Technology: Just one part of the security problem

Technology isn't the biggest security issue facing businesses, according to the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

"There is a common misconception that technology poses the biggest security risk to business, but it is just one part of the problem," the non-profit organisation explains.

"Often, companies leave themselves vulnerable to information breaches despite technology, but there are ways to lessen the risk.

A lack of security policies is a major area where businesses are leaving themselves vulnerable, CompTIA says.

"While all companies should have strong security policies across the business, in reality many companies don't put policies in place until after a breach."

Jim Hamilton, vice president, member communities, CompTIA, explains, "Awareness creates action, which is invaluable for tightening security.

"Companies should use policies to create awareness by routinely implementing, updating and communicating them, rather than waiting for a cybersecurity breach," he says.

"Implementing stringent policies can be hard to balance with ease of use and practicality. Many employees now use their own apps and devices at work, which can make the entire IT landscape much harder to manage," continues Hamilton.

He adds, "As organisations have embraced cloud computing and mobile technology solutions, they have extended the security perimeter, creating new considerations.

"And, with the rise of the Internet of Things, there are lots of devices built without the security of a corporate IT system."

Hamilton says technology is moving fast and every company is at risk.

"Companies need to ensure their security systems and policies are keeping up. If they only do a security audit every five years it will become out-dated very quickly," he says.

"Companies also need to be more proactive about testing their resilience in this increasingly complex environment. People take risks to save time and money but, if something happens, they could lose significantly more than they saved."

Hamilton says businesses need to go a step further and make employees part of the solution. "Human error is often the cause of issues with data security due to carelessness, failure to follow policies and failure to get up to speed on new threats," he says.

"Clearly, more training is required for employees. Fully-certified personnel are by nature more vigilant but security now must be a concern for everyone, and training should follow suit."