Transform Your Cybersecurity From A Cost Center To A Business Enabler

Shay Solomon, BD Director, Cybersecurity Services at Check Point Software Technologies Infinity Global Services.

For many organizations, cybersecurity is seen as a necessary financial burden—not a growth engine. However, with managed security services, businesses can change that perspective and transform cybersecurity into an enabler of efficiency that prevents unexpected expenses and strengthens trust with customers and partners.

Here are some steps you can take to achieve this new perspective and make your cybersecurity a force for growth rather than a plain old cost center.

Align Security With Business Goals

Cybersecurity doesn’t live in a bubble—if your security strategy isn’t aligned with your business goals, you’re swimming upstream. When that happens, the push toward secure computing can create a lot of unfortunate friction. Business leaders who want to protect their organizations must understand the essential details of the company’s priorities so they can make informed decisions about risk tolerances and the right security to allow for business progress.

If your organization places a high priority on data protection and customer trust, your security strategy can then invest in those largely protective measures. If you are moving forward with a digital innovation agenda, your security team can then look after those “new digital assets” with a strategy aligned with what your business leadership says are its primary moves.

Leverage Cloud Security Solutions

Moving to the cloud? Great! Just don’t forget about your security basics. A cloud security strategy is critical because, while the cloud is flexible and scalable, it also introduces new risks, especially if you switch between different cloud providers or use a hybrid setup. Businesses are not secure just because they are in the cloud, nor are they automatically secure when they use a single cloud provider, which could be the reason why, according to Tripwire, breaches involving cloud misconfigurations cost companies an average of $4.75 million.

One of the most effective methods of securing a cloud environment is to use a powerful identity management system to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive and mission-critical data. Also, effective cloud security means protecting the actual data itself—both the data that resides in the cloud and the data that is in transit.

Another essential part of cloud security is continuous monitoring. This involves watching over the movements of data and access to it so that organizations can quickly see when something out of the ordinary is happening. Of course, with all this done in a “by the book” manner, it’s possible to layer security right into the cloud environment at each of its levels, across not only data but also applications, infrastructure and user access.

Commit To Continuous Improvement

Cybersecurity isn’t something you can “set and forget.” Threats are constantly evolving, and so should your defenses. Cyber threats may look for an opening and a way in for a long time; it does not give up easily. By the time it succeeds, you may have fallen behind your competition that has embraced a more proactive mindset of securing its information from intruders. That information is a prime target in today’s hacker economy—hackers may demand ransoms, steal trade secrets or simply use stolen identities to perpetrate personal fraud.

Regularly assess your security posture, review your incident response plans and update policies as new risks emerge. Take time to conduct post-incident reviews to identify weaknesses and improve future responses. Update incident response plans to incorporate lessons learned from past incidents is a fundamental aspect of continuous improvement.

Reviews held after a major incident help determine not only what was done that worked well but also what was done that didn’t work well. The reviews provide insights into how plans can be improved. A culture of continuous improvement fosters resilience, ensuring that cybersecurity evolves in step with both business priorities and the threat landscape.

Conclusion

By leveraging managed security services, businesses can transform cybersecurity from a cost center into a business enabler. Proactive management, automation, enhanced visibility and a focus on risk-based strategies allow organizations to improve efficiency, minimize risk and align security investments with their strategic goals. Managed security services offer the expertise and flexibility businesses need to thrive in a digitally driven world.

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