Closing Security Gaps: Building a Resilient Future

IT and cyber leaders face a threat landscape that is more complex than ever, with ransomware and AI-driven attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated.

All organizations, regardless of size, are susceptible to breaches, emphasized Jim Shook, global director, cybersecurity and compliance practice at Dell Technologies, in a recent webinar.

“The severity of attacks has grown to the point where breaches can significantly impact even the most sophisticated enterprises, taking weeks or months to recover, sometimes at a cost of tens of millions of dollars,” Shook said.

Organizations are implementing a threefold strategy to combat threats: reduce the attack surface, detect and respond effectively, and prepare for recovery, Shook added. By establishing robust password policies, conducting regular patch management, and deploying role-based access controls, organizations can limit initial access by threat actors.

Additionally, a well-defined incident response plan allows businesses to act swiftly in the event of a breach, minimizing damage and downtime.

Stephen Daborn, senior global product marketing manager at Dell Technologies, pointed out the critical need for a modern IT infrastructure to bolster cyber resilience. Many organizations struggle with legacy systems that not only complicate security but also hinder recovery efforts.

Webinar participants discussed how outdated infrastructure is holding organizations back as they work to redefine their defense strategies. They said the focus must be on auditing current environments to identify vulnerable systems and investing in technologies that facilitate automated security monitoring and rapid recovery processes.

A recent MeriTalk survey of more than 300 cybersecurity decision-makers confirmed the infrastructure priority. Updating IT infrastructure is the No. 1 step cyber decision-makers have taken to advance cybersecurity over the past three years, the survey found.

Drilling down, cybersecurity decision makers identified the most important infrastructure modernization steps they’ve taken to improve cybersecurity:

• Improving cloud security measures
• Upgrading firewalls
• Implementing/improving multicloud management

Zero trust is less about the technology itself and more about adopting a business-first security mentality, shared Liz Campbell, Europe, Middle East, and Africa cyber leader at Dell Technologies. The approach focuses on the principle of “never trust, always verify,” emphasizing the need to protect critical assets from threats outside of and within the network.

Organizations that successfully implement this approach analyze their assets, understand their critical data, and break down silos to enhance collaboration across departments – a step critical to building an AI-ready infrastructure.

AI is a double-edged sword in cybersecurity, serving both as a tool for defense and a weapon for attackers. “AI can recognize patterns faster than human analysts, allowing the cybersecurity team to focus on high-level strategic decisions,” Shook explained.

Conversely, organizations must protect their AI models, particularly with the growing focus on GenAI. Companies need to think about how they can secure their models, ensuring that if access is compromised, the loss is mitigated, Campbell advised. This includes maintaining secure backups and developing protocols to protect against data exfiltration.

Investing in cybersecurity directly influences the bottom line. Organizations that prioritize resilience not only mitigate financial losses associated with breaches but also enhance trust with customers and stakeholders.

Campbell articulated cyber resilience’s tangible benefits: Companies can reduce incident costs, avoid damage to reputation, and maintain investor confidence when leaders are transparent about their cybersecurity posture.

The MeriTalk study also confirmed substantial benefits: Cyber leaders are significantly more likely to report improved profitability, employee productivity, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage.

The insights from the webinar highlight a clear path forward: Make cybersecurity a priority at all levels of the organization, engage stakeholders in discussions about risks, invest in modern infrastructure, and adopt approaches like zero trust security while leveraging the power of AI tools effectively. And finally, foster a culture of collaboration between IT, security, and business leaders to achieve a strategy grounded in proactive measures.

To learn more about the steps leaders are taking to build a resilient future, watch the webinar on demand.