Sunday, 9 June 2019 Blog ehdf

How has IT Security evolved over time?

The emergence of a new generation of digital technologies – such as IoT, AI, Blockchain and many more – is redefining possibilities to empower individuals and systems. Even the toolkit of more familiar and established digital solutions is dramatically exceeding the performance metrics of legacy versions, in its most recent forms. Given the fact that Data is the key enabler of much of this evolution in technology, there is a need to deliver historically unprecedented impregnability and integrity of systems. The reliance of the latest digital solutions on specific records and information necessitates the evolution of IT security, for their optimal effect.

Digital technology is emerging as a fundamental enabler in our world. In terms of being a critical utility, it is no less fundamental than the provision of electricity and running water, in the contemporary context. What’s more, with the emergence of smart technologies embedded in our physical infrastructure as well as on the Cloud, it is destined to play an even more non-negotiable role in the future. When considering these outcomes, it’s essential to realize that two of the most crucial factors in this ubiquitous presence of digital technology will be ‘anytime-anywhere’ access and highly personalized services. Maintaining the integrity of all connected devices, along with on-cloud databases and applications, is creating a need to optimize engagement while minimizing vulnerabilities. The UAE’s ambitious plans to emerge as a leader in the roll out of people-centric digital technology will, for instance, depend on a commensurate evolution in UAE cyber security. In order to identify the path forward, which can help establish this level of security, we must first take a look at the legacy model.

The Legacy Security Paradigm and why it is inadequate in the New Age

The roots of IT security lie in a data security services paradigm that sought to negate exposure of human malfeasance or error – whether it was from within the organization or without. To an extent the speed, scale and scope of such attacks – as well as their methodology – was one that could be anticipated, contained and responded to, with relatively limited effort. The emergence of botnets, however, has now made it possible for a single attacker with the appropriate malware, to unleash an attack with the potential to spread globally. In terms of the sheer speed with which such a breach can infect and fundamentally compromise our systems, it is often next to impossible to share appropriate intelligence across millions of administrators and networks, in time. Clearly the appropriate response for such threats will need to be far more capable than previous iterations and UAE cyber security needs to reflect this approach as well.

A Security Enabled Architecture

Network integrity and security of the future will need to be led by a fundamental change in approach, which is enabled by measures embedded in its architecture. While each online community or organization should continue to have means at its disposal to take a customized approach to data security services, the wider model that enables these capabilities will need to be based on capacities inherent to the technology. Creating a streamlined, unified and robust basis for UAE cyber security, which can evolve in response to threats and includes effective means for disaster recovery, is an essential requirement if the region’s ambitious plans are to come to fruition. Cloud computing has the potential to make digital technology accessible to all and system agnostic, this is an unprecedented advantage and measures that can address the pitfalls of such a system could be the difference between a truly empowered world and one that is inadequately so. Access control, firewalls, verification and detection are certainly welcome capabilities, but IT security of the future may well need to be a system integrated and uniformly enforced capacity, if the true potential of digital transformation is to be embraced.

eHDF and IT Security

A highly regarded provider of Data Security Services and a leading light in UAE cyber security, eHDF strives to be at the cutting edge of providing agile and state of the art IT security, to its clients. At a time of rapidly evolving threats, eHDF believes providing our clients and partners with effective means to protect their data and applications requires diligent adherence to the highest standards. We invite your queries, so our adept and professional team can develop and implement a solution that addresses your specific needs.