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Deal Breaker: Will Your Cyber Security Issues Prevent a Merger or Acquisition?

November 28, 2016 by admin

Cyber SecurityRisk management concerns are rife throughout a merger or acquisition process, but it is important never to neglect cyber security issues during this time. High profile CIO and CISO cyber security attacks in the past year alone have kept this issue relevant on the negotiating table. West Monroe Partners and Mergemarketreleased survey data revealing that 77% of acquirers value cyber security at M&A targets more than they did two years ago.

Cyber Security by the Numbers

Further findings of this research demonstrated that 40% of respondents faced cyber security issues after a deal was closed. To make matters worse, 32% of those surveyed reported that in the face of a cyber security threat, they lack the expertise to address related issues.

Most commonly reported were compliance or due diligence issues (noted by 70% of respondents), with a lack of qualified cyber security employees as another major problem (reported by 32% of those surveyed).

How Cyber Security Issues Impact Mergers and Acquisitions

It is undeniable that cyber security knowledge and the skills to prevent, detect, and address breaches are highly valuable — and woefully rare. When laying the groundwork for an acquisition or merger, these issues and the capacity of a company to address them are sure to be evaluated.

The merger process is not the time to first audit or examine a business’s cyber security blind spots. A deficient cyber security team may wind up being a deal breaker.

To stay current and protected, some companies conduct third-party risk assessments. This has long been standard practice in the business world, but may be unfamiliar to even the most innovative tech company.

It is now the responsibility of a CIO or CISO to describe their compliance standards and assessment process. If a company takes or processes payments, PCI compliance is absolutely essential. What’s more, mergers can be held up for months due to cyber security concerns that are being addressed — but not expressed clearly.

Training and evaluating a cyber security team before a merger or acquisition process begins is the surest way to guarantee that cyber security issues do not derail the negotiation process.

Filed Under: Cyber Security Tagged With: acquisitions, CIO, CISO, cyber security, data, IT, mergers, security

5 Reasons Companies Are Investing in Colocation Data Centers

October 26, 2016 by admin

As businesses seek to reduce their in-house IT costs, IT managers are increasingly looking to downsize their on-site data centers. With their high costs and security liabilities, servers and related devices are more likely to move to colocation data centers as a cost-cutting measure for global enterprises. Defined as outsourcing the location of servers, colocation offers many benefits for companies both small and large.

Here are five reasons why companies are investing in colocation data centers:

1. Greater scalability

According to business consulting firm Grand View Research, demand for colocation is projected to rise 12% from 2015 through 2022 as vendors offer companies more opportunities for scalability. This is crucial for small companies that are looking to expand as well as large firms that are aiming to increase their market share. With physical servers occupying a separate off-site location, businesses are free to use their office space however they choose.

2. Increased flexibility

With colocation, data centers are able to provide a variety of services outside of typical data warehousing, including data analytics. Operators of these data centers are specialized in managing servers and other systems and IT can focus on office-specific issues. With off-site data centers taking on more services, IT teams can concentrate on the bigger picture of the company.

3. Improved data security

Sectors that are likely to invest in colocation include healthcare, information technology, and telecommunication. Small and medium size companies (SMBs) are also in the market for colocation, especially those that depend on retail services. Colocation is integral for companies that need extra security for their confidential or sensitive data.

A report from content security firm Trend Micro found the top five industries likely to experience data breaches were the healthcare, education, government, retail, and financial sectors. The physical security and loss prevention associated with colocation could save companies money and alleviate other issues associated with data breaches.

4. Lower risk of downtime

Since their servers are located off-site, businesses do not have to worry about the chance of downtime affecting their operations during a natural disaster, power outage, or other similar incident. With their servers safely placed in colocation data centers, employees can easily pick up where they left off to continue their work through cloud applications. With these protections against downtime, firms have a lower risk of revenue and productivity loss.

5. Optimized bandwidth

The average business has to pay for bandwidth used on-site. SMBs may be limited in their bandwidth due to cost, which could lead to lower productivity and frustration among employees. However, colocation offers a way to spread this cost throughout the data center, lowering bandwidth expenses.

Companies can rest assured that their servers and devices are not only secure in a professional data center, but that their infrastructure and bandwidth are running optimally to maintain business functions.

With the perks of off-site data warehousing and more, the market for colocation — and businesses that use these solutions — is likely on track for growth.

Filed Under: Colocation, Data Center Tagged With: bandwidth, colocation, data center, data security, downtime, IT, scalability, security

Enterprise Mobility Management: What Are the Main Components?

October 5, 2016 by admin

Security is one of the biggest concerns IT administration faces when it comes to mobility. Maintaining adequate levels of security when devices are no longer operating within a controlled environment poses some unique challenges. Once BYOD is added into the mix, user privacy concerns further complicate the picture. Simply concentrating on data flow and app control is no longer sufficient.

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) is a collection of management approaches that can actually increase user privacy while enhancing, rather than compromising, enterprise security.

EMM allows IT administrators to manage user identities and provides for more robust handling of group and role related policies, but it isn’t always so simple to choose exactly the right EMM tool. In order to simplify the selection process, here is an overview of some of the core aspects of most EMM strategies.

Mobile Device Management (MDM)

In any system that incorporates mobility functionality, MDM ensures that device configurations are in line with company policies and provides some at-a-distance capabilities such as tracking, locking, wiping, and restoring devices.

Mobile Application Management (MAM)

A modern mobile device is really nothing more than a delivery vehicle for the apps people use to do their work. EMM allows for installing, uninstalling, and updating both business and personal apps over the air. MAM provides further functionality in the form of white- and blacklisting of applications as well as application license management.

Mobile Content Management (MCM)

Users make use of apps to create content. That content needs to be managed, and access to it controlled, if security is to be maintained in a mobility based environment. MCM is most often implemented as a device-resident container. Sensitive business data and content resides in the container, which allows IT administrators to effectively manage business related information without requiring access to the user’s personal data.

Managing Identities

Identity management is a newer authentication methodology that has very quickly seen widespread adoption. One of the main draws of this methodology is that it isn’t limited to a mobile framework and can therefore be implemented systemwide, even for desk workers who don’t need to be mobile.

It can be great to have options, but in a market such as the one for EMM products, the number of choices can quickly become a case of too much of a good thing. Understanding the main components of an EMM system can help focus the decision making process, and realistically identifying the business’s mobility needs invariably makes selecting the right option that much easier.

Filed Under: EMM, Mobility Tagged With: BYOD, EMM, enterprise mobility management, IT, MAM, MCM, MDM, mobility, security

5 Eye-Opening Data Breach Statistics

September 14, 2016 by admin

Security executives know cyber attacks can happen anywhere and at any time, threatening their companies’ data and putting customer and corporate information at risk for exposure. With the high risk of data breaches, security heads should know where their greatest vulnerabilities lie — whether through outside hackers or malicious insiders — and protect their data accordingly.

Here are five data breach statistics that might scare security heads into action:

Stat No. One: 91% of Businesses Are at Risk for Data Threats

Security professionals may be concerned about the results of a recent study. According to the 2016 Data Threat Report conducted by Vormetric that surveyed more than 1,100 global senior security executives, 91% of businesses are at risk for cyber-related threats. The report also revealed that 30% of companies are very or extremely vulnerable to data threats. A lack of preparedness combined with the growing number of cyber attacks can compound this problem.

Stat No. Two: 20 Million Records Exposed

One of the reasons a large portion of international businesses feel the pressure to improve their security is the rise of cyber attacks. In its latest study, the Identity Theft Resource Center recorded 584 breaches in which 20.5 million records were exposed. The majority of these records came from the healthcare field. The next most vulnerable category was the government/military sector, with 27.5% of records breached.

Stat No. Three: Majority of Companies Store Sensitive Data in the Cloud

With the increase in cyber attacks around the world, it is no wonder that confidential information is even more at risk for data breaches. The Vormetric report showed 85% of surveyed companies use sensitive data in cloud environments, with 53% also utilizing sensitive data in Software as a Service (SaaS) environments.

While investing in SaaS is a big part of many companies’ cost-saving strategies, storing valuable information in the cloud or on third-party servers could expose it to unknown cyber threats.

Stat No. Four: 93% of Data Breaches Only Take Minutes to Happen

The 2016 Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon highlighted a major issue with data breaches: They can be quick yet devastating, especially if security professionals are unaware the attack happened. The Verizon report noted that while 93% of data breaches only took minutes to occur, four in five victims did not know their systems were compromised for weeks or even longer.

Stat. No. Five: The Average Cost of Data a Breach Is $4 Million

According to the IBM Security and Ponemon Institute 2016 Cost of Data Breach Study, the average cost of an incident rose 29% in three years. The total cost is now $4 million per breach with the average cost per record exposed reaching $158.

The concern surrounding cyber threats should motivate company leaders to invest in the tools and resources necessary to effectively protect their most sensitive data.

Filed Under: Data, Security Tagged With: cloud, data, data breach, SaaS, security

Site-to-Site VPN or Remote Access VPN: What’s Better for VoIP?

August 24, 2016 by admin

While Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has exploded in popularity over the years for its low-cost communications and ease of use, VoIP users still have many challenges ahead. These include guarding against security risks and optimizing their connection speeds to get the best call quality possible, which is why many users are turning to virtual private networks (VPNs).

Why use VPNs for VoIP?

To go on the Internet and connect to customers and other partners, VoIP users often choose the popular option of a VPN to protect their privacy. Not only do VPNs offer a reliable online connection, but they also bolster security for calls that are at risk for breaches that could put customer or corporate information in danger.

In 2015, IT news site CRN reported a data breach at a major tech firm that exposed 70 million records ranging from December 2011 to spring 2014. The breach could have compromised 14,000 phone records. This wide-reaching data breach is evidence of the risk that unencrypted calls have for VoIP users.

VPNs give companies the added assurance that their voice or video calls will be encrypted and safe from outsiders trying to listen in. Knowing the advantages of VPN to facilitate VoIP communications, IT managers face the difficult choice between remote access VPN or site-to-site VPN for their business operations.

Site-to-site VPN or remote access VPN: What’s better for VoIP?

Site-to-site VPN

Site-to-site VPN is defined as connecting networks from one office location to networks at another location. This is a great solution to secure information for companies with separate branches or locations spread throughout a region, as it still behaves as a private connection. Employees can easily share their tech sources with another, making use of a company’s assets in a more productive way.

Remote Access VPN

Remote access VPN allows individuals employed by the company to connect to the firm’s private networks through a laptop or desktop device. Remote access VPNs are a good match for companies that have employees working from home or traveling for work and require access to the company’s network or servers in order to make calls or perform video chats. IT managers should ensure that these remote employees have the client software necessary to connect to private business networks.

Security

Both site-to-site VPN and remote access VPN use encryption to protect information. The difference between the two is that remote access VPN involves the VPN gateway decrypting data as it communicates information to the host inside a company’s private network.

Equipment

Although remote access VPN and site-to-site VPN have differences, IT managers can still set up much of the same equipment and software to operate either option. However, site-to-site VPN does not require installing client software, unlike remote access VPN.

Whether IT managers choose remote access VPN or site-to-site VPN for their business, they should look at what their organization and employees need for better security.24

Filed Under: VPN Tagged With: encryption, hardware, remote access VPN, security, site-to-site VPN, VoIP, VPN

5 Events That Could Disrupt Business Continuity

August 10, 2016 by admin

Business owners and managers know that it only takes one emergency to cause havoc in their day-to-day operations. But what if these changes last for days or even months, and cause the organization to come to a halt? With these risks in mind, managers must be prepared for disruptions that will affect business functions, such as security breaches and infrastructure updates.

To prevent interruptions that could jeopardize operations and revenue, companies should focus on business continuity planning — a crucial step to avoid downtime. Following are five changes and events that could impede business continuity, and how to prepare for them.

1. Infrastructure, System, or Device Updates

Whenever there is a new update, whether it affects the company’s infrastructure or just select devices, downtime is likely to happen. As part of a business continuity plan, organizations should ensure that updates are properly installed or integrated within existing systems and devices. In addition, managers should inform employees of these updates or even train them ahead of time. If not, upgrades could lead to more downtime than necessary.

2. Compliance and Regulation Changes

Due to shifting industry regulations, companies may experience downtime as they update their systems as mentioned above. Be aware of regulations regarding management or protection of corporate or customer data when using cloud-based applications or services. Managers should understand how any regulatory changes could affect their current continuity plan.

3. Data Breaches and Security Risks

One of the most devastating kinds of business disruptions is the dreaded data breach. Security breaches of personal, financial, or other types of data can ruin a company’s reputation, rack up data breach investigation and remediation costs, and compromise critical business systems. According to the 2016 Cost of Data Breach Study by Ponemon Institute and IBM, the total cost of a data breach can reach $4 million. Managers should include comprehensive procedures in business continuity plans that list the resources and personnel involved and what to do in the event of a data breach or cyberattack.

4. Company Tech Policy Adjustments

Technology constantly changes the way companies oversee business operations. Organizations should set firm guidelines on how employees deal with social media, as well as with regard to whether they can use their personal devices for business. Keep in mind that there may be extra training involved in any policy modifications.

5. Unexpected Disasters

A wide-reaching disaster can affect a company for a short period of time, but has the potential to lead to complete shutdown if a business is unprepared. Companies should have steps in place to handle unexpected disasters such as power outages, weather-related emergencies, and other causes of downtime.

Filed Under: Business Continuity Tagged With: business continuity, business continuity plan, compliance, data breaches, disaster recovery, infrastructure updates, security

Successfully Navigate These 5 Roadblocks to VoIP Implementation

July 13, 2016 by admin

While the popularity of Voice over IP (VoIP) has exploded since the advent of the Internet, the technology does not come without its challenges. Implementing VoIP or upgrading current voice and data communications systems does not have to be a hassle if potential roadblocks are recognized before they escalate.

Market research firm Technavio forecasts that the market for global mobile VoIP will have a compound annual growth rate of 28% between 2016 and 2020. The rise of the mobile VoIP market will increase the need for voice calls as well as video, making VoIP technology that combines voice, data, and video on one platform necessary for companies to do business.

Following are roadbloacks to successful VoIP implementation, and tips on how to avoid them:

1. Old Infrastructure

Implementing VoIP often requires replacing old infrastructure and equipment in order to make technology compatible with these new systems. Even if IT managers are tempted to keep their current network connections as they are, they will likely have to upgrade to get the voice call quality they desire.

2. Integrating New Technology with Old

It is difficult for certain tech changes to happen right away due to budgetary, training, or other issues. IT managers may have to integrate new technology with old networks or equipment. Whether or not they are dealing with old technology, managers need to ensure their VoIP and telecommunications systems are compatible with existing equipment.

3. Network and Data Security Effectiveness

Since VoIP involves Internet and data connections, there are security risks involved that could endanger networks, individual devices, and more. IT managers should perform a security audit and patch up any software or loopholes that could result in data breaches, cyberattacks, or other incidents. They should also install software or implement cybersecurity procedures to further protect their telecommunications systems, including establishing firewalls, strengthening passwords, and restricting access only to essential personnel.

4. Connection Speed Optimization

With the move to voice/data calls, IT managers will have to be ready with more bandwidth. Connection speeds that are not optimized for VoIP will likely lead to dropped calls, issues logging onto the Internet, and other problems that could affect worker productivity or even corporate reputation. Test speeds with new telecommunications technology and use connection configurations according to manufacturer or service recommendations.

5. Call Quality and Lost Calls

When call quality is affected by connection speeds or other tech issues, it could lead to echoes in calls and muffled sound that can be frustrating to overcome. Make sure employees are not losing calls when implementing new call technology. It could be beneficial to check provider reviews or testimonials before signing a contract.

Recognize and overcome these five roadblocks to get your business on the path to successful VoIP implementation.

Filed Under: VoIP Tagged With: call quality, connection speed, data, infrastructure, network, security, video, voice, Voice over IP, VoIP

Making a BYOD Policy Work

July 6, 2016 by admin

Many companies agree in principle with the idea of a bring your own device (BYOD) policy, where employees utilize the same device for both business and personal use. There is much to like about the idea; if employees are using their own devices it saves the company from having to invest in costly hardware, and BYOD is more likely to result in employees knowing how to use their devices effectively, which can boost productivity and workplace efficiency.

There are also some concerns with BYOD, however, particularly in terms of security. The advantages of a mobile, always-on always-connected workforce are hard to overstate, but they are oftentimes overshadowed by the risks inherent in allowing personal devices to access corporate data.

By keeping a few key concepts in mind when implementing a BYOD policy, it is possible to reap the rewards of a BYOD workforce while minimizing the risks to important and sensitive data.

MDM Software

Make sure to have a solid mobile device management (MDM) software solution in place before implementing a BYOD program. MDM software helps manage all of the different devices that are allowed to connect to the network, including verifying the device as well as providing monitoring and access control functionality.

A Clear Policy

It is vital to the success of any BYOD program that the program policies be laid out explicitly and clearly. The policy should include acceptable use guidelines, as well as expectations regarding password security, application ownership and use, and liability. Policy documents should be reviewed and updated regularly and training offered to ensure comprehension and compliance.

Another important aspect of a good BYOD policy is enforcement. Compliance with the policy should be monitored, and consequences of non-compliance need to be clearly defined in advance, communicated to all, and, most importantly, enforced.

Updates and Passwords

One of the most difficult aspects of maintaining hardware in a BYOD environment is keeping devices updated and ensuring that secure passwords are being used. Incentives can be offered for maintaining updated device firmware, or MDM software can be used to force updates to the most recent firmware. Regular mandatory password changes can help keep passwords secure, and two-factor authentication ensures that the user and the device are verified.

How and When to Wipe

A system needs to be in place to wipe lost devices of sensitive data. Tools exist to do this, but it is important to have some sort of employee consent on record to cover the loss of personal data should such a situation arise.

By following the guidelines above, it is possible to get the best of both worlds when it comes to BYOD in the workplace. Secure, mobile access to work data on modern devices provided by and familiar to employees can be a source of strength and competitive advantage for businesses.

Filed Under: BYOD Tagged With: BYOD, MDM software, mobile devices, mobile workforce, mobility, passwords, security, smartphones

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