Three of the Most Pressing Variables to Keep Your Network Secure in 2018

Maintaining network security for a small business has been known to be a major challenge, but not for a lack of effort. Due to the unique budget restraints and workforce troubles that are associated with a smaller organization, security is known to suffer considerably for a number of reasons. On top of worrying about network security maintenance, you need to worry about the many threats that continue to evolve with each and every passing day. How will you keep your business assets secure in 2018?

The following comes from the Information Security Forum, a nonprofit that takes an analytical approach to the various network security risks in an annual report called Threat Horizon. By taking a deep dive into the various cyber threats to your organization, you can better prepare your company for the future. Here are three of the biggest threats to your business’s network security in 2018.

The More Technology, the More Risk
It’s only natural that the more technology your business implements, the more trouble you will have with maintaining security. The problem with this is that your business relies on technology in at least some capacity, and the more you have, the more dependent you are on it. In a world filled with connected technology, there are even more threats that your organization needs to consider in 2018.

Take, for example, the Internet of Things and Bring Your Own Device. These trends and developments add more devices than ever before to your business’ network. The Internet of Things includes any connected devices that might not normally be connected to the Internet, including smart appliances. This gives your organization more potential outlets for attacks from external threats, and companies that collect information could potentially sell it to gain a profit off of your device usage (depending on terms and conditions). Furthermore, your employees bringing their own devices to the workplace adds even more access points that hackers can take advantage of. Without proper security practices, and a dedicated training platform you can’t hope to protect your business in 2018. You need to implement a BYOD policy now before your employees accidentally expose sensitive information through their smart devices.

Protection Can Be Compromised
While security may not have been a major priority for board members or business executives in the past, in light of the massive data breaches that happen on a regular basis, more and more decision makers are moving security to the top of the priority list. Unfortunately, these are also the same people who want to see immediate results--something that any major implementation may take time to yield. When such an important initiative is rushed into producing results, these results can be skewed and potentially cause the organization to do the exact opposite of what they should do.

While vulnerabilities are discovered regularly by security researchers, it’s becoming a regular event that they are held back from going public with the findings by legal teams. Even though these findings would improve security, legal action is often threatened against the researching party. Despite a cooperative effort being in the best interests of consumers, the ISF believes that this trend will only increase over the next two years, leaving consumers with software products filled to the brim with vulnerabilities that could have been resolved otherwise. A more lucrative and beneficial route would be to offer financial compensation (like Google’s Project Zero initiative) to those who can successfully discover threats and vulnerabilities in software solutions.

Governments Are Taking Notice of Security Issues
New technologies generally attract the attention of any authority figures in the world, including police organizations and governments. Governments will see new technologies and services, wondering how they will need to get involved with companies that handle sensitive information, or against those that make threats to the security of the worldwide environment (think cyber terrorism). The ISF believes that in the next two years, governments will use these new developments as reason to introduce new legislation allowing for more intervention in technological advances.

In particular, the ISF sees a future where governments will understand the technology more than they will understand the political or social implications of it. This leads to government policies and legislation being implemented in a shoddy manner that may not necessarily be the best solution to the problems at hand. For example, take a look at companies that rely on the cloud. Data regulations and policies can be implemented, but if they aren’t enough to secure the data, what’s the point of the legislation in the first place?

Regarding cyber criminals, consider the fact that most of them don’t target companies or information housed in their home countries. This leads to jurisdictional complications and a lack of cooperation between agencies responsible for administering punishment to these criminals. Criminals know that this is the case, so if you want to make sure that they have the minimum effect on your business’ data infrastructure, start with preventative solutions that make it so you don’t have to pursue them past your country’s border, as there is no consistency with multi-national policing to fall back on.

In order to ensure that your business can survive in the cutthroat future where the latest security threats can punch holes in your organization’s defenses, you have to take preventative measures now before it’s too late. k_Street Consulting, LLC can equip your business with the proper security tools necessary to secure your organization’s future. To learn more, reach out to us at (202) 640-2737.