How businesses can get cyber security right and rebound
Guest blog: Tim Ryan, Senior Product Manager, Virgin Media Business as part of our #Cyber2021 week.
After a year of mass homeworking, some of us will soon be returning to the office as the vaccine rollout and the Prime Minister’s roadmap towards unlocking society progresses.
But a new way of working demands a new approach to cyber security, too. With employees operating from anywhere, critical data needs to be protected no matter where they are or how they collaborate.
To adapt to a more fluid working environment, security solutions must meet these core needs.
Enabling business continuity
After a turbulent 12 months, the last thing organisations need is more disruption. That is exactly what cyber-attacks, if successful, will bring.
And the problem is getting worse. 23% of IT professionals have experienced an increase in security incidents since transitioning to remote working, according to the cyber security organisation, (ISC)2.
Yet the fundamental link between business continuity and cyber security isn’t always recognised.
ITPro put it very well in a summary of the recent DCMS report on the UK cyber security sector during the pandemic.
It wrote that ‘senior management typically prioritise business continuity over cyber security, with a lack of acknowledgement that security itself should be a key component of business continuity.’
Organisations will be safer and guarantee continuity if they apply a range of security solutions rather than relying on a single, ageing system.
And enabling real-time monitoring of faults and vulnerabilities is also crucial because being alerted to a threat early can make a massive difference to minimising the impact of a cyber attack.
Uniting security and connectivity
Security and connectivity are one and the same.
If businesses deal with security through a separate supplier, there is more admin from an operational perspective and more systems or applications to deal with.
And even if the supplier is a security expert, they won’t have the same understanding of your network and cloud-based tools as your connectivity provider.
This can leave businesses with gaps to fill, rendering them less secure and less effective in the world of hybrid working.
Most importantly, however, if your connectivity infrastructure isn’t inherently secure without the need for third-party add-ons, your network (arguably the most vulnerable part of your organisation when it comes to keeping your data safe) won’t be as protected as it could be.
The net result of all the above?
More risk. More hassle. More room for human error.
Making things simpler
95% of cyber-attacks are successful because of human error, according to IBM.
So it’s crucial for employees to feel comfortable and knowledgeable about cyber security. When they do, there’s less chance of a mistake.
When security is embedded on a network and all the tools that run on it, it becomes easy and intuitive for end users.
And for business leaders, integration will mean fewer suppliers and systems to deal with, making running a cyber security strategy much more convenient.
When talking about cyber security and the technical and operational challenges it brings it is easy to forget this is ultimately about people. Security is about how we relate to technology, and what value we think it adds to our lives.
That’s why a successful cyber security strategy depends on business leaders speaking to their employees and making sure it works for them.
By putting employees first and securing a technology partner that enables continuity, flexibility, and simplicity, businesses will be much better placed to rebound.
Dan Patefield
Head of Cyber and National Security, techUK
Dan Patefield
Head of Cyber and National Security, techUK
Dan leads the techUK Cyber Security programme, having originally joined techUK in August 2017 as a Programme Manager working across the Cyber and Defence programmes. He is responsible for managing techUK's work across the cyber security eco-system, bringing industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Dan also provides the industry secretariat for the Cyber Growth Partnership, the industry and Governmnet conduit for supporting growth across the sector. A key focus of his work is to strengthen the public-private partnership across cyber security to support further development of UK cyber security policy.
Before joining techUK he worked as Forum Lead for the Westminster eForum. In this role he had a focus on the technology and telecoms space, on issues ranging from Broadband and Mobile Infrastructure, the Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Data and diversity in tech. Dan has a BA in History from the University of Liverpool.
Raya Tsolova is the Programme Manager for National Security at techUK.
Raya is responsible for all National Security related activities across techUK, specifically in the established programmes of Defence, Cyber Security and Justice & Emergency Services. Raya will leverage relationships with existing stakeholders across the three programmes, and will build new relationships between techUK and key stakeholders who are of interest to member companies.
Prior to joining techUK, Raya worked in Business Development for an expert network firm within the institutional investment space. Before this Raya spent a year in industry working for a tech start-up in London as part of their Growth team which included the formation and development of a 'Let's Talk Tech' podcast and involvement in London Tech Week.
Raya has a degree in Politics and International Relations (Bsc Hons) from the University of Bath where she focused primarily on national security and counter-terrorism policies, centreing research on female-led terrorism and specific approaches to justice there.
Outside of work, Raya's interests include baking, spin classes and true-crime Netflix shows!
Freddie MacSwiney is the Programme Manager for Defence and Cyber Security at techUK.
Prior to joining techUK, Freddie worked as a Government Adviser for a firm dealing in International Relations, where he briefed Politicians, Ministers, Heads of State, Diplomats around the world on key issues from Defence, Security and other key issues and aligned them with the UK.
Jill Broom
Programme Manager, Cyber Security and Central Government, techUK
Jill Broom
Programme Manager, Cyber Security and Central Government, techUK
Jill is techUK’s Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government, supporting the work of both programme teams and promoting better engagement between the public and tech sectors.
Prior to joining techUK, Jill worked as a Senior Caseworker for an MP, advocating for local communities, businesses and individuals, so she is particularly committed to techUK’s vision of harnessing the power of technology to improve people’s lives. Jill is also an experienced editorial professional and has delivered copyediting and writing services for public-body and SME clients as well as publishers.
With an MA(Hons) in American Studies from the University of Edinburgh, Jill continues to be fascinated by the history and politics of the USA. Otherwise, outside of work, she can be found up a hill, swimming in a loch or curled up with a good book.
The techUK Annual Dinner will take place on Wednesday, 13 July 2022. Our Annual Dinner is the established, must-attend business dinner in our calendar. The evening will begin with a drinks reception, allowing ample networking opportunities, followed by a fabulous dinner and speeches from the country's leading technology stakeholders.