Cyber Security: Stretching the Perimeter to Borderless Protection

CISOs can ensure resilience with cognitive solutions as cyberthreats mount

The COVID crisis has redrawn the boundaries of cyber security. Instead of ‘perimeter security’, the chief information security officers (CISOs) are now focusing on ‘borderless security’ as organizations shift to remote working and distributed digital assets.

To compound the challenge, crises drive threat levels up and COVID-19 has been no different. There has been a 500% jump in phishing and ransomware attacks, and cybercrime is at an all-time high with many baits masquerading as legitimate enterprise apps attempting to trick users.

Fortifying the Security Arsenal

As pressure mounts to ensure predictive security alerts using better tools, data visibility and deeper forensic intelligence, CISOs have been struggling to move from reactive to proactive strategies. This fundamental shift becomes even more difficult with organizations using multiple cyber security products and solutions. According to a recent report, nearly 80% of organizations use at least 50 cyber security products, resulting in a patchwork of point solutions and loosely configured models.

The clutter in security control has become a serious impediment in dealing with the cyberthreats posed by COVID-19. With the rapid adoption of digital technologies and elastic operating models, CISOs around the world are grappling with fundamental paradigm shifts. On the one hand, there is urgent need to build speed and responsiveness, and on the other, it is necessary to adapt and bolster security mechanisms.

Securing Assets on Unsecure Networks

Securing remote working poses a multifactor, polymorphic challenge. Not just organizational data but even private individual information becomes susceptible to breach and threatens enterprise security. The resilience and success of an enterprise are the result of employees’ collective capacity to perform productively – anywhere, on any device.

Organizations are grappling to supply mobile devices and data, safeguard users and access, and strengthen the distributed environment by securing the infrastructure and endpoints. Key focus areas for security leaders include:

• Deploying scalable and secure remote access
• Securing endpoints from malware and ransomware infections
• Combating phishing threats proactively
• Enabling real-time visualization of enterprise risk posture
• Ensuring privacy and security of customer information in light of new threat vectors

Unlike conventional IT security methods, cyberthreat hunting and simulation must be more proactive and iterative when it comes to searching networks and datasets to detect breaches that would otherwise elude existing automated tools.

The ability to embrace risk and accelerate adoption of technology to drive growth is a critical success factor. For example, AI can be deployed for heightened surveillance and quick detection, threat identification and intelligent responsiveness. Security services powered by cognitive platforms, integrated security architecture and depth of protection, and detection and response controls with simplified governance allow organizations to focus on their core customers and objectives. A 360-degree view of internal and external threat vectors will have a powerful effect on an organization.

The TCS Promise – Help for the Long Haul

TCS supports organizations in building resilient and responsive IT which will not only help them wade through the COVID crisis but also enable future readiness. Our Cyber Vigilance platform is powered by advanced threat intelligence, analytics, orchestration and automation. Backed by industry best practices and security playbooks, and comprising a rich use case repository, this platform serves as a next-gen security operations center (SOC) that proactively detects threats and drives faster incident resolution, while lowering the total cost of ownership, resulting in measurable bottom line benefits.

TCS’ offerings help organizations in the areas of cognitive threat management, enterprise vulnerability management, identity and access management, as well as industrial control systems security. We also have a range of solutions for governance, risk and compliance, cloud security, data privacy and protection, and digital forensics and eDiscovery.

To know more about how TCS can support you in your cyber security initiatives, please write to Kimberly Sokal.