Top five network security threats
Frank Andrus, Chief Technology Officer, Bradford Networks describes the five key threats that most organisations today will come up against.
Thanks to an explosion of mobile devices – ranging from tablets and smartphones to gaming consoles – being brought into the workplace, as well as social media's continuing impact on the workforce, organisations are being forced to step up security measures to safeguard valuable information and confidential data. In addition, with new threats constantly emerging and businesses being forced to cut costs, IT departments are facing the challenge of keeping company networks secure, but with fewer and fewer resources. There are five key threats that most organisations today will come up against, but the challenge is being ready for them.
1. Mobile devices equal increased risks. Most people are not aware that mobile devices can compromise company security. Just look at the number of iPhones, iPads and Android smartphones on the market these days. They all have different operating systems, which are constantly being upgraded, and an array of downloadable applications mostly accessible via the Internet. Many of these apps and downloads are not fully tested and some not tested at all – all of which can potentially cause serious damage to the network. Businesses need to understand how to support these increasingly powerful devices while maintaining complete device visibility and control. They also need to educate users of the potential risks, by making them aware of best practice and enforcing user policies if necessary.
2. Social media can spread viruses. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube are here to stay – 1 in 13 people worldwide uses Facebook and roughly one third of employees use a social networking site today. As both business people and consumers, we have come to rely on them, regardless of whether we are at home or at work or whether we are using a desktop, laptop or mobile device – meaning it is just about impossible to prevent access to social media in the workplace. But having the ability to rapidly monitor and identify which devices are infected and to protect company systems from social media viruses is critical, especially as users become more dependent on these technologies to communicate and do their job.
3. Desktop and server virtualisation. According to analyst Gartner, 80 per cent of companies now have a virtualisation strategy. This is not all that surprising as virtualisation promises companies of all shapes and sizes significant savings on hardware, easier management of desktops and servers, and to the means to implement 'green' IT strategies. However, as more companies move to virtualised environments, there is the risk of new threats. Organisations should remember that so-called hosted virtual desktops (HVDs) should be viewed in the same way as traditional devices. They pose the same (plus more) threats as any other connected device and so businesses need to set the stage now and prepare themselves. From the server side, virtualising your infrastructure by using products such as VMware can achieve many objectives, including costs savings, but businesses should look for network security solutions that are already deployed in a virtualised infrastructure, and which can support the move to virtualisation.
4. Embedded devices are accepted now more than ever. As mobile devices and tablets with WAN and WiFi capabilities become ubiquitous, the embedded connectivity in nearly every type of hardware is making tracking, monitoring and managing productivity easier. Take for example the following technologies: medical equipment that accesses the wireless network or retail kiosks that are connected to a network, all of which facilitate collaboration and communication. The consequence of this is that the level of embedded connectivity will result in a host of new 'headless' devices at risk from viruses and other external threats.
5. Consumerisation of IT. As users increasingly adopt their own devices for professional use and the lines between work and home become blurred, businesses will experience more potential security threats. In fact, the so-called consumerisation of IT is driving the need for network security solutions that can cover multiple devices and components, and that can identify consumer-adopted devices, scan for threats and deficiencies and then provision access or automatically remediate problems—regardless of device, user or location. The consumerisation of IT has made the problem of securing the network even more difficult to manage, placing extra pressure on busy information security professionals.
Technology and consumer trends relating to the use of technology will continually change. At the most basic level, the sooner organisations accept this and understand new and emerging threats, the sooner they can secure their networks.
Frank Andrus, Chief Technology Officer, Bradford Networks
