IT security as an enabler: simplicity, transparency are key
Simplicity and transparency in security terms means making the secure path for users the easy path. It means making the deployment and management of security for IT administrators more efficient and less complex. And it means having systems in place with visibility and intelligence sharing across the organization.
We know that up to 70 percent of IT security breaches can be attributed to human elements. We also know that most security environments are made up of point products and therefore siloed. Most people will follow the path of least resistance. Combine that with pressure on users to increase productivity and pressure on IT to deploy new applications and technologies, and it’s no surprise that security often becomes an inhibitor to what everybody is trying to get done. How much more could your organization accomplish if security was not holding you back?
During a Dell World session on IT security’s evolving role as an enabler of innovation, one panelist observed that “getting out of the way of the business is not the same as enabling it.” Is it?
Let’s look at security as if it were the brakes of a car. I can push past 80 on our Texas highways with confidence because I know my brakes are there when I want to stop. I think the same can be said for IT security. If we build secure and compliant organizations that are secure by design and by default, then we can deploy new applications and initiatives that drive productivity and growth.
Clearly the industry has more work to do to deliver security solutions that are simpler and more transparent to users, and more efficient for IT to deploy and manage. Only 13 percent of the 2,000 global organizations we recently surveyed said they are using security to enable new things, while only 18 percent are using security as a competitive advantage. This could be due to a lack of available transparent and simple solutions. It could also be that most organizations don’t view security as the enabler to growth that it can be.
For that 13 percent minority, IT security is doing more than simply getting out of the way. When security is built into solutions and simplified for both IT and end users it enables organizations to adapt rapidly to changing threats, regulations and new technologies. With end-to-end connections that share intelligence from the furthest mobile endpoint to the data center, and all along the networks and clouds between, security can provide the confidence needed to drive rather than deter growth.
Is your organization among the 13 percent who use security to enable new things? Or are you driving with one eye on the brake failure light, cautiously approaching the next bend in the road? Imagine how fast and far your organization can go with the confidence that IT security is enabling, not inhibiting, growth.
At Dell, we view IT security as an enabler of growth and innovation. Having simpler, more transparent security solutions is just the first step. In future posts, I’ll share other ideas to help you unleash the full power of security and move your business forward.
Tim - Good article. For too long security has been viewed as medicine that was imposed on the businesses. What we are seeing now is that businesses need to understand what users of their applications are doing in real time for ad insertion, content personalization, etc. Security software is uniquely suited to provide a trusted user context and activity stream that businesses can leverage to their benefit.
Tim, great post. There is a need for transition from IT security as risk manager to IT security for trusted business enablement. I really like it.
In my opinion, Security should be part of the design process during new initiatives. It is either : a) an afterthought after the completion of the design process or b) eagerly used before the design process, thereby crippling the innovative design process. IT security should definitely be an enabler and I am glad to hear Dell is taking an active lead.
Good analogy... brakes require humans to push them in response to stimulus, prone to the same human failures as traditional security protocols. Security Automation is a huge area of improvement for the industry -- similar to distronic or other computerized systems in popular luxury cars. Those systems will read in sensory data from the environment, apply analytics, and make decisions (even braking for you to a complete stop). They work because human patterns are predictable - you don't want to crash, nor do you want your business to do so. Security can move at the speed of DevOps, and enable agility and transparency that were previously unavailable to organizations. That's something near and dear to our hearts at Evident. Looking forward to future posts.
Great article. I agree with your example of the car breaks and same can be said for IT Security but the issue is that security has always been an afterthought therefore often retrofitted into a current process or product. Where I have never seen a car without breaks and we find products without security all the time. Looking forward to hearing more ideas on security to move the business forward!