Security

In my work with CDW clients, I often have the opportunity not only to help them select cybersecurity technologies, but also to determine how best to integrate these tools into their operations. That’s deeply satisfying work, and I got to experience it recently when I worked with a major financial services firm on its deployment of next-generation firewall (NGFW) technology.

The firm had relied on traditional port- and protocol-based firewall rules for many years and wanted to migrate to more modern technology to improve its security posture. We identified the right product for the customer by comparing the firm’s unique needs to common NGFW capabilities. We then helped the firm implement its chosen solution in a way that minimized disruptions while advancing the organization’s security posture.

In the world of risk management, we spend a lot of time preparing for the unexpected, because we know that unexpected events will inevitably occur. This mindset colors everything we do in our professional careers and often spreads to our personal lives as well. I’ve endured eye rolls from my children when I forced them to participate in fire drills, what-if disaster scenario discussions and other preparedness exercises. But I know that thinking through how we would handle a surprising situation in advance arms us with a plan of action should it actually occur.

Does your organization have a plan of action in the event of a major cybersecurity incident? Sure, you likely have an incident response plan sitting somewhere on a shared drive, but is it covered in digital cyber dust, or is it an active document that the team embraces as part of a daily routine? Regular practice helps keep your plan fresh and your team prepared to spring into action at a moment’s notice. CDW offers two services designed to shake that cyber dust off of your plan.

Before spring 2020, many organizations didn’t let people work from home for one reason: security.

Sure, business leaders also may have had concerns about potential issues with productivity and collaboration if people weren’t in an office. But perhaps more than anything, there was concern about the heightened possibility of critical data breaches.

The coronavirus pandemic, of course, left many companies with few, if any, other options. In March, managers were forced to send employees home to comply with regional lockdowns and protect the safety of their workers. For the most part, organizations have been pleasantly surprised with the ability of their employees to work productively outside the office. And, with a few exceptions, organizations are also largely finding that their technology tools are up to the task of keeping their environments secure.

In particular, Cisco Systems has gone to great lengths to make enterprise security a key component of the popular collaboration platform Webex. Here are some important features to be aware of that are helping keep organizations safe.

As enhanced video surveillance (EVS) technology has proliferated through industrial facilities, business and technology leaders have realized that these tools also have broad potential applications in the world of workplace safety. Like the security guards responsible for detecting intrusions, workplace managers faced an almost insurmountable task of identifying unsafe conditions and correcting them before an accident led to injury or property damage. Applying new analytics techniques to the video streams provided by the surveillance system allows managers to receive the same type of proactive alerting for safety issues. Powered by artificial intelligence, these analytics systems interpret what’s taking place on the video and alert stakeholders of issues that require attention.

Throughout 2020, we’ve seen organizations rapidly shift their business models to embrace both telecommuting and cloud services. While travel restrictions certainly accelerated these changes, both trends began long before the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s likely that they will continue even after restrictions are relaxed.

Cybersecurity professionals and technology leaders should continue working together to ensure that they meet their security objectives in this changing environment. Let’s take a look at five things that you can do to protect your information assets in the cloud.

The CIO of a large financial services firm recently approached me for assistance in building out her company’s cyber-resilience strategy. Specifically, she knew that the firm was going to need to add an additional data center over the next year to meet growing demand, and she wanted to use that expansion as an opportunity to enhance the firm’s business continuity program. CDW provided the company with some practical advice to help draw this additional benefit from its investment.

While we were helping a very large organization expand an existing global footprint, the advice we shared is relevant across firms of all sizes. Let’s take a look at a few ways that all organizations can enhance cyber resilience.