Information Security: When All the Planning in the World Isn’t Enough

ByDaniel Gottilla

Information Security: When All the Planning in the World Isn’t Enough

No matter how proactive you are about your information security needs or how many walls of protection you have up against attackers, there will always be a level of threat. That’s because one of the biggest reasons hackers and malware are able to exploit so many businesses is that they make it a point to find new, innovative ways into even the most secure systems. Whether they’re doing it for the challenge or to exploit businesses known for their great security, the outcome is that all companies are in danger of being infiltrated by methods even the best IT professionals have never even considered.

Consider the following scenario:

A company does everything in its power to maintain a cutting-edge vulnerability management plan. Their IT department runs regular scans, patches the necessary holes, and does and annual overhaul of the entire system. They comply with all regulations for information security and have a great national reputation. However, a previously unknown weakness is exploited by a hacker, and all of their client information is now in the hands of identity thieves.

The problem with this scenario is not a lack of planning – the company did everything within its legal responsibilities to keep their system secure. However, what they didn’t do was prepare for zero-day exploits, which are those pesky new ways in that hackers and malware discover while you’re busy running your business.

That’s why the best vulnerability management plans are those that take zero-day exploits into account. By increasing the level of system monitoring and putting an emergency plan in place, you can minimize the damages that may occur when this sort of attack occurs. Businesses can also create a security infrastructure that makes it difficult for attackers to navigate the system or find the information they’re looking for once they are inside.

Because this kind of security planning can be more complicated and in-depth than what your IT staff is accustomed to (or able to fit into the workday), IT consultants are a great option. Not only can you put your security in the hands of someone whose sole job it is to protect your company, but you’re hiring a group of professionals who make it their priority to know what’s coming next on the hacking horizon.