Getting security right for the connected enterprise

Companies need security across people, things, processes and information, with safeguards at the intersection of the internet and internal networks.

Data security has always been paramount for global enterprises, because the consequences of a breach are just too devastating to take a ‘wait and see’ approach. The Ponemon Institute’s 2016 study on The Average Consolidated Total Cost of a Data Breach put the number at US$4 million, or US$158 per lost or stolen record. That’s not including the lingering damage to a company’s reputation and customer confidence.

But as critical as security has always been, we at Equinix don’t think there’s ever been a time when it will be more important for companies to have sound digital security strategies in place than in 2017.

The enterprise today operates in an environment where digital assets are becoming more internetworked and distributed. The continued proliferation of the cloud and interrelated technologies, like the Internet of Things (IoT), guarantees that trend will continue. As businesses become more digital, global and interconnected than ever before in 2017, their security challenges will be greater than ever before.

Companies will need to solve for security across people, things, processes and information. They’ll need effective safeguards at the intersection of the internet and their internal networks. They’ll need to own the security of their applications and data within a hybrid or multi-cloud environment and maintain company and government compliance regulations. If they can’t figure it out, they won’t be successful, and may not even survive. According to the National Security Alliance in the US, as many as 60% of hacked small and medium-sized businesses go out of business after six months.

Solving the security challenge is a daunting prospect, but the enterprise isn’t without resources. Here are some projections about what’s ahead, and how companies will handle it all.

• Security will become distributed as new approaches to safeguarding data and transactions emerge, such as blockchain for digital ledger transactions. Blockchain records and verifies all transactions across a public network of distributed participants in a chain that is open and visible to all. This makes transactions faster and less costly, while lowering the risk of fraud.
• Increased interconnection will enable customers to move from individual point security solutions to more flexible solutions, such as Security-as-a-Service, a cloud-based service that can be provided anywhere within an enterprise’s network. Cloud-based security offers speed of implementation, ease of maintenance, and economies of scale that increase the scope and effectiveness of security programs at lower cost. Cloud-based security services are also offered for specialised attacks such as distributed denial of service.
• As hybrid cloud adoption accelerates, the enterprise will realise that cloud providers only take responsibility for securing the cloud infrastructure, and they must own the security of their applications and data within the multi-cloud environment.

At Equinix, our global data center and interconnection platform, Platform Equinix, enables enterprises to ensure their security is meeting the evolving requirements of digital businesses by enabling private, direct and secure interconnection that bypasses the public internet. Every one of our interconnection solutions and services can be deployed as a component of an Interconnection Oriented Architecture (IOA) strategy on Platform Equinix, which our customers are using to bring themselves as close as possible to their people, data, cloud and locations, improving security for themselves and their end users.

Learn more about securing your data and leveraging an IOA strategy to develop secure IT infrastructures at Equinix.com.au/ioa