In cloud computing, robust cybersecurity requires more than just implementing security policies and technologies. It’s also about instilling a work environment among employees where safeguarding digital assets becomes second nature.
In establishing that culture, C-level business executives collaborate with chief information officers (CIOs) and chief information security officers (CISOs). It is advantageous to the company and may assist in establishing and maintaining trust with customers and business partners. Keep these five things in mind when looking for ways to increase your organization’s level of security.
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The cloud service provider’s responsibility for security is limited, so it’s important to know where yours and theirs end. Cybersecurity in the cloud is a shared responsibility. Getting the most out of your chosen cloud platform’s suite of security-related features and capabilities is the first step toward good cloud computing cybersecurity. It is up to the IT department of the company, not the cloud service provider, to keep up with housekeeping procedures like removing user credentials when an employee leaves the company and restricting access based on job roles.
“We are implementing a sustainable strategy based on comprehensive education, highly skilled security staff, advanced solutions, and measurable continuous improvement,” says Mohammed Lazhar, Vice President & Chief Information Security Officer at Wolters Kluwer. We set a strong tone from the top to instill a culture of responsibility and vigilance for all 19,000+ employees through programs like regular learning, regular stress test exercises that help our teams predict and detect threats, table-top security response exercises, and automation.
As part of the software development life cycle, it is also essential to address any internal software application vulnerabilities using strict secure-by-design principles and procedures. One way our teams are putting this into practice is through our creative approach to incorporating security into our cloud-based product development process; Find out more about our prestigious program here.
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Compliance and privacy are intertwined with cybersecurity. It is now common knowledge that data must meet stringent security and confidentiality standards, which extend beyond what businesses have traditionally regarded as sensitive information, such as customer transactions, tax returns, and intellectual property. Additionally, your company must be a responsible keeper of the personal data it stores.
If you don’t meet those custodial obligations, not only could you be penalized by the law and in court, but you could also lose partners’ and customers’ trust, which is probably your most valuable asset. “Privacy laws and regulations require businesses to focus on the way your personal data is processed and the implementation of adequate security measures,” says Saskia Sjardin, VP & Corporate Privacy Officer at Wolters Kluwer. Given the potential for severe and far-reaching consequences, privacy and security go hand in hand and have become the concern of senior executives and board members of companies as well.
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Without a solid security posture, your business may become sufficiently disrupted to be unable to fulfill its obligations to partners and customers. Good cybersecurity should be omnipresent without being intrusive. Streamlining access is important because security should not, in an ideal world, hinder operations or productivity. However, it is essential that any access to applications and data be controlled by job roles and strong security policies.
You can create secure-by-design products for your customers and users by using a “shift left” approach when developing your own applications and services that incorporate security and testing into each phase of the product development process. It can simultaneously improve your operational controls and cybersecurity posture. Security policies should therefore be guided by job role-based segmented access to applications and data.
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Your chief information officer (CIO) and chief information security officer (CISO) ought to be seated at the executive table. Effective and robust cybersecurity necessitates the efforts of every employee. Additionally, it entails comprehending high-level threats to business continuity. Both your board of directors and executive team must be aware of these threats and allocate significant resources to manage the risk.
As a result, ensuring that your CIO and CISO have a prominent seat at the table is essential for continuous information flow. Keep in mind that more of your business is being exposed to digital threats as executive teams and board members lead the organization through digital transformation. Cybersecurity is no longer something that “IT can take care of” in this world.
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Cybersecurity and effective leadership begin with you. Executives can promote good security hygiene by highlighting and modeling best practices and cultivating a culture in which cybersecurity is everyone’s business. To put it another way, we ought to “walk the talk.” By being aware of and demonstrating secure practices in all of their day-to-day actions, such as using strong passwords and multifactor authentication, the C-suite must personally prioritize cybersecurity. Your employees will also take shortcuts when it comes to security policies.
For cloud-based products and services to be used safely, user behavior and education are essential. Emails or corporate newsletters should be used by executive leadership, ideally the CEO, to convey the significance of cybersecurity in maintaining the business’s health. As businesses digitize their operations, physical barriers to accidental data leakage diminish, making secure digital barriers even more critical.
Cultural change is also needed to keep cloud computing’s robust cybersecurity up and running. This transformation must be led by executives by making it clear and consistent that the organization’s long-term goal is to have a strong security posture that uses cybersecurity best practices and is essential to business success.