Business Considerations
If you´re responsible for IT and security issues in a small to medium size business, you´re not alone feeling like you´re on a treadmill that´s moving faster and faster. Who can possibly keep up with the rapid changes in technology and new and exotic security threats - let alone the pressures of increasing data mobility and a down economy?
The Shifting Cybercrime Threat
Cybercriminals, not script kiddies, are the masterminds of today´s attacks. The Internet is their sandbox - providing not only a cloak on anonymity but also many free and powerful tools that make it simple to commit crimes with impunity. Operating systems have evolved to doing a better job at maintaining security, driving cybercriminals to turn their attacks on third-party applications (Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia) and hacking into the most trusted sites (CNN, Amazon, WalMart, and many other well-known names). All the while, most people have no idea of the dangers from malicious payloads being downloaded to their computers by simply clicking a link from a compromised web site or online application.
An Explosion in Attacks
One cybercriminal´s success seems to make ten new attackers emerge, anxious for a share of the profits. At Kaspersky Lab, 2008 showed a 500% increase in the number of samples being submitted for evaluation. And we delivered 3000 new protective signatures each and every day, at rapid intervals during the day, so that our customers wouldn´t become vulnerable to cybercrime. However, when a single virus can bring your business to its knees, it doesn´t really matter how many millions of attacks are fended off, does it? It only takes one.
So Many New Devices to Protect
Laptop proliferation and mobility was reasonably manageable when everyone used the same device and applications. Now, however, many home-based and mobile workers are allowed to choose their own equipment and applications, and often use their devices for non-business purposes. Cell phones are no longer wireless telephones; they are now smart phones with powerful computing capability - providing direct access to corporate data and applications. Many professionals now have three endpoints that need protection, and often, they´re the ones who choose which devices to use. Yet, you remain responsible for keeping them secure.
Balancing Productivity, Compliance, and Finance
Giving employees the flexibility to work more efficiently nearly always comes at some cost to IT, both in terms of general support and in managing the security risk. Add to that the proliferation of industry-specific security and reporting requirements - CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act), HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards), and more. Suddenly, the IT workload has exploded. Yet, most CFO´s remain suspicious of increases in IT security spending, and may instead look to reduce costs just like in so many other areas of the business.
