Cloud Source

The New Age of Security: Adapting to the Evolution of Business

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SecurityThe steady, rapid evolution of technology means that businesses must evolve as well. But with new technology comes new security challenges, and one part of a successful evolution is knowing how to continue to protect valuable business assets. There are three main areas to examine when adjusting security measures to the changing face of technology:

  • A changing workforce
  • Decentralized IT
  • Flexible development

Changing Workforce

Before technology became global and easily accessed, a company’s workforce came to the building at set hours and accessed company information through company devices. Today, not only are there many different types of employees, but there are also different ways of working. In order to keep data secure, businesses must know who can access what, and when — and be able to quickly allow or restrict access. Using identity management and becoming more project-based will allow professionals to keep up with a more fluid and dynamic workforce.

Decentralized IT

Many IT professionals are no longer together in one department; instead they’re often part of another department altogether, a practice known as shadow IT. The professionals in these departments often focus only on their own IT needs, rather than widespread company needs, and are able to purchase cloud services without needing to go through a single lead CIO.

Security, therefore, is also spread throughout the organization, meaning that leaders should be able to identify where security is needed and the optimal time to deploy it at the beginning of a project. The best way to accomplish this is to be at the forefront of new projects and technology, able to see potential issues before they become an actual problem.

Flexible Development

Flexibility is key to a successful business, and many organizations are turning towards an Agile development process to adapt to their customers’ ever-changing needs. Entering a project at the ground floor is key to keeping it secure, especially as there’s often little or no time to test before software is deployed. And with many businesses moving towards real-time data flow and live environments, experts need to focus on the issues that can arise in those areas.

No matter what the methods and technology used, security is and will always be a concern for businesses. The ability to adapt to the changing world through the workforce, flexible development, and decentralized IT will enable a business to succeed without sacrificing its ability to protect important data.

The Mobile Workplace: Benefits, Issues, and Solutions

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Mobile WorkforceTechnology is everywhere, bringing with it a shift towards the mobile. According to Cisco’s Visual Networking Index, by 2020 more people will be using mobile than use desktops. Businesses can take advantage of this by leveraging the use of mobile devices to improve and increase productivity and flexibility.

Ways to Use Mobile

Mobile allows great flexibility in the workplace, including through the use of:

  • Bring your own device (BYOD) policies
  • Cloud-based telephony
  • Cloud networks
  • Mobile apps, both in-house and from outside sources

The Benefits of a Mobile Workplace

Any business interested in making the move to a more mobile workforce needs to know how this shift will benefit the organization. The biggest benefit is flexibility, which leads to an increase in productivity. Employees using mobile devices, especially their own, have the flexibility to connect to the network and complete their work no matter where they are, whether that’s at the office, at home, or out meeting with clients.

Mobile also benefits clients and other outside partners who can use their own devices to access the business’s network. Visitors to the office can also hotdesk rather than having to be set up to use their own station, improving their efficiency during their visit.

Possible Issues

Security is the biggest issue facing businesses looking to move to a mobile workplace. While a BYOD policy improves productivity, it also means that the business can’t ensure that all devices are set to the same security measures and standards. If a network isn’t safeguarded properly, cybercriminals can take advantage of outdated OSes to gain access.

Fortunately, there are two major strategies to maintain a mobile workplace without sacrificing security: replacing BYOD with a company-owned, personally-enabled (COPE) policy, or ensuring that employees receive proper training to keep their devices updated and secure.

Using COPE

Using COPE instead of BYOD means the business has more control over the devices employees use. While these devices are owned by the company, they are also enabled for the employee to use as a personal device, which allows for standardization and the ability for the business to remotely wipe the device. However, there is a small drawback in that the business will also need to ensure they purchase a device for each mobile employee.

Using BYOD

For companies who choose to go with BYOD, the first step is always research and planning. The three major aspects to consider are:

  • Cloud hosting: Allowing employees to access the network through a single portal
  • Customer continuity: Allowing customers to contact employees no matter where they are through the use of call routing capabilities
  • Network capacity: Ensuring that the network can handle increased traffic without dropping the connection

A mobile workplace can bring great benefits to a business that puts the research into it and ensures support for employees while maintaining security of the network. As mobile and the cloud become more ubiquitous, businesses will need to consider their mobile options in order to increase productivity and remain competitive.

BYOD: Improving Security by Educating End Users

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With the explosion in affordable mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, personal laptops, and even smartwatches, many businesses have or are in the process of implementing a bring your own device (BYOD) policy. Software company Code 42 reveals in their 2016 Datastrophe Study that 67% of IT decision makers and 87% of CIOs and CISOs believe that they have a clear and comprehensive policy.

However, end users do not share that belief: 67% of employees find their BYOD policy is unclear. This divide between IT professionals and end users can have consequences within the organization, especially when it comes to security.

The Increase in Employee Endpoint Devices

In the past, employees used a single device, usually one that is stationary and connected to their organization’s IT-maintained firewall. Now, however, many employees use multiple mobile devices: 26% have a minimum of two devices from their employer, and 5% have five or more.

This means that businesses need a clear, concise BYOD policy that all employees must adhere to in order to maintain a level of security. According to the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology, unsecure mobile devices are especially susceptible to ransomware. Backup and recovery solutions will help with this, but a clear BYOD policy will help stop problems at the endpoint — before they happen.

Working with Employees

The convenience of BYOD is one of its biggest selling points, but it also means that the devices are not under the full control of IT professionals. IT professionals need to work with employees, which means not only training them to consider security alongside flexibility, but also taking into account the habits and needs of their end users. Monitoring and tracking employee behavior will help IT understand what apps are being accessed, how safe they are, and whether or not they should be allowed within the company environment. A clear policy will also help employees understand what personal data they can mix with their business data.

Education and Communication

Uneducated employees often have bad habits that can harm a business’s security, but because they haven’t had the proper training, they don’t know that these habits can compromise their devices. Education and open communication is key to changing bad habits and improving security at all levels. At the same time, IT professionals need to be flexible so that they can adapt to ever-changing technology and the working environment.

Although it may seem like a lot of work, especially for an already established business with multiple employees, a clear BYOD policy will ensure better security and less confusion. Educating and communicating with employees will reduce the risk of ransomware at the end point and help eradicate bad habits, without sacrificing flexibility.

Small and Medium-sized Businesses: Using Hosted PBX to Increase Agility

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shutterstock_337335971smWith smaller budgets and fewer IT employees, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have often had trouble keeping pace with larger companies when it comes to communications. Fortunately, that’s beginning to change with the increase in third-party, cloud-based providers offering hosted IP telephony and unified communications services.

Consulting firm Frost & Sullivan recently revealed that as of 2014, the number of installed users for the hosted private branch exchange (PBX) market had hit 8 million. They further predicted that by 2021, this number should increase to 41.9 million. Most of these users are SMBs outsourcing their communications infrastructure in order to boost productivity, save money, and increase scalability.

Increasing Productivity

Real-time communication tools — like videoconferencing and instant messaging — allow employees to connect to each other and to the business quickly and easily. With the use of virtual web-based meetings, employees no longer have to be in the same room to meet face-to-face, and a hosted system allows staff to connect even if they’re traveling.

A hosted PBX that offers a mobile client can also allow businesses to take advantage of the rising trend of bring your own device (BYOD), meaning an employee can use their own mobile device and connect from wherever they are.

Reducing Costs

One of the most important things to consider about a hosted PBX system is the money that can be saved. In a traditional telephony system hosted on-premises, businesses are paying for equipment rental plus extra fees such as long distance. With a hosted telephony system, all calls are made via the Internet — meaning the cost is the same whether it’s in the same neighborhood or halfway across the world. An IP phone line also offers more flexibility and can be combined with other communications tools to offer businesses an efficient and unique system targeted to their specific needs.

Scalability

Scalability is a crucial aspect of a hosted PBX, especially for SMBs. A traditional system requires physical wiring and the cost of labor. With a hosted system, new phone lines are not only easily added through the Internet, but existing phone lines can be quickly and easily transferred. And if the business is looking to expand outside of its local area, a hosted system allows for the same support and connections through just one interface, no matter where an individual branch is located.

A hosted PBX system allows businesses more agility in the market, while decreasing costs and increasing productivity. This enables SMBs to keep up with larger competitors without sacrificing their relationships with employees and customers.

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