Chris Mayers: Chief security architect, Citrix
It’s no longer just about tech
When companies adopt new technologies, they often ask themselves, “Is this secure enough?”. However, the real question is, “How can we use this securely?” and that involves people and processes, too.
Organisations have adopted new technology enthusiastically. We’re also seeing a lot of consumer technology and consumer devices being used in business. Smartphones are the obvious example. And with the Internet of Things, we are likely to have even more devices being taken into business environments.
So companies need to expand the question: “How can we use all of this securely?” This includes old and new tech working side by side, with possible weak points where they interact with the people and the processes. It’s vital to have an end-to-end view of how technology is actually used – not just how you think it ought to be used.
Technologies such as AI can make hackers’ lives easier: for instance, “deep fakes”– photos and videos – which are hard to detect and often used in phishing. But AI can also spot these fakes. The idea that only technology can solve problems caused by technology is seductive, but defence is no longer just about tech. It’s about people, processes and governance controls.