Regardless of organizational size or industry, every company faces significant data and network security concerns today. Those concerns increase substantially for organizations that deal with protected or sensitive information in any way, including health, financial, or even basic customer data. The past decade has seen a growing number of both internal and external data security breaches in industries as diverse as healthcare, retail, entertainment, banking, and military contracting, and threats are unlikely to subside anytime soon. Organizations who act now to counter the threats of the future are the ones who have the best chance at protecting customers, employees, and brand reputations.
Common Security Risks
What risks do organizational leaders need to consider when selecting and investing in data security solutions? First, you should consider risks within your own company. For many organizations, people are the most valuable resource, but they are also the biggest risk to security. IT leaders understand this because of direct experience with people-caused breaches, but communicating this fact to other corporate leaders is important. While security policies and training don’t cover all bases when it comes to protecting data, they can be relatively low-cost efforts that build an important foundation upon which hardware and software solutions exist.
Sometimes, your internal threat doesn’t come from an employee who just doesn’t know better; disgruntled employees pose a major risk because they have access to data and systems and have motive to act outside of security parameters. To mitigate damages in such situations, companies should divide and protect data, creating access on an as-needed basis.
A growing risks for organizations is the reliance on mobile devices to create productivity and facilitate communication when employees or managers are not on the premises. Field service techs, delivery drivers, outside sales personnel, and business travelers are just a few people who regularly send, receive, and access sensitive data on mobile devices. Mobile devices mean organizations have to expand security parameters outside of their own networks.
Where are Organizations Failing?
Organizations that are relying on traditional data security measures are failing to protect networks and information because cyber criminals are anything but traditional. Cyber criminals are constantly looking for new ways to breach networks or acquire data, which means companies have to constantly question their data security.
One fail point for many companies is the trend toward bring-your-own-device, or BYOD, policies. Personal mobile devices might let employees increase productivity at little initial cost to companies, but how “free” is that productivity, really? Organizations can’t always ensure security of a personal device, and a breach costs much more than equipping employees with secure tools in the first place.
On the other hand, security itself could generate a fail point within an organization if it is seen as an obstacle to work. IT organizations have to work with business counterparts to deliver solutions that work for business goals without compromising data.
Hardware Equipped Across Four Security Pillars
One solution that’s allowing organizations to address both common security risks and common fail points comes from Intel. Intel’s hardware-based security products embed features into hardware, reducing overall costs of security while maintaining a high level of both functionality and convenience. The hardware is equipped to address security concerns across four pillars common to all enterprise security needs.
First, the products create a defense against malware, protecting against external threats. Second, they simplify access control to protect against internal risks without impeding productivity. Third, they create protections that keep working should a device be lost or stolen. Finally, the systems are designed for upgrades and updates to keep up with evolving security needs.
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An IT solutions provider can help organizations equip employees and systems with hardware-based security solutions, saving time, money, and the potential disaster of a data breach. Sign up for WEI's Free Security Threat and Prevention Assessment today to get started.
