Issue link: https://securitytechnologyexecutive.epubxp.com/i/870734
34 SECURIT Y TECHNOLOGY E XECUTIVE • September/October 2017 • www. SecurityInfoWatch.com SECURED CITIES operators and responders better assess a situation and automate response. This approach will boost efficiency and effectiveness across an enterprise. Network and Device Security For end users, the term "security" no longer means only protecting the perimeter of a building; it also involves securing corporate networks and sensitive data. This trend is driven by a change in organiza- tional threats. In the near future, businesses as a whole will be much more focused on IT and OT threats, a growing paradigm that challenges business and security leaders to stay one step ahead of crime and fraud trends. With thousands of new net- work-enabled devices added each year, an abundance of new data is created — information that is vulnerable to the same threats as any other networked device. In fact, cybersecurity is one of the primary challenges facing modern businesses . Recent results from the Secu- rity Executive Council's Security Barometer Polls found that sur- vey respondents reported cybercrime as the top risk facing their organizations. Over the course of the past year, we've discussed the convergence of physical, IT and OT within orga- nizations - possibly even more than we've discussed how technology is converging. There are significant benefits to this level of collaboration; it is crystal clear that this approach benefits the greater purpose of security as well as overall strategies for continued success in combatting threats. An ongoing dialogue between enterprise security teams is necessary to help gain a greater knowl- edge of how to best mitigate today's most prevalent threats — whether considered IT or physical security (in some cases, it can be both!) In the coming year, stakeholders must continue to communicate closely to assist in determining vulnerabilities in a more pro- active manner. Collaboration At first glance, these new solutions may seem siloed, but think again. The fact that these are all IP-enabled and can be integrated into a single command-and-control system allows users to see data from all these sources in a single pane-of-glass view. New levels of situational awareness are gained by correlating data from these systems. When an About the Author: Ayal Vogel is V ice President of International Sales at Verint Operational technology, information technology and physical security devices on the network are potential risks ... overlaying platform connects these systems together, there is more information from which to "connect the dots" and identify risks or trends. At the same time, internal departments that were once siloed (think of the old days when the tradi- tional security, operational and IT teams didn't com- municate; it really wasn't that long ago) now need to collaborate closely to mitigate modern risks. Think about it: An IT or OT threat could begin as a physical security breach, for example, creating an even larger issue for an organization. Close cooperation across the enterprise can help reduce the chances of this occurring. If your CSO is not advocating for commu- nication across departments, you are not providing your organization with a comprehensive, holistic security program. Going Further Throughout the remainder of the year and into 2018, we will continue to see Big Data analysis and IoT- powered devices allow for the collection of myriad data points across systems, services and devices. This process will allow businesses to investigate threats in a more intelligent manner. It will be the organi- zations that generate actionable intelligence from collected data points that will be firmly positioned to achieve their strategic intelligence and business objectives in the coming years. In my experience, I've found customers find value in the adoption of software-based solutions that allow data to be correlated from multiple sys- tems to deliver increased situational awareness. Organizations of all markets and sizes are inter- ested in improving security by fusing data from a wide range of devices, including video, audio, social media, access control, building management, traffic control and intrusion detection. Take the industrial controls market, for example. OT is used to monitor or alter the physical state of a systems, such as a con- trol system at a power station or the control network for a rail system. By aggregating data from multiple sensors including OT systems into one situational awareness platform, stakeholders enable efficient data analysis, gaining the ability to share informa- tion easily within and across agencies to facilitate timely response and investigation. Today's security and IT system architectures are complex and often incorporate data from multiple sources. As today's deployments expand and new technologies are incorporated, it is important to carefully consider planning and design, as well as find ways to work closely with your integration and consulting partners to realize immediate and contin- ued success with your technology deployments while strengthening your overall security posture.