In association with Logicalis Solutions
One of the most valuable assets an organisation has is its data. But it can also be one of its greatest threats. The fallout from data disaster, wherein a cyber-attack results in the loss or corruption of critical data, can cause untold financial and reputational damage.
Data disaster includes data lost at the hands of cyber-attack or data breach, such as ransomware or malware, an insider attack, or a vulnerability exploit. By implementing a cyber resiliency strategy, a business can help safeguard against this risk.
Layers of defence
Creating several layers of defence is essential when devising a protective strategy, says John Bailey, enterprise division sales manager at Logicalis Solutions: “To limit the vectors of attack, an organisation must ensure that the correct layers of protection in place, wherever your data is stored. If those protective layers are defeated, an organisation could potentially have a data disaster on its hands.
“It is vital to ensure storage of the data is resilient to internal as well as external attack,” continues Bailey. “If a breach occurs and the data is vulnerable, that loss of control can create challenges for an organisation. We’ve all been on the receiving end of phone calls from strange numbers or have been contacted by fraudulent email-addresses purporting to be from reputable companies. They are generally related to some form of data loss where our credentials have been shared unscrupulously.”
Data lifecycle
An organisation must oversee every aspect of the data lifecycle, from creation and preparation to storage and destruction. “The stewardship of how data is managed end-to-end from a life cycle perspective has been under the microscope since the introduction of GDPR,” says Bailey. “We’ve seen a significant push to classify data to ensure the associated rules are implemented. Although it’s a time-consuming process, it’s been positive in that it helps ensure data isn’t taken for granted. You wouldn’t leave your money lying around for anyone to get their hands on, right? You’d keep it in a wallet or a safe. The same principle applies to data.”
If data loss occurs, companies are obligated by law to report on what has been lost. “An organisation must have the mechanisms to recover from a data breach. It must also have a comprehensive record of the data as it ‘should be’, so it can be confident in the recovered data.”
Blind spots
Data is vulnerable wherever it’s stored, whether it’s on the cloud or on-premises. However, blind spots around cloud only serve to amplify that vulnerability. “A lot of companies aren’t 100% confident in the data that they have in the cloud,” says Bailey. “They’re wondering if they’re protecting and backing it up correctly. That’s one of the more frequent questions that we hear these days.”
Others are more in the dark. “We also get companies telling us that they’re not availing of any cloud services when they use Office 365 and Dropbox,” he says.
Bailey adds that challenges can also arise when an organisation overestimates the responsibility of the cloud provider. “We often see people assume it provides more than it really does, especially when it comes to security. In reality, it’s more like a car rental service. It provides you with the car, but you’re responsible for driving it. It’s not checking to see if your seatbelt is on. The responsibility lies with the company, not the cloud provider. If you want anything more than the standard safety features it offers, that’s down to you.”
Cyber resilience involves constant vigilance. To protect their data, organisations must determine whether their data is vulnerable to the latest threats, and act to ensure their protections are up to the latest standard.
IBM solutions
For organisations looking to adopt a defensive strategy to counter the threat of data disaster, Bailey says IBM is “one of the real leaders in the space.” He continues, “Between its storage platforms and security tools such as Guardium, it provides several unique dimensions to enhance data protection and ensure its customer’s reputations remain protected. What’s more, it has a strong consulting arm with Global Business Services (GBS) which works with businesses to maximise the impact of its offerings.”
To learn more about security offerings available from Logicalis and IBM, email ibm@ie.logicalis.com
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