Home > Resources > Articles > Information Security Management System to Protect Information Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability

Information Security Management System to Protect Information Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability

Information Security Management
In this modern world of technology, ensuring information security is very important for the smooth running of any organization. Unfortunately, there are many information/cyber security threats, including malware, ransom ware, emotet, denial of service, man in the middle, phishing, SQL injection, and password attacks. Whatever your business is, no doubt, it can collapse your business and your dreams. However, the severity of its after-effects depends upon the type of business you do.

As information security threat has become a hurdle for all organizations, companies must implement an effective information security management system. In 2019 alone, the total number of breaches was 1473. It is increasing every year as businesses are doing digital transformation widely. Phishing is the most damaging and widespread threat to businesses, accounting for 90% of organizations' breaches.

This article lets you understand what ISMS is and how it can be effectively implemented in your organization.

Information Security Management System (ISMS)

According to ISO/IEC 27001, Information Security Management System (ISMS) refers to various procedures, policies, and guidelines to manage and protect organizations' information assets. In addition, the system also comprises various other associated resources and activities frameworks for information security management.

Organizations are jointly responsible for maintaining information security. People responsible for security in an organization ensure that all employees diligently meet all policies, guidelines, and other objectives regarding protecting information. Also, they safeguard all assets of the organization from external cyber threats and attacks.

The goal and objective of the system are to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of assets from all threats and vulnerabilities. Effectively implementing an information security management system in your organization avoids the possibility of leaking personal, sensitive, and confidential data and getting exposed to harmful hands. The step-by-step implementation of ISMS includes the process of designing, implementing, managing, and maintaining it.

Implementing ISMS in Organizations

The standard for establishing and maintaining an information security management system in any organization is ISO 27001. However, as the standard has broad building blocks in designing and implementing ISMS, organizations can shape it according to their requirements.

Effectively implementing ISMS in organizations in compliance with ISO 27001 lets you enjoy significant benefits. However, an in-depth implementation and training process has to be ensured to realize these benefits comprehensively. Therefore, let us look into how an information security management system can be successfully implemented in your organization.

Identification

The first step in implementing ISMS is identifying the assets vulnerable to security threats and determining their value to your organization. In this process, devices and various types of data are listed according to their relative importance. Assets can be divided across three dimensions: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It will allow you to give a rating to your assets according to their sensitivity and importance to the company.

  • Confidentiality is ensuring that the assets are accessed by authorized persons only.
  • Integrity means ensuring that the data and information to be secured are complete, correct, and safeguarded thoroughly.
  • Availability is ensuring that the protected information is available to the authorized persons when they require it.


Policies and Procedures and Approval from the Management

In this step, you will have to create policies and procedures based on the insights you got from the first step. It is said to be the riskiest step as it will enforce new behaviors in your organization. Rules and regulations will be set for all the employees in this step. Therefore, it becomes the riskiest step as people always resist accepting and following the changes. You also should get the management approval once the policies are written.


Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is an integral part of implementing an Information Security Management System. Risk assessment allows you to provide values to your assets and realize which asset needs utmost care. For example, a competitor, an insider, or a cybercriminal group may want to compromise your information and steal your information. With a simple brainstorming session, you can realize and identify various potential sources of risk and potential damage. A well-documented risk assessment plan and methodology will make the process error-free.


Risk Treatment

In this step, you will have to implement the risk assessment plan you defined in the previous step. It is a time-consuming process, especially for larger organizations. This process is to get a clear picture of both internal and external dangers that can happen to the information in your organization.

The process of risk treatment also will help you to reduce the risks, which are not acceptable. Additionally, you may have to create a detailed report comprising all the steps you took during the risk assessment and treatment phase in this step.


Training

If you want effectively implement all the policies and procedures, providing training to employees is necessary. To make people perform as expected, educating your personnel about the necessity of implementing an information security management system is crucial. The most common reason for the failure of security management failure is the absence of this program.


Implementing ISMS

Once policies and procedures are written, and necessary training is provided to all employees, you can get into the actual process of implementing it in your organization. Then, as all the employees follow the new set of rules and regulations, you can start evaluating the system's effectiveness.


Monitoring and Auditing

Here you check whether the objectives set were being met or not. If not, you may take corrective and preventive actions. In addition, as part of auditing, you also ensure all employees are following what was being implemented in the information security management system. This is because people may likely follow wrong things without the awareness that they are doing something wrong. In that case, disciplinary actions have to be taken to prevent and correct it. Here you make sure and ensure all the controls are working as you expected.


Management Review

The final step in the process of implementing an information security management system is management review. In this step, you work with the senior management to understand your ISMS is achieving the goals. You also utilize this step to set future goals in terms of your security strategy.

Once the implementation and review are completed successfully, the organization can apply for certification to ensure the best information security management practices.


Summing UP

Organizations benefit from implementing and certifying their information security management system. The organization has defined and implemented a management system by building awareness, training employees, applying the proper security measures, and executing a systematic approach to information security management. Thus implementation has the following benefits:

  • Minimized risk of information loss.
  • The increased trust of customers in the company as the company is ISO/IEC 27001 certified.
  • Developed competencies and awareness about information security among all employees
  • The organization meets various regulatory requirements.

Frequently Asked questions


What are the three principles of information security?

Confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) are the three main principles and objectives of information security. These are the fundamental principles and the heart of information security.


How does information security management work?

Information security management works on five pillars. The five pillars are assessment, detection, reaction, documentation, and prevention. Effective implementation of these pillars determines the success of the information security management in your company.


What are the challenges in information security management?

Challenges in information security management in your company can be the following:

  • You can’t identify your most critical data
  • Policies aren’t in place for protecting sensitive information.
  • Employees aren’t trained in company policies.
  • Technology isn’t implemented for your policies.
  • You can’t limit vendor access to sensitive information.

Spotlight

Caspida

Caspida is a real-time cyber-security and threat detection company that automatically detects & prevents hidden threats across corporate, SaaS/cloud and mobile environments. We detect the entire cyber threat kill chain and are the first in the industry to provide coverage for unknown threats that have already penetrated the enterprise, without rules, signatures, sand-boxing or human analysis. We find lurking APTs, new malware and unpredictable insider threats using a novel behavioral threat detection and Big Data security analytics approach.

OTHER ARTICLES
Software Security

Cloud Security: The Next-generation Security Framework

Article | March 28, 2024

The world is undergoing rapid a digital transformation, and cloudification is also an important part of this transformation. As per Statista, over 60% of all corporate data is stored in the cloud as of 2022. The increased use of the cloud and rapid cloud migration have also raised security-related concerns. This concern is important too. With a rise in the number of businesses adopting the cloud, more and more data will be at risk if cloud security is not taken seriously. The discipline and practice of securing cloud environments, applications, data, and information are referred to as cloud security or cloud computing security. Cloud security involves protecting cloud environments against unauthorized access, distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks, hackers, viruses, and other threats. Although cloud security refers to security in cloud settings, cloud-based security is the software as a service (SaaS) delivery model of security services that are hosted in the cloud instead of implemented through on-premise hardware or software. Cloud Security Challenges: Most Security Professionals Are Finding It Hard to Deal With According to the TripWire Survey, 76% of cybersecurity experts have found it difficult to manage cloud-related security challenges. A recent Lacework analysis highlights the problems that developers and security professionals have when dealing with cloud security concerns. According to the survey, just one out of every three developers feels that the time they invest in cloud security is productive. According to these statistics and reports, security experts are struggling to deal with cloud security concerns. The following are some of the common challenges that have hindered the cloud security environment. Lack of Visibility One of the biggest challenges for security pros is gaining complete access to the cloud computing system and its data. According to an Ixia study of 338 IT security professionals, less than 20% believed they had complete insight into cloud systems and data packets. According to the same research, 87% of respondents thought that the cloud computing system's lack of visibility led to the complexity of data security threats. Because several cloud services are used outside of corporate networks as well as through third parties, it's easy to miss the sight of how and by whom your data is being viewed. Lack of Proper Tools to Manage, Detect, and Prevent Cloud Security Threats Businesses have only provided mediocre tools that are ill-equipped to combat security tools. A flawless cloud security product should be well-positioned to provide an immediate and clear view of all potential security risks that a business confronts across its cloud computing infrastructure and resources. Web Application Firewalls, misconfiguration monitors, access control tools, and biometric authentication technologies are good for verifying users' identities and should be accessible to a business. However, SSL certificates, which are a core data encryption tool, are crucial. As a result, security professionals no longer need to be concerned about data security as it moves between cloud storage platforms. Misconfigurations In 2019, incorrectly configured assets were responsible for 86% of all records that were compromised, making unauthorized insider access a primary concern for cloud computing systems. It's possible to make an error in setup by, for example, keeping the administrator passwords set to their defaults or failing to provide proper privacy settings. C-Suite and Cloud Security: Key Strategies Walking a Thin Line Never forget that for corporate leaders, it is a continuous challenge to safeguard current revenues and generate a profit by balancing successful business investments with (unprofitable) security investments. They might perceive it as an additional cost, but you must explain why native public cloud security is insufficient and why the obligation to protect their own data cannot be neglected. Data kept on the cloud is no more secure than data maintained elsewhere in the organization. As a result, it is essential to execute extra, targeted security measures in order to fully integrate cloud security protocols with the rest of your security architecture and automate security operations wherever possible. Consistency Is the Key Cloud security isn't any different from other types of cybersecurity, so a consistent strategy to maintain security across the whole company, irrespective of where information or applications reside, is necessary. Managing and orchestrating different security methodologies and solutions complicates the security environment, increasing the possibility of errors and vulnerabilities. Emphasize the significance of a consistent, strategic approach to cybersecurity in general. Make It Visual While discussing concerns about cybersecurity, non-tech savvy-board members usually drop out. Instead, use their language and structure the discussion around business risk. Highlight how the cloud is just another risk that must be addressed and help board members understand the reality and possible consequences of security issues. For example, show them how common data breaches or loss situations have resulted in CEOs apologizing to the public. This should spark their interest. The idea is to address cloud and cyber risk like any other risk by finding gaps and managing them to the most significant degree possible. Why Do Businesses Need Cybersecurity Mesh for Cloud Security? According to Fortune, the worldwide cybersecurity industry will exceed USD 375 billion by 2029. Organizational resources are becoming more likely to be situated outside of an organization's localized security zone, and growth patterns indicate that enterprises of all sizes must be nimble enough to scale quickly without risking network security. As an organization grows beyond its physical boundaries, each node has become a possible access point that could be utilized to compromise the entire network. Hackers are increasingly launching attacks like ransomware and other types of malware through these insecure access points. The annual cost of such attacks is estimated to be approximately $6 trillion and growing. The most practical and adaptive solution to dealing with these dangers in an enterprise-level organization is cybersecurity mesh. It extends security throughout your architecture, allowing you to safeguard all systems and access points with a single, unified set of technologies. A cybersecurity mesh can also develop when new threats arise since it is driven by the most recent threat intelligence. Enterprises require cybersecurity mesh to support core business operations such as: Making use of third-party applications and services Creating new distribution channels Introducing new initiatives How can you Improve Cloud Security Hygiene? We believe we understand the concept of hygiene, but how about cloud security hygiene? Although our computers don't have teeth to brush, that concept provides a starting point for a different view of security hygiene. If you have a task that you must complete on a regular basis, you must complete it everywhere. It is not acceptable to clean your teeth just once a year or to brush only the front teeth. Similarly, you cannot patch software or verify your security setups just once a year or simply for your most visible systems. Suggestions for smarter and more systematic cloud security hygiene: Sort the categories of cloud coverage Determine the range of your controls. Consider the situation within your cloud. Cancel the confidence! Least Privilege Access for Cloud Security The POLP (Principle of Least Privilege) also known as POLP, is an essential security principle. When it comes to public cloud security, the Principle of Least Privilege approach states that all identities, both human and non-human, should be permitted the least amount of access necessary to carry out their respective tasks. Moreover, an often overlooked guideline is that those identified should provide access for just the period required to fulfill their mission. Why should you consider implementing Least Privilege? Protect Against Risks Limit Damage Classify Data Improve Security Reduce Liability Must-Have Cloud Computing Security Features Companies of all sizes must be hyper-vigilant when it pertains to cybersecurity, regardless of whether they utilize traditional on-premises technology or cloud-based infrastructure. Businesses are at the mercy of hackers due to slow responses to cyber-attacks and ineffective security measures. According to Economist data, "the average duration between an attacker breaching a network and its owner discovering the intrusion is 205 days." During that period, hackers can cause immeasurable damage to the company and its consumers. The issue is that putting in place robust security features might be cost-prohibitive for the organization making the investment. Utilizing a cloud service provider can reduce the substantial upfront capital costs associated with cutting-edge cyber security measures. Must-have cloud computing security features are as follows: Top-of-the-Line Perimeter Firewall Intrusion Detection Systems with Event Logging Internal Firewalls for Individual Applications and Databases Data-at-Rest Encryption Tier IV Data Centers with Excellent Physical Security Closing Lines Since most businesses already use cloud services in some way or another, cloud security has become a necessity. Gartner predicted that the worldwide market for public cloud services would rise 23.1% in 2021, reflecting the rapid pace of adoption of these services. Protecting data and business data, like customer orders, confidential design blueprints, and financial records is a critical component of cloud security. Preventing data breaches and theft is crucial for retaining your customers' confidence and safeguarding the assets that lead you to a competitive edge. FAQ What is the most reliable form of cloud computing security? Encryption is among the most effective ways to protect your cloud computing platforms. There are numerous ways to use encryption, and they can be provided by a cloud provider or by a separate cloud security solutions supplier. How is cloud security provided? To safeguard your data, cloud service providers employ a variety of approaches. Firewalls are an essential component of cloud infrastructure. Firewalls safeguard the edge of your network security as well as your end users. Firewalls also protect traffic between various cloud-based apps. What are the three most important areas of cloud security? Below are the key areas for cloud computing security. If your cloud provider's solution lacks security in any one area, your company's important data might be at risk. Physical Security Software Security Infrastructure Security

Read More
Data Security

Protection vs Privilege

Article | February 12, 2024

As of May 2023, 39% percent of workers in the UK work from home at some point during their week. Whilst understandable, the hybrid-working environment continues to pose more risks to organisations and their data. As more devices are accessed beyond the confines of the corporate network, businesses must account for the inherent risks presented by insecure or non-existent endpoint control. As users of these devices have more administrative control, and without the constant presence of IT services, the door is left open for increased phishing, ransomware and malware attacks. A daunting 88% of data breaches are now caused by employee error. Just earlier this month, the genealogy company 23andMe confirmed that its data had been compromised in an attack from hackers who claimed to have accessed millions of data points from accounts by taking advantage of users login credentials. The problem with this is that the users are not the root of the issue. The concern comes not only from employees, but from the number of endpoints being accessed from multiple locations, and the lack of control over the access and privileges that these devices have. A frightening statistic revealed in a study from Forbes, showed that 23% of UK and US small businesses used no form of endpoint security, and that a further 57% simply believe they won’t be targeted by cyber-attacks. The reason this is so concerning is that cybersecurity companies have reported a 20% increase in victims of such attacks just in the last year. These attacks not only put company and customer data at risk but can also result in a strain on IT services and leave users without the systems and tools essential for productivity. Preventing unlimited access One of the ways that attacks break through endpoints and escape into an organisation's network is by exploiting local admin rights on end-users' workstations. Those local admin rights are handy for the user. For example, they can install a new printer driver or update an application plug-in without calling the IT help desk. But they can also be abused to install malware or configure the computer to make an attack easier. It could be easy to remove those local admin rights or the shadow user account on the workstations with those elevated permissions. But that will frustrate end-users and increase the load on the help desk. The key issue here, is the concept of privilege. Users often need the privilege to elevate their devices by running an administrator account in order to gain access to, and update applications. Unfortunately, this greatly increases risk as these elevated administrator accounts are much more attractive to hackers for this exact reason - their access to more lucrative data. It has been reported that 70% of all data breaches are targeted at privileged accounts, which is especially alarming when taking into account the fact that 90% of IT security professionals have said that their organisations’ users have more privilege than is necessary. The issue for many companies arises in finding the balance between the users’ access to local admin rights and their productivity. More open access to the admin rights makes things easier and convenient for the users but opens the door to security risks with more endpoints to target. A study by the Ponemon Institute showed that 73% of organisations believed that threats to their endpoints had significantly increased, and that a staggering 80% of organisations that had been compromised by cyber-attacks did not know what type of attack they had been subjected to. The need for a more effective and efficient security measure is clear. Endpoint privilege management (EPM) oversees and governs the privilege of network devices. It completely removes the need for users to have administrator accounts on the devices they use, whilst still enabling them to have elevated access to certain applications. EPM only elevates approved applications and provides the users with a clear audit list of those which have been approved. Privilege to protect Whilst not a universal fix, the implementation of EPM, for example, can help alleviate the risks and reinforce a culture of security within organisations. It is understandable to be cautious when faced with words and phrases such as “approved applications” or “removing administrator rights”, but EPM is not about limiting your users’ experience or productivity. EPM does not forbid or remove access to applications. The IT team can grant approved users’ permission to run specific applications with elevated permissions for a limited period, to carry out specific actions. Users can then access what they need to, while IT retains visibility over all actions in case activity needs to be stopped, or incidents need to be investigated at a later date. If permissions need to be granted on an individual basis, for each user and application, IT will be buried under an avalanche of requests – so EPM tools will allow rules and policies to be created and then applied at scale. Users can do the work they need with few calls to the Help Desk. IT gets fewer interruptions and can focus on more valuable work. Auditors can see who had access to which applications and logs show the actual users, not an arbitrary administrator account. Endpoint privilege management is vital to any organisation's cybersecurity strategy, not only to manage and control access to sensitive data and resources but minimise the chance of a data breach. EPM also plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations to avoid the legal liabilities that may ensue should a breach occur.

Read More
Software Security

A Look at Cryptographic Use Case Trends Around the World

Article | March 6, 2024

Securing data, assets, and transactions is ever critical especially now with increased innovation, customer demand, and the need to navigate a complex regulatory landscape — not to mention staying ahead of evolving cyber threats. As a result, organizations of all sizes and in every country around the world require implementing cryptography solutions to help secure everyday business. This includes managing and securing transactions, managing encryption keys, authenticating identities, providing message integrity, and encrypting data and applications. From the largest global banks and payment processors that process thousands of transactions a second to the micro merchants that are newly accepting payments, cryptography works behind the scenes to ensure payments are secure and sensitive information is protected. Whenever and wherever cryptography is at work, organizations turn to either hardware or cloud options (or a combination of both) to ensure data and transactions are secure and compliant. Common cryptographic themes across industries and across countries: 1. Cloud adoption is happening across the board with payment processing taking the lead 2. Smaller FinTechs are innovating big time 3. Companies are continually seeking help to meet regulations, especially when it comes to data localization Since writing Cryptographic Management Trends Around the Globe, I talked again with Futurex team members from our offices around the world, including Ruchin Kumar, vice president, South Asia; Mark Howland, senior business development, EMEA; and Santos Campa, vice president, LAC, for more cryptographic insights and perspectives, including drilling down on cryptographic use cases to see what’s similar and what’s unique across regions. Let’s take a look at each region: South Asia, EMEA, and LAC. South Asia: Payment Ecosystem Thriving in South Asia Ruchin Kumar emphasized that the payment ecosystem in South Asia, particularly India, is thriving — indicating that financial services are the largest consumers of hardware security modules (HSMs) and cryptography in the entire region. HSMs play an important role in South Asia, securing the root of trust, keeping the private keys secure, managing Public Key Infrastructures (PKIs), and managing digital signing for non-repudiation and message integrity. In fact, he said, India represents almost 95% of HSM use cases in all of South Asia. Payment systems and securing payments go hand-in-hand with the standards and regulations required for payments/financial services. These include regulations set by Unique Identification of India (UIDAI), National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Payments Council of India (PCI), Information Technology Act of India, 2000 and its amendments 2008/2011/2016. Kumar sees organizations use general purpose HSMs for digital signing for non-repudiation and message integrity and payment HSMs used for acquiring, switching, card issuance, green PIN, and other payment application security needs (these types of HSMs are required by regulations). What’s on the horizon? From Kumar’s perspective, organizations are doing a lot of testing and evaluation for cryptography inclusion in their infrastructure and many organizations are looking into tokenization for security and agility, especially with Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and AI emerging. Additionally, remote key loading is becoming more sought after because every device in the field these days — ATMs, point-of-sale devices, handheld devices — requires key exchange with centralized servers. Companies in South Asia See Cryptography-as-a-Service and Local Data Centers Critical for Data Residency and Localization Over the past two years, most organizations in South Asia have adopted the cloud on a large scale, including using the cloud as a resource to host their critical applications. Security has played a big role in this cloud migration, with organizations wanting to retain ownership and control of their encryption keys. As a result, many organizations have turned to Futurex’s VirtuCrypt cloud HSM and key management service for both security and meeting regulatory compliance. Futurex’s data centers in India West and India Central help to power cryptographic automation, speed, latency, and data residency and data localization. “Local data centers provide customers a lot of assurance in terms of data residency, data localization, and key localization, which earlier was a barrier to move to the cloud. Now that Futurex’s cryptography services are hosted within Indian geography, we have seen a big difference in organizations migrating to HSM-as-a-service,” says Kumar. India is well-known as a FinTech hub for start-ups and innovation, with many unicorns emerging, according to Kumar. Progressive companies look to service-based, OpEx models for their applications as well as for cryptography. OpEx models offer flexibility, money savings, and serve as a resource for those needing help with cryptographic management. EMEA: Cloud and Payments Dominate HSM Use in Europe, Middle East, and Africa Cloud adoption is also rapidly increasing in EMEA, with many organizations looking to HSM virtualization technology, especially for payment applications. According to Mark Howland, “Customers are asking, ‘can we cut down our use of hardware, our reliance on hardware, and have the payment applications that we are heavily invested in, spun up and spun down seasonally?” Howland notes that smaller companies and VC-backed companies are more nimble and lean toward innovation by implementing such things as cryptography-as-a-service to meet PCI regulations. The early adopters are those organizations in the finance and payment industry, as consumer demand and pandemic adjustments have led to innovative payment processing including mobile payments and SoftPOS. Like South Asia, smaller companies including those in financial software and services, see the value of OpEx-based HSM cloud services, such as Futurex’s VirtuCrypt. Organizations across EMEA are deploying HSMs for POS key management, PIN management, and virtualization. What’s ahead? Howland sees that many organizations are, again, moving to a service-based model, looking at application encryption, encrypting data at rest, and the overall protection of data in all industry sectors, not just traditional high-security finance customers. LAC: Trends in Cryptography Use in Latin America and the Caribbean What’s trending in LAC? According to Santos Campa, he is seeing a mixture of both on-premises cryptographic architecture and cloud payment demands. Several banks already have a huge investment in their hardware infrastructure — their own data centers, racks, servers, etc. However, at least 35% of customers are converting from these on-premises architectures to cloud HSMs. Many are opening new branches or are creating new FinTechs inside their organizations. “We’re seeing the majority of organizations moving to the cloud, or at least moving part of their operations to the cloud,” says Campa. “It's very important for many organizations to keep control and management of the key lifecycle.” Again, much like other parts of the world, the financial sector is the big mover and shaker in terms of cryptographic implementations, using cryptography for PIN validation, key management, and tokenization. According to Campa, the cloud continues to be very important and beneficial, especially the ability to integrate cloud payment HSMs with the public cloud including AWS, Azure, and Google. As organizations are adding new models, such as transaction processing models, a must-have is a secure, compliant cryptographic solution — compliant with PCI and local and regional regulations throughout Latin America — that will allow them to scale. A nice-to-have is an OpEx option to give flexibility and cost savings. Pandemic trends have paved the way to make cryptographic management more streamlined — such as visualization and remote key management — and not needing to physically go to the data center. “Organizations are looking to a cryptographic platform that is future-proofed, one that is going to provide the best quality of service and support in the market,” says Campa. All around the globe, organizations are looking to innovate payments and embrace the cloud, keeping security, agility, and cryptography top of mind.

Read More
Data Security

Quantum Literacy Critical in a Post-quantum World

Article | May 5, 2022

When quantum computing gains widespread adoption in the future, general knowledge about quantum computing — and skills for using quantum-enabled applications — must also become widespread. We can all recognize the importance of modern (classical) computer literacy today — in the workforce and in our recreational lives. So too, will we one day recognize the importance of quantum computing literacy? In a post-quantum world, basic knowledge and competency with quantum computing will become critical, even if they do not reach the same level of importance as classical computing. In addition, specialized skills will also be needed. Today, an accountant, for example, needs to be well versed in specific specialized software and have general computer skills, but they do not need to understand how the CPU on their laptop works. Similarly, the future accountant may require specialized training in quantum-enabled technologies and general skills with quantum platforms. Still, they won’t need to understand exactly how the underlying quantum processors put qubits into superposition. Let’s take a selective look at the history of classical computing to see where we came from and where we are today. What are some differences between early and modern computers? Many people over many years contributed to the creation of computing as we know it today. The early development of classical computing involved a small number of experts. Early computers were enormously expensive and had minimal functionality (they could perform simple calculations, but they weren’t solving complex systems of partial differential equations). In the 1960s, computers were difficult to use, requiring exceptional skills and knowledge to operate. Before the advent of second-generation programming languages (assembly languages), programmers were limited to writing in binary machine code (i.e., 0’s and 1’s). As a result, there were high barriers to the use and adoption of early computers, such as skill and economic obstacles. Nowadays, classical computers are ubiquitous, and essentially anyone can use one with little training. Modern computers have as many applications as there are stars in the sky. Third- and fourth-generation programming languages, user-friendly development environments, and cloud-based learning platforms allow novices to create and run programs without understanding how the programs actually “work.” Indeed, much has changed. If modern computers were still prohibitively expensive and required deep expertise to operate, they would still be a niche technology and not the world-changing powerhouses that they are today. Likewise, if large-scale quantum computing is going to see widespread use, quantum devices and applications will need to have low skill and economic barriers for their adoption. Otherwise, they will remain niche and for specialized purposes only. Who even truly understands computers, anyway? What does understanding computers mean? Does it mean that you have deep knowledge of computer hardware design? That you’re an expert in software development? That you can write assembly code? Maybe it means that you’re well-versed in the OSI and TCP/IP layers and various protocols that go with them. Perhaps it means that you broadly understand how bits can be processed to achieve computation. Or maybe it means that you’re capable of using a computer to perform any number of daily tasks. Regardless of how ridiculously complicated modern computers are, almost everybody can use a computer reasonably well for various purposes. Even if you don’t truly understand computers, you can still do your job and live your life. Nearly every modern business utilizes computers and requires a workforce with varying skills and knowledge of computers. Similarly, think of an automobile. Modern vehicles can have hundreds of millions of lines of computer code, more components from more suppliers than you can count, and are, in many ways, absolute marvels of engineering. (Have you ever looked into how differential braking works? It’s incredible!) Yet, teenagers can operate these machines. Likewise, modern computers, like modern vehicles, are deeply complicated while, at the same time, they are relatively simple to operate. And as the technology improves over time, the machines become simpler and simpler to use — for example, autonomous driving or computers designed for infants. Let’s consider the early days of computers and how many people “understood” or could competently use one. We don’t need to go as far back as Charles Baggage, Alan Turing, or the Antikythera mechanism to see that as the technology was developing, much fewer people understood it at all. Those who were developing the technology — at IBM, Microsoft, Apple, etc. — understood more of the body of knowledge at the time than someone working in the industry today has of the current body of knowledge. The modern body of knowledge is more extensive than it was even a few decades ago. How did we go from a world where relatively few people understood anything about computers and where it took notable expertise to utilize a computer to a world where computers outnumber people, and very little expertise is required to use one? Evolution. Over decades and decades, the technology, the knowledge, and the enabling peripheral industries, standards bodies, and supply chain ecosystems evolved from their nascent forms into what they are today. Consumers became increasingly aware of the utility computers could bring them (businesses certainly did). Over time, as the adoption of computers increased, the cost of purchasing and owning a computer decreased. It was a complicated process that simply took time. Why should we care about how the complexity or accessibility of computers has evolved over the years? As we step back and look at the storied history of computing, we can take lessons learned and apply them to our future. These lessons can give us foresight into the future development of quantum computing and the goals we should set for ourselves moving forward. What knowledge is required to build a quantum computer? Here are highlights: • Some understanding of quantum mechanics (which in turn requires an understanding of classical mechanics) • The theory of quantum computation and quantum algorithms, and complexity • The materials science for constructing physical qubits — and knowing the difference between a photonic, trapped-ion, superconducting, or topological qubit • The engineering for entangling and controlling qubits • The engineering to create stable environments for qubits to maintain coherence • Specialized software for using the machines • Quantum error correction codes • And so much more One of the bottlenecks often described by organizations working to build quantum computers is the lack of general expertise. While it is possible to find someone who is an expert in a handful of the above, there is a notable lack of a well-rounded understanding of what all is involved. And even if one person had a solid experience of everything required to build a quantum computer, more specialized knowledge would still be required to develop applications for the technology. At the same time, nearly every organization involved in quantum computing will be quick to tell you of the future virtues of large-scale quantum computing (and rightly so); of how its future applications will be an unprecedented boon to humanity. But, for those applications to become widespread and usable by anyone other than a handful of world-class experts, the accessibility must increase, and the barriers (intellectual and economic) to using them must simultaneously decrease. This means then that for the much-heralded applications of quantum computing to become a reality, we must get to a point where the workforce will have enough knowledge and skills to competently use the future quantum computers. If you are trying to sell a product that leverages quantum computing, you must have sufficient knowledge about quantum computing. If you’re developing a use case for a quantum computer, you’ll need a team with enough understanding to create and market your product. If today’s developers each required Ph.D.s and a decade of hands-on experience to make any meaningful software, then we’d have a lot less software available. Lowering barriers to developing excellent software is essential. What’s next? Companies producing quantum-related products and services will be well served to gradually make their wares more and more accessible to a broader number of people, geographies, and applications. What will reduce the barriers? As was the case for classical computing: technological development, standardization, competition, incentives based on market needs, and experts able to communicate the concepts, applications, and their utility clearly to non-experts, including customers, partners, and the general public. The more people and companies work on quantum-related technologies, the more that the technologies advance. As the technologies advance, more and more use cases will be discovered, more jobs will be created, and maybe even whole new industries will appear. As all of this happens, the barriers will slowly erode.

Read More
Software Security

10 Disastrous Cyber Incidents That Happened in 2023: Reviewed

Article | March 28, 2024

The world is undergoing rapid a digital transformation, and cloudification is also an important part of this transformation. As per Statista, over 60% of all corporate data is stored in the cloud as of 2022. The increased use of the cloud and rapid cloud migration have also raised security-related concerns. This concern is important too. With a rise in the number of businesses adopting the cloud, more and more data will be at risk if cloud security is not taken seriously. The discipline and practice of securing cloud environments, applications, data, and information are referred to as cloud security or cloud computing security. Cloud security involves protecting cloud environments against unauthorized access, distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks, hackers, viruses, and other threats. Although cloud security refers to security in cloud settings, cloud-based security is the software as a service (SaaS) delivery model of security services that are hosted in the cloud instead of implemented through on-premise hardware or software. Cloud Security Challenges: Most Security Professionals Are Finding It Hard to Deal With According to the TripWire Survey, 76% of cybersecurity experts have found it difficult to manage cloud-related security challenges. A recent Lacework analysis highlights the problems that developers and security professionals have when dealing with cloud security concerns. According to the survey, just one out of every three developers feels that the time they invest in cloud security is productive. According to these statistics and reports, security experts are struggling to deal with cloud security concerns. The following are some of the common challenges that have hindered the cloud security environment. Lack of Visibility One of the biggest challenges for security pros is gaining complete access to the cloud computing system and its data. According to an Ixia study of 338 IT security professionals, less than 20% believed they had complete insight into cloud systems and data packets. According to the same research, 87% of respondents thought that the cloud computing system's lack of visibility led to the complexity of data security threats. Because several cloud services are used outside of corporate networks as well as through third parties, it's easy to miss the sight of how and by whom your data is being viewed. Lack of Proper Tools to Manage, Detect, and Prevent Cloud Security Threats Businesses have only provided mediocre tools that are ill-equipped to combat security tools. A flawless cloud security product should be well-positioned to provide an immediate and clear view of all potential security risks that a business confronts across its cloud computing infrastructure and resources. Web Application Firewalls, misconfiguration monitors, access control tools, and biometric authentication technologies are good for verifying users' identities and should be accessible to a business. However, SSL certificates, which are a core data encryption tool, are crucial. As a result, security professionals no longer need to be concerned about data security as it moves between cloud storage platforms. Misconfigurations In 2019, incorrectly configured assets were responsible for 86% of all records that were compromised, making unauthorized insider access a primary concern for cloud computing systems. It's possible to make an error in setup by, for example, keeping the administrator passwords set to their defaults or failing to provide proper privacy settings. C-Suite and Cloud Security: Key Strategies Walking a Thin Line Never forget that for corporate leaders, it is a continuous challenge to safeguard current revenues and generate a profit by balancing successful business investments with (unprofitable) security investments. They might perceive it as an additional cost, but you must explain why native public cloud security is insufficient and why the obligation to protect their own data cannot be neglected. Data kept on the cloud is no more secure than data maintained elsewhere in the organization. As a result, it is essential to execute extra, targeted security measures in order to fully integrate cloud security protocols with the rest of your security architecture and automate security operations wherever possible. Consistency Is the Key Cloud security isn't any different from other types of cybersecurity, so a consistent strategy to maintain security across the whole company, irrespective of where information or applications reside, is necessary. Managing and orchestrating different security methodologies and solutions complicates the security environment, increasing the possibility of errors and vulnerabilities. Emphasize the significance of a consistent, strategic approach to cybersecurity in general. Make It Visual While discussing concerns about cybersecurity, non-tech savvy-board members usually drop out. Instead, use their language and structure the discussion around business risk. Highlight how the cloud is just another risk that must be addressed and help board members understand the reality and possible consequences of security issues. For example, show them how common data breaches or loss situations have resulted in CEOs apologizing to the public. This should spark their interest. The idea is to address cloud and cyber risk like any other risk by finding gaps and managing them to the most significant degree possible. Why Do Businesses Need Cybersecurity Mesh for Cloud Security? According to Fortune, the worldwide cybersecurity industry will exceed USD 375 billion by 2029. Organizational resources are becoming more likely to be situated outside of an organization's localized security zone, and growth patterns indicate that enterprises of all sizes must be nimble enough to scale quickly without risking network security. As an organization grows beyond its physical boundaries, each node has become a possible access point that could be utilized to compromise the entire network. Hackers are increasingly launching attacks like ransomware and other types of malware through these insecure access points. The annual cost of such attacks is estimated to be approximately $6 trillion and growing. The most practical and adaptive solution to dealing with these dangers in an enterprise-level organization is cybersecurity mesh. It extends security throughout your architecture, allowing you to safeguard all systems and access points with a single, unified set of technologies. A cybersecurity mesh can also develop when new threats arise since it is driven by the most recent threat intelligence. Enterprises require cybersecurity mesh to support core business operations such as: Making use of third-party applications and services Creating new distribution channels Introducing new initiatives How can you Improve Cloud Security Hygiene? We believe we understand the concept of hygiene, but how about cloud security hygiene? Although our computers don't have teeth to brush, that concept provides a starting point for a different view of security hygiene. If you have a task that you must complete on a regular basis, you must complete it everywhere. It is not acceptable to clean your teeth just once a year or to brush only the front teeth. Similarly, you cannot patch software or verify your security setups just once a year or simply for your most visible systems. Suggestions for smarter and more systematic cloud security hygiene: Sort the categories of cloud coverage Determine the range of your controls. Consider the situation within your cloud. Cancel the confidence! Least Privilege Access for Cloud Security The POLP (Principle of Least Privilege) also known as POLP, is an essential security principle. When it comes to public cloud security, the Principle of Least Privilege approach states that all identities, both human and non-human, should be permitted the least amount of access necessary to carry out their respective tasks. Moreover, an often overlooked guideline is that those identified should provide access for just the period required to fulfill their mission. Why should you consider implementing Least Privilege? Protect Against Risks Limit Damage Classify Data Improve Security Reduce Liability Must-Have Cloud Computing Security Features Companies of all sizes must be hyper-vigilant when it pertains to cybersecurity, regardless of whether they utilize traditional on-premises technology or cloud-based infrastructure. Businesses are at the mercy of hackers due to slow responses to cyber-attacks and ineffective security measures. According to Economist data, "the average duration between an attacker breaching a network and its owner discovering the intrusion is 205 days." During that period, hackers can cause immeasurable damage to the company and its consumers. The issue is that putting in place robust security features might be cost-prohibitive for the organization making the investment. Utilizing a cloud service provider can reduce the substantial upfront capital costs associated with cutting-edge cyber security measures. Must-have cloud computing security features are as follows: Top-of-the-Line Perimeter Firewall Intrusion Detection Systems with Event Logging Internal Firewalls for Individual Applications and Databases Data-at-Rest Encryption Tier IV Data Centers with Excellent Physical Security Closing Lines Since most businesses already use cloud services in some way or another, cloud security has become a necessity. Gartner predicted that the worldwide market for public cloud services would rise 23.1% in 2021, reflecting the rapid pace of adoption of these services. Protecting data and business data, like customer orders, confidential design blueprints, and financial records is a critical component of cloud security. Preventing data breaches and theft is crucial for retaining your customers' confidence and safeguarding the assets that lead you to a competitive edge. FAQ What is the most reliable form of cloud computing security? Encryption is among the most effective ways to protect your cloud computing platforms. There are numerous ways to use encryption, and they can be provided by a cloud provider or by a separate cloud security solutions supplier. How is cloud security provided? To safeguard your data, cloud service providers employ a variety of approaches. Firewalls are an essential component of cloud infrastructure. Firewalls safeguard the edge of your network security as well as your end users. Firewalls also protect traffic between various cloud-based apps. What are the three most important areas of cloud security? Below are the key areas for cloud computing security. If your cloud provider's solution lacks security in any one area, your company's important data might be at risk. Physical Security Software Security Infrastructure Security

Read More
Data Security

15 Go-to Data Security Tools to Better Protect and Encrypt Data

Article | February 12, 2024

As of May 2023, 39% percent of workers in the UK work from home at some point during their week. Whilst understandable, the hybrid-working environment continues to pose more risks to organisations and their data. As more devices are accessed beyond the confines of the corporate network, businesses must account for the inherent risks presented by insecure or non-existent endpoint control. As users of these devices have more administrative control, and without the constant presence of IT services, the door is left open for increased phishing, ransomware and malware attacks. A daunting 88% of data breaches are now caused by employee error. Just earlier this month, the genealogy company 23andMe confirmed that its data had been compromised in an attack from hackers who claimed to have accessed millions of data points from accounts by taking advantage of users login credentials. The problem with this is that the users are not the root of the issue. The concern comes not only from employees, but from the number of endpoints being accessed from multiple locations, and the lack of control over the access and privileges that these devices have. A frightening statistic revealed in a study from Forbes, showed that 23% of UK and US small businesses used no form of endpoint security, and that a further 57% simply believe they won’t be targeted by cyber-attacks. The reason this is so concerning is that cybersecurity companies have reported a 20% increase in victims of such attacks just in the last year. These attacks not only put company and customer data at risk but can also result in a strain on IT services and leave users without the systems and tools essential for productivity. Preventing unlimited access One of the ways that attacks break through endpoints and escape into an organisation's network is by exploiting local admin rights on end-users' workstations. Those local admin rights are handy for the user. For example, they can install a new printer driver or update an application plug-in without calling the IT help desk. But they can also be abused to install malware or configure the computer to make an attack easier. It could be easy to remove those local admin rights or the shadow user account on the workstations with those elevated permissions. But that will frustrate end-users and increase the load on the help desk. The key issue here, is the concept of privilege. Users often need the privilege to elevate their devices by running an administrator account in order to gain access to, and update applications. Unfortunately, this greatly increases risk as these elevated administrator accounts are much more attractive to hackers for this exact reason - their access to more lucrative data. It has been reported that 70% of all data breaches are targeted at privileged accounts, which is especially alarming when taking into account the fact that 90% of IT security professionals have said that their organisations’ users have more privilege than is necessary. The issue for many companies arises in finding the balance between the users’ access to local admin rights and their productivity. More open access to the admin rights makes things easier and convenient for the users but opens the door to security risks with more endpoints to target. A study by the Ponemon Institute showed that 73% of organisations believed that threats to their endpoints had significantly increased, and that a staggering 80% of organisations that had been compromised by cyber-attacks did not know what type of attack they had been subjected to. The need for a more effective and efficient security measure is clear. Endpoint privilege management (EPM) oversees and governs the privilege of network devices. It completely removes the need for users to have administrator accounts on the devices they use, whilst still enabling them to have elevated access to certain applications. EPM only elevates approved applications and provides the users with a clear audit list of those which have been approved. Privilege to protect Whilst not a universal fix, the implementation of EPM, for example, can help alleviate the risks and reinforce a culture of security within organisations. It is understandable to be cautious when faced with words and phrases such as “approved applications” or “removing administrator rights”, but EPM is not about limiting your users’ experience or productivity. EPM does not forbid or remove access to applications. The IT team can grant approved users’ permission to run specific applications with elevated permissions for a limited period, to carry out specific actions. Users can then access what they need to, while IT retains visibility over all actions in case activity needs to be stopped, or incidents need to be investigated at a later date. If permissions need to be granted on an individual basis, for each user and application, IT will be buried under an avalanche of requests – so EPM tools will allow rules and policies to be created and then applied at scale. Users can do the work they need with few calls to the Help Desk. IT gets fewer interruptions and can focus on more valuable work. Auditors can see who had access to which applications and logs show the actual users, not an arbitrary administrator account. Endpoint privilege management is vital to any organisation's cybersecurity strategy, not only to manage and control access to sensitive data and resources but minimise the chance of a data breach. EPM also plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations to avoid the legal liabilities that may ensue should a breach occur.

Read More
Software Security

GRC Security 2024: Notable Cybersecurity Events on the Horizon

Article | March 6, 2024

Securing data, assets, and transactions is ever critical especially now with increased innovation, customer demand, and the need to navigate a complex regulatory landscape — not to mention staying ahead of evolving cyber threats. As a result, organizations of all sizes and in every country around the world require implementing cryptography solutions to help secure everyday business. This includes managing and securing transactions, managing encryption keys, authenticating identities, providing message integrity, and encrypting data and applications. From the largest global banks and payment processors that process thousands of transactions a second to the micro merchants that are newly accepting payments, cryptography works behind the scenes to ensure payments are secure and sensitive information is protected. Whenever and wherever cryptography is at work, organizations turn to either hardware or cloud options (or a combination of both) to ensure data and transactions are secure and compliant. Common cryptographic themes across industries and across countries: 1. Cloud adoption is happening across the board with payment processing taking the lead 2. Smaller FinTechs are innovating big time 3. Companies are continually seeking help to meet regulations, especially when it comes to data localization Since writing Cryptographic Management Trends Around the Globe, I talked again with Futurex team members from our offices around the world, including Ruchin Kumar, vice president, South Asia; Mark Howland, senior business development, EMEA; and Santos Campa, vice president, LAC, for more cryptographic insights and perspectives, including drilling down on cryptographic use cases to see what’s similar and what’s unique across regions. Let’s take a look at each region: South Asia, EMEA, and LAC. South Asia: Payment Ecosystem Thriving in South Asia Ruchin Kumar emphasized that the payment ecosystem in South Asia, particularly India, is thriving — indicating that financial services are the largest consumers of hardware security modules (HSMs) and cryptography in the entire region. HSMs play an important role in South Asia, securing the root of trust, keeping the private keys secure, managing Public Key Infrastructures (PKIs), and managing digital signing for non-repudiation and message integrity. In fact, he said, India represents almost 95% of HSM use cases in all of South Asia. Payment systems and securing payments go hand-in-hand with the standards and regulations required for payments/financial services. These include regulations set by Unique Identification of India (UIDAI), National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Payments Council of India (PCI), Information Technology Act of India, 2000 and its amendments 2008/2011/2016. Kumar sees organizations use general purpose HSMs for digital signing for non-repudiation and message integrity and payment HSMs used for acquiring, switching, card issuance, green PIN, and other payment application security needs (these types of HSMs are required by regulations). What’s on the horizon? From Kumar’s perspective, organizations are doing a lot of testing and evaluation for cryptography inclusion in their infrastructure and many organizations are looking into tokenization for security and agility, especially with Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and AI emerging. Additionally, remote key loading is becoming more sought after because every device in the field these days — ATMs, point-of-sale devices, handheld devices — requires key exchange with centralized servers. Companies in South Asia See Cryptography-as-a-Service and Local Data Centers Critical for Data Residency and Localization Over the past two years, most organizations in South Asia have adopted the cloud on a large scale, including using the cloud as a resource to host their critical applications. Security has played a big role in this cloud migration, with organizations wanting to retain ownership and control of their encryption keys. As a result, many organizations have turned to Futurex’s VirtuCrypt cloud HSM and key management service for both security and meeting regulatory compliance. Futurex’s data centers in India West and India Central help to power cryptographic automation, speed, latency, and data residency and data localization. “Local data centers provide customers a lot of assurance in terms of data residency, data localization, and key localization, which earlier was a barrier to move to the cloud. Now that Futurex’s cryptography services are hosted within Indian geography, we have seen a big difference in organizations migrating to HSM-as-a-service,” says Kumar. India is well-known as a FinTech hub for start-ups and innovation, with many unicorns emerging, according to Kumar. Progressive companies look to service-based, OpEx models for their applications as well as for cryptography. OpEx models offer flexibility, money savings, and serve as a resource for those needing help with cryptographic management. EMEA: Cloud and Payments Dominate HSM Use in Europe, Middle East, and Africa Cloud adoption is also rapidly increasing in EMEA, with many organizations looking to HSM virtualization technology, especially for payment applications. According to Mark Howland, “Customers are asking, ‘can we cut down our use of hardware, our reliance on hardware, and have the payment applications that we are heavily invested in, spun up and spun down seasonally?” Howland notes that smaller companies and VC-backed companies are more nimble and lean toward innovation by implementing such things as cryptography-as-a-service to meet PCI regulations. The early adopters are those organizations in the finance and payment industry, as consumer demand and pandemic adjustments have led to innovative payment processing including mobile payments and SoftPOS. Like South Asia, smaller companies including those in financial software and services, see the value of OpEx-based HSM cloud services, such as Futurex’s VirtuCrypt. Organizations across EMEA are deploying HSMs for POS key management, PIN management, and virtualization. What’s ahead? Howland sees that many organizations are, again, moving to a service-based model, looking at application encryption, encrypting data at rest, and the overall protection of data in all industry sectors, not just traditional high-security finance customers. LAC: Trends in Cryptography Use in Latin America and the Caribbean What’s trending in LAC? According to Santos Campa, he is seeing a mixture of both on-premises cryptographic architecture and cloud payment demands. Several banks already have a huge investment in their hardware infrastructure — their own data centers, racks, servers, etc. However, at least 35% of customers are converting from these on-premises architectures to cloud HSMs. Many are opening new branches or are creating new FinTechs inside their organizations. “We’re seeing the majority of organizations moving to the cloud, or at least moving part of their operations to the cloud,” says Campa. “It's very important for many organizations to keep control and management of the key lifecycle.” Again, much like other parts of the world, the financial sector is the big mover and shaker in terms of cryptographic implementations, using cryptography for PIN validation, key management, and tokenization. According to Campa, the cloud continues to be very important and beneficial, especially the ability to integrate cloud payment HSMs with the public cloud including AWS, Azure, and Google. As organizations are adding new models, such as transaction processing models, a must-have is a secure, compliant cryptographic solution — compliant with PCI and local and regional regulations throughout Latin America — that will allow them to scale. A nice-to-have is an OpEx option to give flexibility and cost savings. Pandemic trends have paved the way to make cryptographic management more streamlined — such as visualization and remote key management — and not needing to physically go to the data center. “Organizations are looking to a cryptographic platform that is future-proofed, one that is going to provide the best quality of service and support in the market,” says Campa. All around the globe, organizations are looking to innovate payments and embrace the cloud, keeping security, agility, and cryptography top of mind.

Read More
Data Security

Quantum Literacy Critical in a Post-quantum World

Article | May 5, 2022

When quantum computing gains widespread adoption in the future, general knowledge about quantum computing — and skills for using quantum-enabled applications — must also become widespread. We can all recognize the importance of modern (classical) computer literacy today — in the workforce and in our recreational lives. So too, will we one day recognize the importance of quantum computing literacy? In a post-quantum world, basic knowledge and competency with quantum computing will become critical, even if they do not reach the same level of importance as classical computing. In addition, specialized skills will also be needed. Today, an accountant, for example, needs to be well versed in specific specialized software and have general computer skills, but they do not need to understand how the CPU on their laptop works. Similarly, the future accountant may require specialized training in quantum-enabled technologies and general skills with quantum platforms. Still, they won’t need to understand exactly how the underlying quantum processors put qubits into superposition. Let’s take a selective look at the history of classical computing to see where we came from and where we are today. What are some differences between early and modern computers? Many people over many years contributed to the creation of computing as we know it today. The early development of classical computing involved a small number of experts. Early computers were enormously expensive and had minimal functionality (they could perform simple calculations, but they weren’t solving complex systems of partial differential equations). In the 1960s, computers were difficult to use, requiring exceptional skills and knowledge to operate. Before the advent of second-generation programming languages (assembly languages), programmers were limited to writing in binary machine code (i.e., 0’s and 1’s). As a result, there were high barriers to the use and adoption of early computers, such as skill and economic obstacles. Nowadays, classical computers are ubiquitous, and essentially anyone can use one with little training. Modern computers have as many applications as there are stars in the sky. Third- and fourth-generation programming languages, user-friendly development environments, and cloud-based learning platforms allow novices to create and run programs without understanding how the programs actually “work.” Indeed, much has changed. If modern computers were still prohibitively expensive and required deep expertise to operate, they would still be a niche technology and not the world-changing powerhouses that they are today. Likewise, if large-scale quantum computing is going to see widespread use, quantum devices and applications will need to have low skill and economic barriers for their adoption. Otherwise, they will remain niche and for specialized purposes only. Who even truly understands computers, anyway? What does understanding computers mean? Does it mean that you have deep knowledge of computer hardware design? That you’re an expert in software development? That you can write assembly code? Maybe it means that you’re well-versed in the OSI and TCP/IP layers and various protocols that go with them. Perhaps it means that you broadly understand how bits can be processed to achieve computation. Or maybe it means that you’re capable of using a computer to perform any number of daily tasks. Regardless of how ridiculously complicated modern computers are, almost everybody can use a computer reasonably well for various purposes. Even if you don’t truly understand computers, you can still do your job and live your life. Nearly every modern business utilizes computers and requires a workforce with varying skills and knowledge of computers. Similarly, think of an automobile. Modern vehicles can have hundreds of millions of lines of computer code, more components from more suppliers than you can count, and are, in many ways, absolute marvels of engineering. (Have you ever looked into how differential braking works? It’s incredible!) Yet, teenagers can operate these machines. Likewise, modern computers, like modern vehicles, are deeply complicated while, at the same time, they are relatively simple to operate. And as the technology improves over time, the machines become simpler and simpler to use — for example, autonomous driving or computers designed for infants. Let’s consider the early days of computers and how many people “understood” or could competently use one. We don’t need to go as far back as Charles Baggage, Alan Turing, or the Antikythera mechanism to see that as the technology was developing, much fewer people understood it at all. Those who were developing the technology — at IBM, Microsoft, Apple, etc. — understood more of the body of knowledge at the time than someone working in the industry today has of the current body of knowledge. The modern body of knowledge is more extensive than it was even a few decades ago. How did we go from a world where relatively few people understood anything about computers and where it took notable expertise to utilize a computer to a world where computers outnumber people, and very little expertise is required to use one? Evolution. Over decades and decades, the technology, the knowledge, and the enabling peripheral industries, standards bodies, and supply chain ecosystems evolved from their nascent forms into what they are today. Consumers became increasingly aware of the utility computers could bring them (businesses certainly did). Over time, as the adoption of computers increased, the cost of purchasing and owning a computer decreased. It was a complicated process that simply took time. Why should we care about how the complexity or accessibility of computers has evolved over the years? As we step back and look at the storied history of computing, we can take lessons learned and apply them to our future. These lessons can give us foresight into the future development of quantum computing and the goals we should set for ourselves moving forward. What knowledge is required to build a quantum computer? Here are highlights: • Some understanding of quantum mechanics (which in turn requires an understanding of classical mechanics) • The theory of quantum computation and quantum algorithms, and complexity • The materials science for constructing physical qubits — and knowing the difference between a photonic, trapped-ion, superconducting, or topological qubit • The engineering for entangling and controlling qubits • The engineering to create stable environments for qubits to maintain coherence • Specialized software for using the machines • Quantum error correction codes • And so much more One of the bottlenecks often described by organizations working to build quantum computers is the lack of general expertise. While it is possible to find someone who is an expert in a handful of the above, there is a notable lack of a well-rounded understanding of what all is involved. And even if one person had a solid experience of everything required to build a quantum computer, more specialized knowledge would still be required to develop applications for the technology. At the same time, nearly every organization involved in quantum computing will be quick to tell you of the future virtues of large-scale quantum computing (and rightly so); of how its future applications will be an unprecedented boon to humanity. But, for those applications to become widespread and usable by anyone other than a handful of world-class experts, the accessibility must increase, and the barriers (intellectual and economic) to using them must simultaneously decrease. This means then that for the much-heralded applications of quantum computing to become a reality, we must get to a point where the workforce will have enough knowledge and skills to competently use the future quantum computers. If you are trying to sell a product that leverages quantum computing, you must have sufficient knowledge about quantum computing. If you’re developing a use case for a quantum computer, you’ll need a team with enough understanding to create and market your product. If today’s developers each required Ph.D.s and a decade of hands-on experience to make any meaningful software, then we’d have a lot less software available. Lowering barriers to developing excellent software is essential. What’s next? Companies producing quantum-related products and services will be well served to gradually make their wares more and more accessible to a broader number of people, geographies, and applications. What will reduce the barriers? As was the case for classical computing: technological development, standardization, competition, incentives based on market needs, and experts able to communicate the concepts, applications, and their utility clearly to non-experts, including customers, partners, and the general public. The more people and companies work on quantum-related technologies, the more that the technologies advance. As the technologies advance, more and more use cases will be discovered, more jobs will be created, and maybe even whole new industries will appear. As all of this happens, the barriers will slowly erode.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

Caspida

Caspida is a real-time cyber-security and threat detection company that automatically detects & prevents hidden threats across corporate, SaaS/cloud and mobile environments. We detect the entire cyber threat kill chain and are the first in the industry to provide coverage for unknown threats that have already penetrated the enterprise, without rules, signatures, sand-boxing or human analysis. We find lurking APTs, new malware and unpredictable insider threats using a novel behavioral threat detection and Big Data security analytics approach.

Related News

Software Security

Palo Alto Joins Telstra as the First Sole Cyber Security Vendor

Palo Alto | September 22, 2023

Palo Alto Networks has announced a strategic partnership with the largest telecommunications company in Australia, Telstra. This signifies Palo Alto Networks' commitment to delivering an expanded portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and services to meet the needs of Telstra's extensive business clientele. The partnership strengthens the existing 10-year relationship between Palo Alto Networks and Telstra. Palo Alto Networks, a global cybersecurity company, has announced teaming up with Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, to offer an enhanced range of cybersecurity solutions and services to Telstra's business clients both in Australia and around the world. This collaboration marks a significant milestone, as Palo Alto Networks becomes the first dedicated cybersecurity company to be recognized as a technology alliance partner for Telstra's enterprise customer segment. Telstra serves customers in over 200 countries and territories. Telstra's technology alliance partners collaborate to create and provide comprehensive services encompassing connectivity, voice, and professional services. These services are designed to assist businesses of all sizes in addressing their challenges and capitalizing on opportunities. Regional Vice President for Australia and New Zealand of Palo Alto Networks, Steve Manley, stated, This new alliance with Telstra reinforces Palo Alto Networks’ position in the Australian market as the leading cyber security vendor to leading telecommunications carrier in Australia. It also reinforces our increased commitment to offering industry-leading joint solutions with one of the country’s most trusted managed service providers. Together, Palo Alto Networks and Telstra will collaborate to offer businesses with best-of-breed cyber security solutions to help keep them safe in a rapidly changing market landscape. [Source – Web Wire] This new partnership further solidifies the long-standing 10-year relationship between Palo Alto Networks and Telstra. It also builds upon previous agreements that expanded Telstra's SecureEdge portfolio with offerings like SecureEdge Cloud for business clients and Sovereign SecureEdge for the Australian government and agencies, both powered by Palo Alto Networks' advanced cloud-based security services. David Burns, Enterprise Group Executive at Telstra, said, Cyber security has become one of the top concerns among businesses worldwide, including here in Australia, and especially in the wake of a no. of high-profile cyber breaches. We’re now seeing the industrialization of cybercrime and the scale of threat continues to evolve and grow. As a result, we all need to be constantly changing, adapting, and looking at new technologies that can assist protect us and our customers’ data. As a leading provider of network, managed, and professional services, this new alliance between Telstra and Palo Alto Networks further boosts our capabilities to help customers protect their organizations and data from evolving cyber threats. [Source – Web Wire]

Read More

Data Security

Oracle Attempts to Design New Open Network and Data Security Standard

Oracle | September 20, 2023

Oracle to participate in an industry-wide initiative to design a new open network and data security standard. Oracle and Applied Invention are assisting to developing and promoting a novel network and data-centric security standard to tackle distributed cloud deployment challenges. This standard will enable organizations to protect their data throughout its entire lifecycle without requiring modifications to their distributed cloud environments' underlying architecture. Oracle, one of the world's largest database management companies, announced that it will participate in an industry-wide initiative to design a new open network and data security standards that will assist organizations in protecting their data in distributed IT environments. Oracle will collaborate with Applied Invention, a significant technology provider, and other industry leaders, including Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI), a global leader in consulting and system solutions. This new standard will enable networks to enforce shared security policies collectively, thereby augmenting the security architecture organizations already employ without requiring modifications to existing applications and networks. Oracle plans to launch the Oracle Zero-Trust Packet Routing Platform, based on the new standard, to support this new initiative. This platform will assist organizations in preventing illegal access or use of their data without imposing additional obstacles on legitimate activities. Executive Vice President of Security and Developer Platforms at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Mahesh Thiagarajan, said, Over the last 20 years, the cybersecurity industry has produced many incremental changes, but we need a fundamentally novel approach to protect our data in the increasingly complex cloud era. Organizations require a way to describe their data security policies in one place where they can be easily understood and audited, and they need a way to make sure those policies are enforced across their entire computing infrastructure, including their clouds. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] As the adoption of cloud technology rises and IT landscapes become more intricate with distributed cloud deployments, organizations face escalating challenges in safeguarding their data using conventional methods and tools. For example, many existing systems necessitate security teams to orchestrate disparate solutions across various facets, including database, application, network, and identity security. This complexity is further compounded when applied across diverse environments. Ensuring seamless collaboration among these solutions becomes a formidable task due to the dynamic and independent changes in applications, environments, and user profiles. Additionally, current security systems demand extensive configurations to accurately distinguish between different user categories, such as full-time employees and contractors, without compromising security or restricting access. Research Vice President of Cloud and Edge Infrastructure Services at IDC, Dave McCarthy, said, The new standard Oracle develop has the potential to change all of that by adding a unified layer of security on top of existing solutions. Building data protection policies into the network itself will assist users get the access they require while ensuring the data remains secure behind the scenes. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] Oracle and Applied Invention are assisting in designing and promoting a novel security standard, focusing on network and data-centric security, which aims to tackle these challenges. This innovative standard will empower organizations to safeguard their data across its entire lifecycle, including distributed cloud environments. To accomplish this, the standard will implement an intent-based security policy that is designed to be understandable, auditable, and interpretable by humans. This intent-driven approach will be put into practice at the network layer, ensuring that every data transmission contains authenticated attributes concerning the sender, receiver, and the nature of the data in transit.

Read More

Enterprise Security, Platform Security, Software Security

SecPod releases SanerNow 6.0 to redefine Vulnerability Lifecycle Automation with Cyber Hygiene Score

Prnewswire | July 18, 2023

SecPod Technologies, a global leader in the cyberattack prevention industry, has released SanerNow 6.0, a new update to its flagship cyberattack prevention platform SanerNow. With a brand-new unified dashboard and an innovative Cyber Hygiene Score, SanerNow transforms how CISOs and security administrators combat cyberattacks and simplifies the process of vulnerability lifecycle automation. Chandrashekhar Basavanna, the CEO of SecPod, said, "We are very excited to launch a major upgrade to our SanerNow platform. Risk quantification has always been an intriguing concept industry-wide. We are taking a real shot at it with an innovative hygiene score. This will facilitate our Customers to quantify the risks their IT infrastructure is exposed to and implement vulnerability mitigation strategies. With an all-new dashboard, we are representing end-to-end vulnerability management with Visibility, Detection, Prioritization, and Mitigation coming together in a unified console." With Cyber Hygiene Score, based on SecPod's in-house security intelligence and proprietary algorithm, SanerNow quantifies an organization's cyber hygiene and provides insight into your IT infrastructure. Further, in combination with a unified dashboard, SanerNow provides a holistic view of your organization's risk exposure to take effective laser-focused actions. The new update, SanerNow 6.0, with the new dashboard and Cyber Hygiene Score, is now available for the general public. SecPod SanerNow Advanced Vulnerability Management is a comprehensive cyberattack prevention platform providing visibility and control over IT infrastructure, detection and prioritization of vulnerabilities, and vulnerability remediation in a single unified console. About SecPod SecPod is a SaaS-based cybersecurity technology company created with a singular, unwavering goal of preventing cyberattacks. Founded in 2008, the company provides a top-of-the-line advanced vulnerability management solution that strengthens organizations' cybersecurity posture worldwide.

Read More

Software Security

Palo Alto Joins Telstra as the First Sole Cyber Security Vendor

Palo Alto | September 22, 2023

Palo Alto Networks has announced a strategic partnership with the largest telecommunications company in Australia, Telstra. This signifies Palo Alto Networks' commitment to delivering an expanded portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and services to meet the needs of Telstra's extensive business clientele. The partnership strengthens the existing 10-year relationship between Palo Alto Networks and Telstra. Palo Alto Networks, a global cybersecurity company, has announced teaming up with Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, to offer an enhanced range of cybersecurity solutions and services to Telstra's business clients both in Australia and around the world. This collaboration marks a significant milestone, as Palo Alto Networks becomes the first dedicated cybersecurity company to be recognized as a technology alliance partner for Telstra's enterprise customer segment. Telstra serves customers in over 200 countries and territories. Telstra's technology alliance partners collaborate to create and provide comprehensive services encompassing connectivity, voice, and professional services. These services are designed to assist businesses of all sizes in addressing their challenges and capitalizing on opportunities. Regional Vice President for Australia and New Zealand of Palo Alto Networks, Steve Manley, stated, This new alliance with Telstra reinforces Palo Alto Networks’ position in the Australian market as the leading cyber security vendor to leading telecommunications carrier in Australia. It also reinforces our increased commitment to offering industry-leading joint solutions with one of the country’s most trusted managed service providers. Together, Palo Alto Networks and Telstra will collaborate to offer businesses with best-of-breed cyber security solutions to help keep them safe in a rapidly changing market landscape. [Source – Web Wire] This new partnership further solidifies the long-standing 10-year relationship between Palo Alto Networks and Telstra. It also builds upon previous agreements that expanded Telstra's SecureEdge portfolio with offerings like SecureEdge Cloud for business clients and Sovereign SecureEdge for the Australian government and agencies, both powered by Palo Alto Networks' advanced cloud-based security services. David Burns, Enterprise Group Executive at Telstra, said, Cyber security has become one of the top concerns among businesses worldwide, including here in Australia, and especially in the wake of a no. of high-profile cyber breaches. We’re now seeing the industrialization of cybercrime and the scale of threat continues to evolve and grow. As a result, we all need to be constantly changing, adapting, and looking at new technologies that can assist protect us and our customers’ data. As a leading provider of network, managed, and professional services, this new alliance between Telstra and Palo Alto Networks further boosts our capabilities to help customers protect their organizations and data from evolving cyber threats. [Source – Web Wire]

Read More

Data Security

Oracle Attempts to Design New Open Network and Data Security Standard

Oracle | September 20, 2023

Oracle to participate in an industry-wide initiative to design a new open network and data security standard. Oracle and Applied Invention are assisting to developing and promoting a novel network and data-centric security standard to tackle distributed cloud deployment challenges. This standard will enable organizations to protect their data throughout its entire lifecycle without requiring modifications to their distributed cloud environments' underlying architecture. Oracle, one of the world's largest database management companies, announced that it will participate in an industry-wide initiative to design a new open network and data security standards that will assist organizations in protecting their data in distributed IT environments. Oracle will collaborate with Applied Invention, a significant technology provider, and other industry leaders, including Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI), a global leader in consulting and system solutions. This new standard will enable networks to enforce shared security policies collectively, thereby augmenting the security architecture organizations already employ without requiring modifications to existing applications and networks. Oracle plans to launch the Oracle Zero-Trust Packet Routing Platform, based on the new standard, to support this new initiative. This platform will assist organizations in preventing illegal access or use of their data without imposing additional obstacles on legitimate activities. Executive Vice President of Security and Developer Platforms at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Mahesh Thiagarajan, said, Over the last 20 years, the cybersecurity industry has produced many incremental changes, but we need a fundamentally novel approach to protect our data in the increasingly complex cloud era. Organizations require a way to describe their data security policies in one place where they can be easily understood and audited, and they need a way to make sure those policies are enforced across their entire computing infrastructure, including their clouds. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] As the adoption of cloud technology rises and IT landscapes become more intricate with distributed cloud deployments, organizations face escalating challenges in safeguarding their data using conventional methods and tools. For example, many existing systems necessitate security teams to orchestrate disparate solutions across various facets, including database, application, network, and identity security. This complexity is further compounded when applied across diverse environments. Ensuring seamless collaboration among these solutions becomes a formidable task due to the dynamic and independent changes in applications, environments, and user profiles. Additionally, current security systems demand extensive configurations to accurately distinguish between different user categories, such as full-time employees and contractors, without compromising security or restricting access. Research Vice President of Cloud and Edge Infrastructure Services at IDC, Dave McCarthy, said, The new standard Oracle develop has the potential to change all of that by adding a unified layer of security on top of existing solutions. Building data protection policies into the network itself will assist users get the access they require while ensuring the data remains secure behind the scenes. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] Oracle and Applied Invention are assisting in designing and promoting a novel security standard, focusing on network and data-centric security, which aims to tackle these challenges. This innovative standard will empower organizations to safeguard their data across its entire lifecycle, including distributed cloud environments. To accomplish this, the standard will implement an intent-based security policy that is designed to be understandable, auditable, and interpretable by humans. This intent-driven approach will be put into practice at the network layer, ensuring that every data transmission contains authenticated attributes concerning the sender, receiver, and the nature of the data in transit.

Read More

Enterprise Security, Platform Security, Software Security

SecPod releases SanerNow 6.0 to redefine Vulnerability Lifecycle Automation with Cyber Hygiene Score

Prnewswire | July 18, 2023

SecPod Technologies, a global leader in the cyberattack prevention industry, has released SanerNow 6.0, a new update to its flagship cyberattack prevention platform SanerNow. With a brand-new unified dashboard and an innovative Cyber Hygiene Score, SanerNow transforms how CISOs and security administrators combat cyberattacks and simplifies the process of vulnerability lifecycle automation. Chandrashekhar Basavanna, the CEO of SecPod, said, "We are very excited to launch a major upgrade to our SanerNow platform. Risk quantification has always been an intriguing concept industry-wide. We are taking a real shot at it with an innovative hygiene score. This will facilitate our Customers to quantify the risks their IT infrastructure is exposed to and implement vulnerability mitigation strategies. With an all-new dashboard, we are representing end-to-end vulnerability management with Visibility, Detection, Prioritization, and Mitigation coming together in a unified console." With Cyber Hygiene Score, based on SecPod's in-house security intelligence and proprietary algorithm, SanerNow quantifies an organization's cyber hygiene and provides insight into your IT infrastructure. Further, in combination with a unified dashboard, SanerNow provides a holistic view of your organization's risk exposure to take effective laser-focused actions. The new update, SanerNow 6.0, with the new dashboard and Cyber Hygiene Score, is now available for the general public. SecPod SanerNow Advanced Vulnerability Management is a comprehensive cyberattack prevention platform providing visibility and control over IT infrastructure, detection and prioritization of vulnerabilities, and vulnerability remediation in a single unified console. About SecPod SecPod is a SaaS-based cybersecurity technology company created with a singular, unwavering goal of preventing cyberattacks. Founded in 2008, the company provides a top-of-the-line advanced vulnerability management solution that strengthens organizations' cybersecurity posture worldwide.

Read More

Events