The more interconnected the world becomes, the greater the risk posed by weaknesses in devices or networks.
According to Simon Bryden, consulting system
engineer of cyber security firm Fortinet, it's not just preventing breaches that's important for businesses - it's knowing what to do once there is a breach, which most businesses overlook.
Bryden spoke to Fin24 about the importance of adequate cyber security at the company's
international media conference held last week in Sophia Antipolis, France.
Fin24: Do consumers and small
businesses understand the extent of security threats? How can they be made
more aware?
Simon Bryden: For the most
part, our customers understand risk. Most know there are risks and that they need to
invest in security.
There is a big drive towards
security management, especially in enterprises. These enterprises need a
security partner who understands risk, and can best advise them and provide
them with the level of protection they need. It is more tricky if enterprises
do it themselves.
For example, enterprises need to
quantify the risks and understand how to allocate their budgets to address
them. This is where a security management partner can help.
Are there some basic pitfalls
that small businesses often overlook when it comes to security?
There are some pitfalls. For
example, they rely on boundary protection – where they protect everything from
the outside.
But apart from these barriers, they need to ensure that if a cyber
attacker gains access to the network, it’s not an "open bar" for
attackers to cause more damage. They need more barriers within their networks.
Put in place solutions – assume that
you will be breached, and when you do get breached, you need to make sure that
you are made aware of it as soon as possible to take further action.
What's the best starting
point for a small business with limited resources to protect themselves?
Small businesses without the necessary in-house skills need to find a managing security partner – that's the most
efficient way of getting protection.
Secondly, they should make sure their
staff are trained. This may even be more cost-effective than getting a managing
security partner.
What's the best way to
approach innovation, while maintaining security measures?
When we use artificial
intelligence to improve products, there's a risk that attackers can use
innovation to get a foothold in networks.
It's a double-edged sword – we can't
stop attacks from happening, but we can be proactive and predict potential
vulnerabilities. That way we can help consumers better understand the need to
have protection.
What's the most important
thing organisations should focus on when to comes to managing cyber threats?
Train staff to make sure
they are aware of potential security threats.
And work with partners to figure out
the best solutions for the risks to the organisation. It's important to
understand the risks to the organisation, and understand the best security
approach to manage these risks - especially for small and medium
sized businesses without inhouse skills.
They can't turn away from the
problem. They need to face it and find partners to help out, and put the best
solution in place.
* Sign up to Fin24's top news in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TO FIN24
NEWSLETTER