INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE SECURITY
data in the enterprise, and the users
and devices, guarding against malware,
hackers, data leaks and attacks.
Defence and intelligence
are synonymous
Walls neglect to address the points at
which the threats originate, allowing
hackers to persist and grow more
sophisticated in seeking new back channels
and vulnerabilities to penetrate. So in
this day and age of so many threats, how
can we safeguard against all this without
erecting walls?
The solution to outdated perimeter
defences is to build layers of actionable
intelligence that seek to understand the
causes, behaviour, history and nature
of those gaining access to the network,
similar to our unsung heroes, the officers
at airports and borders, who ask travellers
where they’ve been, why they left and what
they’re bringing in. These are all contextual
pieces of information that, when analysed,
provide actionable intelligence.
We need to build the same kind
of multilayer defence that the human
physiology provides: the skin (the wall
Organisations
need to have
a holistic
security posture
that spans
their internal
network and
devices. More
importantly,
they must
anticipate
malicious
external threats.
in this scenario) allows a natural ebb
and flow, but is supported by our white
blood cells fighting infections internally.
Meanwhile, the brain learns how to avoid
external threats using contextual and
actionable insights, providing holistic
defence. Today’s digital organisation and
its network are much like a living organism
that needs intelligence for survival.
Equally important is balancing
visibility and flexibility. To enable a
secure enterprise, you need to be able
to see everything on your network and
to evaluate new additions. Think of a
device that is added to the network; you
need to ensure that it is not introducing
malware into the network while also being
adaptable enough to accommodate a new
piece of the network.
This could be something as simple as
automating the process by which a printer
is added to the network or creating guest
permissions for a contractor’s device once
it’s been verified. Crucially, networks
must be scalable so that they can keep
pace with a modern enterprise’s growth,
as new people and devices constantly join
or exit the fold, the network must be able
to adapt.
Moving beyond bricks in the wall
Our rich digital ecosystems can only
thrive and innovate via learning from
and evolving with the disparate digital
communities and netizens beyond our
perimeters, even if this means occasional
friction and conflict. Data, ideas, digital
currency, commerce and interactions rely
on this two-way flow of both good and bad.
It is true that like every building, every
organisation constructs defences around its
physical and virtual premises. But all walls
do well is isolate and create an artificial
sense of security. Instead we must accept
the reality that in today’s cyber climate,
threats are bound to find their way in.
To move forward, we must build layers
of defence, visibility and intelligence that
are adaptive, responsive and secure; ones
that guarantee open communication,
engagement and unfettered commerce, but
provide the protection and openness we
need to thrive. It is about much more than
just adding another brick in the wall.
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