CISO DISCUSSES SAFEGUARDING OPERATIONS IN THE BANKING SECTOR
cCan you tell us what your role looks like day-to-day ?
I am responsible for information security of the bank . This involves everything from receiving team members ’ updates on the bank ’ s overall cybersecurity status , along with any high-risk items and , where necessary , communicating these to senior management .
In short , I oversee the smooth running of the bank ’ s security posture .
As the banking and finance industry remains one of the biggest targets for cyberattacks , Kamran Meer , CISO , United Bank Limited ( UBL ), discusses operations in the banking sector as the fight to target attackers is ongoing .
What are some of the cybersecurity implications you come across when working in the banking sector ?
Unfortunately , the banking sector is one of the most heavily targeted by cybercriminals . We are always on the alert . We receive all kinds of threats – from basic phishing emails to more sophisticated attacks .
Protection is a matter of having multiple layers of defence , not just for the corporate network but also for our employees working from home during COVID-19 and for our customers .
What strategies do you have in place for overcoming cyber challenges ?
Essentially , there are three security strategies that we must coordinate and run in tandem . The security technology strategy encompasses everything from our firewall to the endpoint protection . Coordination is managed by a team of security analysts in our Security Operations Centre ( SOC ). We have enhanced our SOC with the latest Security Orchestration Automation Response ( SOAR ) capacity .
SIRP Labs ’ platform provides our analysts with a clear view of the nature and severity of threat alerts while at the same time equipping them to make informed decisions about incident response priorities .
Next comes the Board strategy whereby technical analysis about the nature and severity of threats is translated into a business context so they can easily understand and act upon it . Finally , we have a consumer strategy . This involves continually evolving our services and delivery platforms for our customers .
Kamran Meer , CISO , United Bank Limited ( UBL )
For example , Digital Transformation is gradually changing the service delivery point from the physical presence on the high street to a virtual experience , using mobile banking . As these new services come on stream , so do new risks and the onus is on the cybersecurity teams to stay several steps ahead of this progress .
How would you describe the state of cybersecurity across the EMEA region and how do you expect it to develop ?
The EMEA region is no different to any other in terms of the number of cyberattacks it faces daily . However , the overall cybersecurity picture in the EMEA region is maturing very quickly .
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