Weak networks and security are putting companies across Africa at risk for everything from online scams and digital extortion to business e-mail compromise, ransomware and botnet attacks.
According to Interpol's research, such is the sophistication of today’s cyber threat landscape that it is no longer possible to rely on a single solution to provide the comprehensive defences needed to stop breaches from occurring. Instead, businesses should consider employing a multi-layered security architecture.
So says David Odayar, security business unit manager at Westcon-Comstor. “Many companies still view security as something that can be taken care of with a one-size-fits-all approach. They might have a firewall installed to manage the perimeter and rely on the likes of an anti-virus or Internet security solution to take care of e-mail and Web-based compromises.”
But bad actors who have embraced artificial intelligence, automation, and advanced social engineering techniques can easily circumvent these solutions, which are often bolted onto the corporate network as an afterthought. It has, therefore, become a priority to embrace a multi-layered approach where the company uses several security controls to protect its infrastructure and data against compromise.
Too much of a good thing
Odayar says this does not mean companies should blindly install myriad solutions in an attempt to keep them safe. When it comes to security, too much of anything can be a bad thing.
“Think of the cyber security environment as a burger. Using too many ingredients is messy, waste resources, and leaves customers dissatisfied. Similarly, cyber security with too many solutions adds complexity to the environment and results in companies wasting human and financial resources on things that might not even be required. Invariably, it is the employee and customer experiences that are negatively impacted by this.”
He says building the perfect security solutions means achieving a balance between the different layers right, without creating complexity in the network, which can result in security gaps that could give hackers a foot in the door.
An experienced distributor, he said needs to help customers build a security solution that meets their specific needs, by leveraging proven vendor solutions. This includes cloud and perimeter tools, as well as network, endpoint, and application security, to cover all bases.
A layered approach
A layered cyber-security approach is about getting the balance right between the appropriate hardware and software tools, says Odayar. The focus must be on delivering the application availability, access control, and traffic management across the network. This way, the company can scale its security environment according to its immediate priorities.
It is also key that companies have complete visibility of their entire cyber security environment. One of the risks when using things such as security automation is that misconfigurations can occur, especially by accepting policy recommendations. The temptation to do so and benefit from not being stuck in laborious policy setup processes is there. However, it requires a sophisticated ML solution that balances automation with user-driven insights.
Further adding complexity to any security environment is how the cloud impacts on-premises systems, he adds. More companies are embracing multi-cloud and hybrid cloud solutions. However, this can introduce weaknesses into the current environment due to difficulties in managing the transition between traditional and cloud-based technologies.
Odayar says throughout the development of a multi-layered security approach, companies must always remain cognisant of the impact this can have on adherence to the regulatory requirements.
“Protecting customer data from threats and ensuring it remains within the compliance parameters means solutions must be selected that are capable of delivering on the legal requirements while keeping data flexible enough to use for analysis and develop innovative products."
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