Sharing the already-full plate of IT issues and challenges made worse by the pandemic are ongoing concerns over our changing security landscape.
If you're an IT/telecom manager, you have probably had your agility and ingenuity challenged a few too many times last year. And 2021 is proving so far to be no different.
Of course, high on the list of priorities is remote worker security. But there are other concerns as well.
Here are the top 3 we're seeing out there, although we're sure you can add a few to the list:
- Remote workers: You have probably already been busy over the last several months accommodating your work-from-home employees. Chances are you had to make the transition quickly in accordance with CDC regulations and nervous employees. The need to move fast, may have resulted in some security gaps that should be filled. Furthermore, the use of collaboration tools makes remote workers even more vulnerable to security breaches. Now is a good time to revisit your remote worker security measures already in place and enhance where needed.
- The cloud: When the pandemic hit and remote work became the norm, many companies quickly transitioned to cloud computing and storage, a trend that did not escape eager hackers. Cloud based services, which have made great strides in recent years, are once again drawing concern as a security risk for those who got caught blindsided in their desire to streamline and simplify operations.
- Ransomware: This just isn’t going to let up in 2021. Ransomware attacks are on the rise and the perpetrators continue to find new ways to extort companies. This is a huge potential derailment for any company. Now is the time to go the extra mile to safeguard your systems and stay on top of the latest threats out there.
The good news is that awareness is at an all-time high. We know a lot of what is out there in terms of risk. The bad news is that it takes time and effort to stay on top of these threats. However, it is time well spent. Having a regularly updated program of regular system checks and keeping abreast of updates to security measures will help IT professionals optimize the security of their applications and systems.
It may help also to stay in touch through organizations like the NCSC, which provides regular updates along with education on cyber security. Other resources include
CISA (U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Organization) and the
CSA (Cloud Security Alliance).
If you haven't done so already, now is the time to make cyber-security a top priority, especially in today's challenging new IT landscape. Stay safe out there!