HOW BUSINESSES COPE WITH COVID 19 USING SECURITY TECHNOLOGY

Security leaders have been discussing the convergence of cybersecurity and physical security for years. What does this mean? Convergence is a formal collaboration between previously separated security functions.

Previously, physical security, operational security, and network security were handled separately. But criminals, activists and competitors don’t think so, and it’s getting more and more complicated. They will utilise any potential vulnerability to obtain access to your facility. Violating access controls can often give criminals access to your functions and direct control of servers and operating systems. This means IT and operations departments need to consider a comprehensive security solution.

Although security is traditionally about protecting the perimeter, a large number of violations have occurred due to internal threats. Undervalued and dissatisfied employees and contractors are already in your business and pose a real threat. As individuals, businesses and societies become more dependent on technology, the risk increases. “Converged” crime is a term often used to describe the use of network vulnerabilities to commit physical crimes. There are also examples of physical crimes aimed at facilitating large-scale cybercrime. It is a one-way street. Managing IT (Operating Technology) and OT (Operating Technology)/Physics separately is like two teams connecting from both sides and wanting to meet in the middle. The operation eventually fails and faces serious operational and safety risks. However, in practice, identifying these vulnerabilities is more difficult than usual. Criminals, activists, and terrorist organizations use vast resources to identify these security holes. They are looking for ways to disguise themselves using cybernetics.

A very simple example is hacking into a company’s computer system to disable alarms or CCTV systems so that they can be stolen later. However, many organizations still treat these security features as separate systems. This was understandable, as the technology, including physical security and connectivity, was not yet available until recently. However, as governance is an issue now, developing and implementing the organization’s security policies and procedures is a priority. As long as an organization separates physical domains from network domains, it is nearly impossible to secure all domains. At the technical level, network security and physical security go hand in hand. Organizationally, this has been needed for a long time.

Importance of Security Convergence
In a recent Forbes article, it examines how security has perceived the world after the COVID-19 pandemic. This can only be applied to a competitive challenge. We can adapt to unexpected changes. Cybersecurity is the foundation of all systems on the Internet and applies to all existing systems. The following are physical and digital components connected to the Internet.

In 2019, the number of active IoT (IoT) devices reached 26.6 billion, up from 7 billion in 2018. 127 new IoT devices connect to the internet per second, generating high-level attacks and threats that attackers use to take control. and exploitation. The standard includes sensors, cameras, and IP-compatible security devices currently in use as convergence of IP networks, as well as personal devices such as smartphones and tablets.

For this reason, physical security should consider network security as well. This is because this broad convergence can negatively impact networks if not properly designed and implemented to handle increased traffic. Physical security systems include employee or tenant credentials, facility credentials, and physical facility access control. A physical system with ongoing maintenance, intrusion testing, and facility auditing.

Choosing a Security Solution
A physical security system has employee or tenant identification information, facility access data, and actual functions to control access to the facility itself. This is why it is important to choose a physical security solution with continuous maintenance, penetration testing, and network auditing. How can physical security help mitigate network security? In terms of identity and visitor management, the right physical security solution can help any business meet compliance standards and follow appropriate protocols. Know who is in your property or your building and when, and make sure you have the right to do so. For example, create a safer space there.

Areas in property or offices that store confidential information or equipment, such as server rooms or human resources offices with employees’ personal information, can also be locked to everyone except a few designated and trusted individuals. To achieve convergence. Business leaders should look for a supplier that makes cyber security a priority in the way they create products, deploy applications, and run internal businesses.

The following is a checklist to look for: 1. Build secure network products-Although professional cloud-based solutions are designed to run on public networks, systems originally designed for local installation may lack precautions, such as strong hardware security and securely transmit data with the system server. If not handled properly, network devices may become the entry point for malicious attacks, requiring the entry port to be opened and unauthorized incoming communications allowed. The questions to ask your supplier include: Does the platform reduce my “attack surface” by eliminating the need to establish open ports of entry? Can the platform prevent malicious attacks through robot monitoring and other self-detection security technologies? Can we transition to more secure mobile credentials to avoid card duplication? For control panel certification, is a certified digital device issued for each control panel during the manufacturing process? Do you provide a higher level of operational security device communication, such as AES 256-bit encryption with Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2 or higher (same level as the bank)?

Implementation And Application Support
The best vendors provide 24/7 monitoring on the network through a multi-layer security model to provide redundancy, business continuity, and risk management. Without proper support and proactive monitoring, you may face security breaches and costly service interruptions (especially old systems). Questions to ask your provider include: Is the application deployed in multiple redundant data centers to ensure that my building is protected? Active cyber defense and written response plan? Are current applications scanned regularly to determine their vulnerability to recent cyber attacks? Does the application support two-factor authentication? Does the platform allow automatic software and firmware updates? Preparing for convergence When preparing for convergence, business security leaders need to consider the following points: if there is no good building security, or if the cyber security team and the physical security department continue to be isolated, you cannot provide good cyber security. Cyber Security Building a better relationship with yourself. The team can help you prepare for violations. There are many factors to consider when managing risk: threats, scalability, reputation risk, disaster response, data privacy, etc. They build their own products, implement their products, and manage their people and procedures internally.

Conclusion
It is important that your physical and information security methods, procedures, and protection measures are not designed in isolation. This may expose you to vulnerabilities, so it makes sense to build them into a powerful, integrated, and unified security solution. Doing so can provide you with: A single, simplified method for managing and tracking all users and permissions of digital and physical systems, allowing you to better control and access strategic assistance about the people, content, and locations where users can access information or systems Manage and create better privacy measures Provide auxiliary authentication measures that go beyond traditional authentication Extract greater value and return on investment from traditional systems and information such as timestamps, geolocation data, etc. Immediately manage all access rights and eliminate loopholes caused by time delays Better coordination of resources and employees in emergency situations