Intelligent SME.tech Issue 10 | Page 23

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// EDITOR ’ S QUESTION ?

IAN JANSEN VAN RENSBURG , ENGINEERING DIRECTOR AT VMWARE SSA

S ecurity is a high priority investment for a business . C-level executives are ultimately held responsible for a severe security breach , and a breach can hurt the company brand and customer trust .

The budget allocation for security that is made available to the IT department should be strategically aligned to business goals . When an IT manager finds the opportunity to present and defend the security budget , they need to have the correct documentation , verifiable data and business unit support to convince C-level executives that security is a high priority investment . The security investment should always protect digital assets as today ’ s digital assets are used to run and grow a business .
These assets can be websites , digital marketing , e-commerce , applications and more . Then also , consider that data is at the heart of all digital assets and must be protected from cybercriminals and internal staff , making all digital assets ’ security essential and mandatory . To protect digital assets – a company must understand these assets , the ownership of data needs to be established and they must consider all legal aspects . In addition , cybersecurity hygiene

THE BUDGET
ALLOCATION FOR SECURITY THAT IS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE IT DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE STRATEGICALLY ALIGNED TO BUSINESS GOALS . needs to be implemented and system access limited to internal users .
Today , social media sites are used as a digital marketing tool , and their value grows with the number of users that access the site . Millions of users equal millions of potential customers but also millions of potential security threats . Businesses should protect public-facing assets as well as internal physical access .
Data collection and processing of all digital assets is imperative to the successful implementation of security best practices . Because the number and intensity of threats are continuously growing , companies must keep up with the intelligent innovation of cybercriminals . They can do so by using Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to mitigate the risk of an attack .
Network perimeter security is no longer sufficient protection against data breaches , ransomware and other attacks . Security needs to be software-defined and microsegmented throughout all digital assets . Ultimately , complacency and the lack of budget are among some of the most significant security vulnerabilities .
In summary : Security is a high priority investment and should not be seen at the low point of the pecking order when budgeting for information systems . So , in short , ensure that the correct vendors and skilled security consultants are fronting your security strategy , use Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning , and investigate and implement Blockchain technologies . Ensure that best practices for cyber hygiene are always followed and manage your data daily . �

ULTIMATELY , COMPLACENCY AND THE LACK OF BUDGET ARE AMONG SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SECURITY VULNERABILITIES .
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