Data is one of the most important assets a business owns, and threats to that data can come from inside and outside of the organisation. The cost to a business that suffers a cyber breach are immeasurable. They range from the cost of business interruption to a loss of client confidence; the most serious cases could even see the closure of the business.
The National Cyber Security Centre provides guidance on how organisations can protect themselves in cyberspace by following 10 useful steps.
Microsoft launches new security technology
Given the risks to businesses from cyber threats, Microsoft has recently launched a new security product aimed at protecting data while it is physically being used. Azure Confidential Computing uses a TEE, or Trusted Execution Environment, to be certain that data cannot be accessed from outside the network while in use. This is particularly important when data is stored in the cloud, which some businesses have been reluctant to do because of the risks it has posed in the past.
Little has been reported about the impact on device speed and performance, but the processes the software uses are believed to be significantly hard-drive intensive.
Azure is seen as an application that will be suitable for a broad base of industry sectors, and it is based on technology that is identical to their recently launched Coco Framework aimed at large enterprises.
There are also other measures a business can take to protect its network and data.
In-house security measures
Endpoint Security Management is a process-driven protocol that means any device trying to access the network must meet a predefined set of criteria before it can do so. Companies such as promisec.com can advise businesses on their network security. This can help to ensure that any rogue attempts to access your network are immediately spotted and denied.
Ensuring that staff are well-trained on how to spot potential cyber threats and good password protocols are essential, as is ensuring that their network access is cut off swiftly if they leave the organisation.
Cyber space can provide great opportunities to businesses, giving them access to markets that were previously unreachable, but the cyber security of a business must be a rigid, well-managed process and driven from the board down to ensure that it is effective.