In our last post, we discussed a ransomware attack that forced a natural gas compression plant to shut down operations. The attacker compromised Windows 10 systems on the company’s IT network, then was able to access the operational technology (OT) network due to a lack of network segmentation. Luckily, the plant never lost control of its operations, but the incident highlights the need for stronger OT security controls.
Business IT
In a previous post, we discussed the importance of enterprise-class conferencing and collaboration tools in any work-from-home strategy. As states shut down nonessential businesses and employees seek to maintain social distancing, collaboration tools help keep your company running by enabling staff to work remotely. The GDS nCONTACT Unified Communications-as-a-Service solution gives employees the tools they need to maintain productivity while they do remote work.
When thinking about the best way to articulate defense tactics against the cyber bad guys, I was struggling with an analogy that would really resonate. The thought came to me as I was brushing my teeth the other day, hygiene! Having a strong security posture is basically like having a good hygiene routine.
In a recent report, Gartner introduced a new term called “secure access service edge” (SASE). The research firm believes that networking and security functions will merge to address the challenges created by growing numbers of users accessing the network from outside the secure perimeter. GDS agrees — in fact, we have already incorporated SASE principles into our managed, secure SD-WAN solution.
A disaster is, by definition, an unexpected event. Even with some advance notice of an impending calamity, organizations can suffer serious losses. That’s why it’s critically important to have an up-to-date and tested business continuity plan. Personnel need to know what to do in the face of disaster to maintain critical operations and minimize disruption.
