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Think Tank

Creating the Acceptable Risk Playbook

Boards and Executives often say that they have a zero-tolerance for cyber risk, but how many CISOs actually have the budget to make that a reality? Be the calm, balanced voice that helps the business address security risks "well enough" by staying within their true risk appetite. Help the business be comfortable with accepting risks so that they can pursue revenue.

Think Tank

The Elephant in the Room, Data Breaches

In 2019, data breaches endured yet again as the largest security threat noted by organizations and IT security professionals alike. If data remains as a high valued commodity, ensuring data privacy and securing personal data will continue to be at the top of the list of an organization's concerns. The increases in privacy legislation, such as GDPR and CCPA, and the understanding of the ramifications stemming from a breach have allowed these concerns to remain heavily in the spotlight. Web application flaws have been identified as the top cause of data breaches. As such, establishing and maintaining web application security has developed into a high priority for all organizations. 

Takeaways: 

1. Data breaches are the biggest security concern 
2. Data continues to be a high value asset but the need to protect it is even higher 
3. New laws like GDPR and CCPA enforce consequences for failing to secure data

Think Tank

IoT Devices and the "challenges" that come with them

Hard-coded credentials, insecure wireless communication, unencrypted personal data, unverified firmware updates, vulnerable web interfaces â?" the list goes on. Every organization is in a race to be the first to deliver new products and technologies. Unfortunately, to properly secure this is never the first thought. It's not shocking that the flourishing IoT space has generated an abundance of security issues. Compromised IoT devices can allow access to data, be used as points of entry for future attacks, or act as DDoS attack drones. Home automation products and wearables open the door for personally identifiable information and other valuable data to be stolen.

Takeaways:  

1. IoT devices are vulnerable to hackers 
2. Data security is often an afterthought for IoT makers 
3. Home automation products open the door for personal information to get stolen

Think Tank

AI: Friend or Foe?

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are introducing new technologies to a wide array of products across every industry, especially cybersecurity. Facial recognition and natural language processing have become a reality thanks to deep learning algorithms, however, there is a dark side to these advancements. Cybercriminals have managed to weaponize AI to create extremely intricate malware and attack methods. This has forced organizations to use advanced heuristic solutions rather than counting on known vulnerability and attack signatures. 

Takeaways: 

1. Artificial Intelligence products are already being deployed in many industries 
2. Features like facial recognition and chat bots are common examples 
3. Cybercriminals can weaponize this technology without proper security measures

Think Tank

Going Mobile, Securely

The average employee uses at least 3 different mobile devices to access business data. This number has risen and so has the amount of company data that is being stored on each device. Each device represents another endpoint that needs to be secured. While mobile malware threats are low, it's expected that there will be a rise in data breaches directly related to mobile devices. Providing access to company data via a secure web application infrastructure with real-time vulnerability management is one way of reducing risk with mobile devices. 

Takeaways: 

1. Mobile devices are generally considered safe means to access business data 
2. Employees use an average of three mobile devices, each is its own security challenge 
3. Data breaches through mobile devices are expected to increase

Think Tank

Security in the Crosshairs - The Future Comes into Focus

All organizations, regardless of size, are continuously evolving through modern technologies. Having an incident response plan and an effective cybersecurity strategy is not a luxury, but rather a requirement. Finally, security training for employees to improve their awareness is becoming the rule instead of the exception. Security is now establishing a permanent footprint within the software development lifecycle, with SecDevOps/DevSecOps processes to incorporate security at all layers of development. 

Takeaways: 

1. Any organization can fall victim to a data breach 
2. Having a plan of action is essential to business survival 
3. Security has become a part of the conversation at nearly every level of an organization