In today’s work environment, it is common for one part of an organization to be reading from a page quite different from another. When it comes to cybersecurity, it is critical that corporate America be more unified in its planning efforts. According to a recent survey from a cyber defense monitoring company, Bae Systems, C-suite and IT departments have disparate views on cybersecurity.
The survey found that 80 percent of executives think the issue of cybersecurity is a significant challenge they have to face. Conversely, only 50 percent of ITDMs would make that same statement.
Another difference is in relation to cost; ITDMs have estimated that the cost of a breach hovers around $27 million, while executives put the cost closer to $6 million. Finally, around 50 percent of executives believe human error is to blame when an attack occurs, while only 31 percent on the IT side believe human error is the cause.
Obviously, the C-suite and the IT department need to come together on the topic of cybersecurity because an attack can cause far-reaching implications that include a lack of customer confidence, fines and more.
We have to recognize that these two factions have different priorities. Most executives will be more focused on various business decisions and the risks involved. IT professionals are focused on technology, maintaining it, upgrading it, watching out for new solutions and all the technical support that provides for a smooth day-to-day operation.
While both sides see news about data breaches and can agree that there are risks out there, and they both believe they could be a victim to one at any given moment, they need to agree upon and implement best practices that will reduce their risk to such attacks. Both groups need to be educated on how these attacks occur, where weak points might be within the organization, and how to find a solution to quickly detect when an attack has occurred.
Your departments need to come together for a strategic approach to cyber defense measures to take. Plan for the unknown, because if you’ve already audited your system for weaknesses, the attack that gets you is going to be a surprise. What business continuity practices do you have in place to ensure that if the worst happens, you’re going to be able to minimize the damage?
Threats continue to evolve and it seems that with each new day, hackers are finding a new way into what are thought to be secure areas where data is locked away. Unfortunately, the threats are real and the consequences are dire.
When you partner with Infinium Communications, you’re partnering with a company that helps you lower your bills and save many hours on negotiating with carriers. Unlike other telecom carriers that put themselves before their clients, we’re 100 percent committed to serving you, so contact us today and let’s talk about all communication issues that are causing you concern.