Identifying Security Hotspots in Emerging Technologies
Whether you're joining from Sydney, Australia, or a different part of the globe, this blog post aims to deliver five key takeaways that your organization can use to identify security hotspots and prevent technology disasters. As technologies continue to develop at a rapid pace, organizations must stay ahead of the curve to ensure failsafe operations and guard against vulnerabilities. Here, we explore five key areas to focus on.
The Importance of Emerging Technologies
With 90% of organizations undergoing some kind of digital or cloud transformation according to latest global CEO surveys, there's a growing reliance on emerging technologies. Yet, this influx of new tech comes with a new range of security risks and threats which need to be strategically managed to avoid failures and unfortunate incidents. Let's dive into the five key aspects you can focus on to manage these risks.
1. Multi-Faceted Evaluation of Emerging Technologies
Emerging technologies are commonly adopted by organizations through a process of trial and error. When starting with a proof of concept, it is important to apply multiple lenses. This includes a cost lens, a risk lens, an employee lens, a financial lens, and most importantly, a security lens. Just as a heritage site in Thailand uses seven lenses to present a complete image, your organization needs to see all aspects of a technology before integrating it into your system.
2. Ensuring Integration within Governance Structures
Emerging technologies shouldn’t function in silos. Instead, they need to be integrated within your governance structures. By doing so, the risks associated with these technologies can be identified, managed, monitored, and overseen more effectively, fulfilling your regulatory obligations and maintaining stability throughout the organization.
3. Prioritizing Security by Design
When designing your processes and deciding how AI and machine learning should be used in your organization, ensure that your security requirements are built-in from the very beginning. This concept of 'Security by Design' not only protects your organization but can result in significant costs savings in the long run.
4. Meticulous Verification of Third-Party Providers
With the increase in reliance on third-party providers, your organization must not just look at the surface level but dig deeper to ensure these providers have the right security controls in place. Just like a Buddhist temple in Thailand can appear as a church from the outside, it’s important to verify rather than assume when it comes to security elements of third-party providers using emerging technologies.
5. Assigned Security Roles with Shared Responsibilities
When using multiple cloud providers and vendors, clarifying assigned responsibilities helps you avoid security risks. Understand who's managing aspects like identity access management, onboarding and offboarding, and backups. With a clear structure in place, you can better ensure that all security aspects are being taken care of effectively.
Bonus Tip: Data as Food
If you take away one thing from this, let that be the understanding of "data as food". Just as we investigate our food's ingredients, how it’s cooked, and hygiene standards, we should also scrutinize data in emerging technologies. Understand where the data is stored, who has access, how it's being used, and how it is being modified.
To summarize, it's crucial that you remain vigilant about the security risks when adopting emerging technology. These five key takeaways, along with the bonus tip, can help you pave the way towards a safer, more secure digital transformation.
Should you have any queries or wish to connect, feel free to reach out on LinkedIn. Here's to a safe and successful digital journey!