EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
MARK BELGROVE , HEAD OF CYBER CONSULTANCY , EXPONENTIAL-E
From securing remote devices , to the need for
Multi-Factor Authentication , the pandemic has brought the value of cybersecurity to life . Countless cyberthreats have emerged and grown as criminals have sought to take advantage of the chaos that ensued . Many won ’ t dissipate once the world returns to normal and CISOs should expect a number of long-term impacts on security , especially given trends like remote working are here to stay .
Let ’ s take remote working as our first example . It brings an abundance of remote devices , all of which need to be patched and secured appropriately to avoid potential threats from hackers . This is challenging for those who aren ’ t connected to network infrastructure , but isn ’ t the only security consideration organisations have to take into account . Malware prevention and management is also essential to being cybersecure , especially as phishing attacks have spiked in the context of the virus .
But let ’ s return to network infrastructure for a moment . Employees need this connection to access company servers and stay up to date with the latest security policies . Most organisations use VPNs to connect employees with their infrastructure , so CISOs must ensure these connections are secure and that controls are also implemented for cloud-based applications which don ’ t require VPN-based access to corporate resources . have seen several cyber incidents resulting from the use of weak passwords on SaaS solutions due to this exact oversight .
CISOs should invest their time and IT budget into new security technologies that are designed to help overcome these issues , which are likely to pervade after the pandemic . Many not only protect systems , but also reduce the risk of unnecessary security sideeffects , such as the possibility of latency on devices . SD-WAN , for example , has end-to-end encryption built in to ensure data security both in-flight and in the cloud , and accelerates access to business applications by connecting to multiple cloud estates with ultra-low latency .
Secure Access Service Edge ( SASE ), which has piqued the interest of cybersecurity experts , as well as Gartner , is another solution to common security problems . Various solutions on the market claim to be SASE , but many only address one of its key areas , such as network , account management or data , rather than providing a holistic solution . CISOs should therefore be mindful of only investing in SASE technologies that address all the core areas outlined by Gartner and that all appropriate security controls are implemented , as only then can they be sure their organisation ’ s systems are truly secure .
This mass migration of infrastructure to the cloud ( such as through Office 365 ) that many organisations have embarked on creates another challenge . That ’ s because many have failed to implement Multi-Factor Authentication – a vital , additional security layer that helps distance bad actors from infrastructure . We
CISOs must look ahead and proactively map their organisation ’ s vulnerabilities , security goals and budget to accurately prepare for these longterm cybersecurity impacts . Doing so will be key to navigating future crises , whether it ’ s a global pandemic , or something closer to home .
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