Phishing, hacking, skimming, ransomware – today’s threats to business are everywhere.
The risks have been heightened by the explosion in demand for fast, convenient communications and the cloud-based platforms and apps upon which all of that depends.
They help us generate thousands of terabytes of data every day; activity which, to the thieves and scammers, represents a giant opportunity to steal what is most valuable to us.
Our phone systems, email, chat and social media platforms can all offer rich pickings but contact centres in particular can be vulnerable if best-practice is not deployed.
And that means digital security – for end user enterprises as well as service providers – must be a 24/7 top priority.
“Security isn’t just the role of the cloud service provider, it is a shared responsibility between client and vendor – data is everyone’s most valuable asset and we must all do everything we can to protect it,” says Jennifer Sutcliffe, Vice President of Operations and Control at global enterprise-class contact center provider ComputerTalk, which puts security at the very centre of its strategic and operational thinking.
“The issue of security is front and centre in everything we do and that should be the case for all enterprises,” she says.
“That means really knowing and understanding your processes, your people and your tools; and being vigilant in all those areas for anything that could constitute a threat.
“The nature of today’s communication methods, and the ever-increasing sophistication of the cyber criminals’ tactics, means that level of vigilance must be constantly and permanently maintained.”
So where do the main threats come from?
“One of the most overlooked threats to any infrastructure is a disgruntled employee,” says Sutcliffe.
“Enterprises might be really good at making sure only certain people have access to systems but, if a disgruntled employee is one of those people, there’s next to nothing they can do to fully protect their data from theft.
“They may be able to figure out who took it, but it’s after the fact. So, one of the key things enterprises can do is make sure they hire the right employees and that those employees remain happy.”
High-quality security training is also super-important.
“Enterprises need to be sure their employees are not going to connect their work PCs to an unsecured network or sit in a coffee shop and do lots of sensitive work,” says Sutcliffe.
Finally, of course, technological tools such as firewalls and anti-malware are crucial – again, for both end users and providers.
“There is no way that ComputerTalk as an organization could be successful without its security controls,” says Sutcliffe.
“Our customers large and small are asking more and more questions about security, and rightly so.
“That’s partly because they are generally more security-aware and partly because, in order to be competitive in their vertical, many must have industry certifications to prove their security credentials.
“It’s also because there are always new security threats and, as a business scales and those threats evolve, it must continue to add security components to its infrastructure.”
Finally, no matter what level of security is deployed, monitoring and testing is critical.
“An enterprise can have all of the right software but it doesn’t make any difference unless it is being monitored and tested,” says Sutcliffe.
The Return on Investment is surely a no-brainer – a security breach can ruin reputations.
Sutcliffe has one final piece of advice too.
“Always keep a security consultant close by,” she says.
“Not all enterprises are sufficiently large to have an in-house security team or expert but they are vulnerable to a ransomware attack at any time.
“They may not be able to deal with that on their own, so it’s always good to be prepared and have experts on hand who can come in and assist.”
Wise words – and proof that it pays to partner with an organisation that understands the issues and knows how to mitigate their potential consequences.
Now…time to change that user password!
