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Greg Aligiannis, senior director of security at Echoworx, revealed to PCR how new trends are affecting business security and why firms need to take their users out of the equation when it comes to data security.
“The Internet of Things is growing at breakneck speeds, from two billion objects in 2006 to a projected 200 billion by 2020,” said Aligiannis.
“While consumer applications have received most of the attention to date, the vast majority of these devices will actually be installed in places of business and within public institutions.
“That works out to 26 new points of network access – and the security vulnerabilities that come with them – for every person on the planet.”
He told PCR that it is critical that businesses consider now how they plan to ensure the security of sensitive data, which is already rapidly beginning to flow through smart devices.
“IoT is exponentially expanding the reach of our networks and security solutions must expand with them.”
Here are Aligiannis’ top three security tips for businesses:
1. Businesses must accept that almost any device in their operation can be connected to the internet. The power of connectivity has proven to be convenience and efficiency – forces that will rapidly drive adoption but can also run rough shod over security.
2. Take stock of the smart devices already deployed in your business and audit their security. How much sensitive data does it process? Does it authenticate user access with passwords or biometrics? What level of transport encryption is employed, if any?
3. Take your users out of the equation. In an age of self-driving cars and domestic robots, there is no need to rely on users to ensure the security of your data. Deploy a robust, network-level security solution that can defend any device in your operation against attack, completely transparent to your users.
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