In this week's news roundup for IT pros, articles on cybersecurity threats and what all executives – including the CIO – must do.
Taking responsibility for security
A Harvard Business Review article this week emphasized that cybersecurity is every executive's core responsibility. Citing a recent survey conducted for BAE Systems, “85 percent of respondents listed reputational damage as the most prominent result of a data breach, with 74 percent citing legal liability as the second largest concern.” Yet, 40 percent of executives, “admitted that they lacked a clear understanding of the cybersecurity protocols within their organizations.” The article urges senior executives to collaborate with the chief information security officer to gain a better understanding of the cybersecurity risks facing their business – and quickly.
Rapid technology change creates security gaps
A reason for the urgency is to ensure security best practices are being followed even as technology continues to evolve at an exponential pace. David Geer underscores this point in an article for CIO magazine this week, saying, “Expect that as we make new discoveries and develop new technologies in greater numbers at a pace we can hardly keep up with, head-spinning change will increasingly become a constant in building new business. This will come with challenges to change management and security.”
This security gap is especially evident in technology markets with high competition, like Internet of Things. At the DEF CON security conference last month, “47 new vulnerabilities affecting 23 devices from 21 manufacturers were disclosed during the IoT security talks, workshops, and onsite hacking contests.” These vulnerabilities affected a range of IoT devices, including smart door locks, padlocks, thermostats, refrigerators, and even wheelchairs.
Autonomous vehicles are another area of rapid advancements and fierce competition among auto makers. Volkswagen appears to be taking a proactive approach, announcing this week that it has teamed up with cybersecurity experts to launch a new company dedicated to automotive security. The company, Cymotive, will “develop advanced cyber security solutions for next-generation connected cars and mobile services,” according to a press release. Charlie Osborne reports on the move by Volkswagen in ZDNet: “It is no longer the case that automakers can simply focus on design, speed and fuel efficiency; instead, manufacturers must bring security into the picture.”
More news for CIOs
3 ways CIOs can take the pain out of digitization [InformationWeek]
The Great Debate: Can technology transform the economy again? [Bloomberg]
Recommended books for creative leaders in fall 2016 [Forbes]
