What CTOs Need to Know About Website Security
As the chief technical officer, you are responsible for every facet of technology used in your company, not only for the benefit of workers and the prospect of remaining competitive, but also insomuch as security is concerned. Although you may not deal with daily tasks like assigning equipment or having to renew SSL certificate files, the buck stops with you when it comes to the big stuff, like data breaches.
For this reason, it is incumbent on you to ensure that your entire team remains informed in the ever-changing world of website security so that you can protect your company’s digital assets, not to mention confidential client information. Here are just a few things to share with IT group in regards to website security.
Why is Website Security Important?
Every year it seems that more and more high profile security breaches hit the headlines. What is truly disturbing is that these major incidents are only a drop in the bucket when it comes to the number of breaches that actually occur.
Companies small and large are at risk of being hacked, and as CTO, you rely on your team to stop cyber criminals from breaching your defenses and stealing, corrupting, or destroying your data, not to mention spying on you for extended periods of time. With proper tools and training, your IT staff can support you in this crucial endeavor, which is why hardware and software upgrades and ongoing education are so important.
What are the Different Security Threats?
Any security system has a lot of moving parts. Within the average company there are at least three components to consider: the security software/services in place, the criminals trying to breach your defenses, and your employees. All can constitute threats to your security.
Awareness is key to maintaining security, and your staff must be kept up-to-date. Encouraging IT professionals to attend seminars, webinars, conferences, and so on can ensure that they adapt to the ever-shifting landscape of digital security threats. However, you must also keep them in the loop on internal developments so they have the best opportunity to support your plans and policies.
Why are These Threats So Serious?
There are several repercussions for failure to thwart a data breach. For starters, confidential data could be compromised. Company secrets could be sold to competitors or leaked to the public. Private customer and employee data could be used for identity theft, leading to lawsuits, penalties, and loss of business. Your team must be made aware of the gravity of the situation so they understand what is at stake should they fail.
Website Security Solutions
Protecting your website and other systems begins with having the proper software solutions in place, from a web application firewall, to a website security certificate, to encryption and password protection, just for example. Education is equally important.
Your team is the interface that connects employees with the security measures and policies you put in place, which means they need to pass along vital security information. Your IT staff must be prepared to disseminate information to coworkers in order to curb negligence or ignorant behavior that could compromise security.