defence.
Securing telecommunications’
exciting future
As a global society, we’re moving into
an era where technology is our most
important asset and tool. We are
innovating the very networks that this
world runs on daily, creating, in turn,
services that improve our standard of
living exponentially. IoT devices create
a network of tools that are versatile
and agile for human needs and 5G
connectivity will provide all of it at our
fingertips. But as a shepherd tends his
flock at night, so must we in keeping alert
and vigilant to potential threats that
attempt to disrupt positive growth.
By understanding threats, proactively
prioritising the weakest points in
privileged access infrastructure,
determining the best course of action
and striving for continuous improvement,
CSPs will be able to minimise damage
from cyberthreats. With a solid strategy in
place, the rewards of a hyper-connected
world will be reaped. n
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