Data security concerns pose a real threat to future technological progress. Should we return to a pre-Internet era? The answer is no. After all, globalization is not going to stop. The important thing is to regain lost trust – in many cases, through the fault of users – by reinforcing security.
The security breaches that have occurred in some of the most prestigious companies in the world have caused data protection to jump to the forefront. Today, we want our IT applications to be easily accessible, but at the same time, we also expect confidentiality and integrity to be the norm.
This leads to security being at the epicenter of any relationship. The breach of a user’s trust in privacy and data security can have a very negative impact on digital progress, with detrimental effects on business relationships with colleagues, clients and shareholders.
E n Currently, the technology is present in virtually every aspect of our lives. We rarely think about everything we trust in technology, and when a new platform appears, we jump without thinking to be the early adopters. The rapidity with which the ways in which we use IT systems change, and the uncontrolled distribution of the data they house, end up making that, in the blink of an eye, the security approaches that support this entire scenario can be inadequate.
Proof of this are the increasingly blurred boundaries that exist between our personal and professional lives. Until not many years ago, we went to work and used much better IT equipment than we could afford at home for personal use. Now, instead, many of us have devices with better specifications in our homes than those that our companies make available to us. Thus, it is inevitable that we prefer to manage our corporate data using our most sophisticated equipment with a higher level of benefits, entering the BYOD (bring your own device) paradigm. Therefore, corporations must protect their natural environments and also be prepared against the risks derived from everything that employees use to access company services.
DIGITAL NATIVES
In reality, organizations are not averse to this scenario, since it reduces their costs while increasing productivity. However, it brings with it the end of clarity in the definition of the borders that previously supported governance and security control. In addition, it requires greater confidence that users manage their devices responsibly. If we are very careful with our wallets, we should have the same caution with our mobile devices.
Many people do not fully understand the potential of communication in their hands – and the risks inherent in the devices that are now part of their daily lives. A trend is emerging among some groups of users who blindly trust technology and mistakenly ignore the potential implications it has for privacy. This is especially evident in the “digital natives”, that is, those under the age of 25 who have grown up with mobile phones and the Internet. Young people are willing to compromise on privacy if they see any benefit in it.
On the other hand, those over 50 who had previously adopted digital technologies slowly have become the fastest growing segment of Facebook users in recent years.
We must assume that mobile devices can end up falling into the wrong hands
GREATER RISKS
The data that previously could only be accessed through a company phone is now consulted with your own, in which we also store our personal lives. The extended network of our contacts, both personal and professional, has been centralized at a single point. A decade ago, if you lost your phone you were disconnected from your acquaintances. Now not only are you disconnected, but someone else has the means to know absolutely everything about you.
Consequently, the US National Institute of Technology has recently revised its Guide for the management of the security of mobile devices in the company , and it is blunt: when developing an IT security plan, “organizations should assume that devices phones will end up falling into the wrong hands. “
The great challenge to maintain trust lies in that only an authorized person can use the data on their device, making this use impossible if the terminal falls into strange hands. Thus, separating personal and corporate data will help maintain confidentiality. Automated obsolescence of data or deletion of information when no longer needed should be the norm; and advances in identity management, such as biometrics and cryptography, should be used to protect data.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
Online banking is a part of our lives where trust between individuals and organizations is imperative. Many of us chose our bank in the pre-digital age, we have maintained our trust in it for years and now we extend it to the new digital scene.
Recent studies reveal that 85% of US adults with a bank account are somewhat concerned about fraud in online banking , and 71% would likely switch to another bank if they did.
While it is true that each time a user accesses their account it is a potential opportunity for the hacker, it is also true that it is also an opportunity for the bank to strengthen the trust of its customers.
Information security is a pillar for business sustainability. And confidence in security is essential if organizations want to capitalize on the potential derived from data sharing, open innovation, and the removal of physical boundaries. After all, globalization is not going to stop. An organization that does not demonstrate effective data governance will begin to lose credibility, trust, and money.
PROACTIVE STRATEGIES
Data security must not only be part of the security model of an organization, but of the entire business model. Too many organizations tend to react when the security breach occurs, responding with ad hoc solutions rather than developing proactive long-term strategies. However, a well-managed response to a security breach can, in fact, improve confidence. Incidents occur; what really matters is how you solve them.
Technology now has the power to create communities. We are introducing social media in companies to facilitate collaboration. We will never again instinctively see people we don’t know as strangers, but as potential collaborators, and we will try to find the middle ground between blind faith and absolute caution in our digital interactions.
What is certain is that without prioritizing security, no organization will be able to truly capitalize on digital innovation and achieve sustainable growth.