Intelligent CISO Issue 08 | Page 85

A data breach or IT security incident could impact transformation strategies and, in turn, business innovation and growth. To ensure a secure and successful approach, businesses need to put cybersecurity front of mind when looking at the areas of planning, processes and people. puts information at risk of compromise or even encryption, from threats such as the Zepto ransomware, which spreads via cloud storage apps. Planning to avoid these issues is key to Digital Transformation security. Planning Embracing Digital Transformation strategies involves facilitating the movement and sharing of data, meaning that cybersecurity needs to be built into any data processes from the start, if data is to be secured. Although Digital Transformation strategies vary according to business plans, Aberdeen Group has identified the three key digitalisation technologies that have the greatest potential to impact operations: IoT, due to its ability to provide operational intelligence; the cloud, for its scalability; and Big Data analytics, which can transform data into predictive and actionable insights. Digital Transformation often involves the need to operate with growing IT infrastructure. Cloud environments provide the necessary scalability and embracing IoT involves connecting new devices across production lines, factory floors or workspaces every day, then analysing the data they produce. But businesses can lack visibility and accountability of their data when taking this approach. This www.intelligentciso.com | Issue 08 Processes Nine-in-ten businesses are now using cloud computing in some shape or form to improve cost efficiencies and grow their infrastructure according to demand. While this means that businesses are becoming more agile, it is also impacting the transparency of data exposure. Data ‘on the go’ (including data that’s held and processed in cloud environments or in third-party IT infrastructure), is presenting businesses with new security issues and, as a result, new costs. According to our research, the most expensive cybersecurity incidents over the past year have been related to cloud environments and data protection. For SMBs, two-in-three of the most expensive cybersecurity incidents are related to the cloud. Processing data ‘on the go’ is an inevitable part of Digital Transformation. However, the high costs of associated security incidents could pose a threat to future Digital Transformation strategies. The key is to build security into data processing at every step; whether that’s through service level A data breach or IT security incident could impact transformation strategies and, in turn, business innovation and growth. 85