Updates for most systems take place in real time today. Countering the actions of a worldwide syndicate of cybercriminals is no easy task, so programmers and security professionals have to be proactive in their approach. As demonstrated by a long and growing list of affected retailers, from Target and Home Depot to Dairy Queen and Staples, just one simple slip in your clients’ data protection can lead to significant (as in millions, if not billions) financial losses.
IT security is no longer just an annual install or occasional update. It is truly a 24/7/365 responsibility for businesses and the companies that support their protection needs. The good news is that many organizations are finally waking up to that reality and beginning to implement tighter IT security measures. That’s great news for the solution providers who are truly up to that task.
In order to address the latest threats and prepare for future schemes, information security methodologies need to focus on five basic tenants: identify, protect, detect, respond and recover. That involves the proactive management of potential issues through constant monitoring as well as the continual implementation of effective counter measures. IT security has become a proverbial chess match, with those in the business community and tech industries trying to anticipate the next moves by a quickly escalating number of cyber-criminals.
Security is a Real Differentiator
Professionals with the proper training and a comprehensive understanding of the issues are in such high demand—a market sure to remain strong for quite some time. Internet and mobile protection alone could keep an average solution provider fairly busy, but in the age of connected technologies, opportunities for IT security experts are virtually infinite.
The “Third Platform technologies,” which encompass social media, Big Data, cloud and mobility, are highly dependent on secure connections. The rapidly evolving Internet of Things, driven by machine-to-machine communications, also relies heavily on well-protected systems and information. Companies that attempt to employ these cutting-edge technologies with suboptimal IT security protections in place, they may be putting significant investments at risk.
Solution providers who hold a CompTIA Security Trustmark+ not only understand the hazards their customers face, but have the skills and processes in place to afford them the proper protection. They have demonstrated their prowess for identifying, protecting, detecting, responding and recovering from cyber-intrusions and other information threats. This business credential is a true differentiator among IT security professionals, validating their commitment to the latest industry-accepted standards. A Security Trustmark holder’s obligations extend far beyond the protection and technologies they employ. They must have formal policies and procedures in place, with documentation detailing the responsibilities of all applicable parties. In effect, the CompTIA Security Trustmark validates that a solution providers business practices can effectively support its clients’ mission critical data protection needs. That covers the services they offer today and, as long as they maintain the standards, tomorrow as well.
While service commoditization is becoming a real threat to many solution providers’ future prospects, enhancing your expertise in IT security is a sure way to avoid that pitfall. Why not join the ranks? Consider spending time with your peers in the next CompTIA IT Security Community meeting (monthly online and periodic live sessions). While you’re at it, be sure to download the free Security Trustmark Quick Start Guide to learn more about the value of the esteemed credential, as well as the process required to achieve it. While completing the Trustmark is the ultimate goal, the assessment and gap identification steps will highlight your company’s true security practice capabilities. Either way, you’ll have a clear path to the next level of protection and understand what it’s going to take to get there.
Brian Sherman is principal consultant at Tech Success Communications, an IT channel business development and marketing firm. He served previously as chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and senior director of industry alliances with Autotask. Contact Brian at Bsherman@techsuccesscommunications.com.
