The steady, rapid evolution of technology means that businesses must evolve as well. But with new technology comes new security challenges, and one part of a successful evolution is knowing how to continue to protect valuable business assets. There are three main areas to examine when adjusting security measures to the changing face of technology:
- A changing workforce
- Decentralized IT
- Flexible development
Changing Workforce
Before technology became global and easily accessed, a company’s workforce came to the building at set hours and accessed company information through company devices. Today, not only are there many different types of employees, but there are also different ways of working. In order to keep data secure, businesses must know who can access what, and when — and be able to quickly allow or restrict access. Using identity management and becoming more project-based will allow professionals to keep up with a more fluid and dynamic workforce.
Decentralized IT
Many IT professionals are no longer together in one department; instead they’re often part of another department altogether, a practice known as shadow IT. The professionals in these departments often focus only on their own IT needs, rather than widespread company needs, and are able to purchase cloud services without needing to go through a single lead CIO.
Security, therefore, is also spread throughout the organization, meaning that leaders should be able to identify where security is needed and the optimal time to deploy it at the beginning of a project. The best way to accomplish this is to be at the forefront of new projects and technology, able to see potential issues before they become an actual problem.
Flexible Development
Flexibility is key to a successful business, and many organizations are turning towards an Agile development process to adapt to their customers’ ever-changing needs. Entering a project at the ground floor is key to keeping it secure, especially as there’s often little or no time to test before software is deployed. And with many businesses moving towards real-time data flow and live environments, experts need to focus on the issues that can arise in those areas.
No matter what the methods and technology used, security is and will always be a concern for businesses. The ability to adapt to the changing world through the workforce, flexible development, and decentralized IT will enable a business to succeed without sacrificing its ability to protect important data.