Integrated security: pre-emptive compliance plus responsive resilience
Tom Holloway, Lead Principal Compliance & Cyber Resilience Consultant
So much of what organisations do today takes place digitally. That makes cyber security critical to protecting not just your technology, but your operations. Right now, the two key trends we’re seeing affect our customers are the market driver to embrace emerging technologies, and the rising frequency, impact and cost of cyber attacks.
Without integrating security at the heart of your business operations, you will always be a step behind. You will lag in both the rapid technological evolution we are witnessing in areas such as AI and edge computing, and the capabilities of attackers who seek to exploit the same technologies for malicious purposes.
Recent concerns around Anthropic’s advanced AI models, alongside the continued exploitation of software vulnerabilities, indicate the scale of the challenge. To that end, cyber security is and must be a business leadership issue, rather than simply one for technologists to resolve.
A twin-pronged approach to tomorrow’s cyber concerns
There are two sides – and solutions – to the challenges organisations face.
First, in an uncertain landscape of ever increasing legal and regulatory oversight, we need evidenced and reliable assurance. To do that, we must embed compliance requirements at the design stage and move away from a typically ad hoc, checkbox approach to governance, risk and compliance.
By doing this sort of preparatory work, you’ll show both the business and its stakeholders that you’re engaging with best practice. What’s more, you’ll have enough time to test capabilities and ensure they’re actually protecting your organisation, rather than simply paying lip service.
Second, we need to consider how your organisation will continue to deliver critical services to its clients in the event of serious disruption, focusing on reaction and consequence. As we are clearly living in interesting times, the need for organisational resilience is self-evident. Which services are critical? How do we make sure they stay online?
Integrated security equals positive outcomes
Integrated Security brings together the two elements of pre-emptive compliance and responsive resilience.
Only by integrating security across your operating model can you make the whole organisation more competitive and secure.
It’s no surprise that organisations of all sizes struggle with implementing robust cyber security. To the layperson, technical terminology is, at best, opaque. There are countless products marketed to treat a kaleidoscopically complex threat landscape; numerous frameworks and regulatory regimes. As ROI is often difficult to articulate, getting approval for such resources can be challenging.
Integrated security is the solution to these struggles. A combination of technical expertise and deep industry knowledge, it gives you the ability to harness the power of new technologies, align with regulatory and compliance requirements, withstand shocks, and deliver resilient operations. It’s already a differentiator for future-focused organisations of all sizes.
It’s no surprise that organisations of all sizes struggle with implementing robust cyber security.
