Just ask Sony…

Andrew S. BakerBrainWave Consulting Company, LLC is a minority-owned, veteran-owned business that specializes in providing cybersecurity and other technology services to small and medium enterprises (SMB/SME).

Why should you take your organization’s information security posture seriously?

Just ask Sony.  It has been estimated that Sony will spend more than $170 million dollars due to the recent breaches they have suffered.  Personally, I think that the $170M figure is too conservative.  I expect it to get much closer to $300M than $170M.

Information Security threats and attacks are rapidly growing in sophistication. Over the years, I have made several posts about the dangers of poor security, each time hoping that the trend with shift from negligence and reactivity to diligence and proactivity.  Alas, I’m still waiting.

Here is a synopsis of the lessons that should be learned from the ongoing Sony debacle:

• The costs of proper security seem high, especially because of the constant adjustments to tools and procedures and staff training, but it’s still lower than the costs of having your business shutdown for a period of time
  
• If you’re security posture is poor enough, you won’t even know that you’re being attacked.
  
• Yes, someone who is very determined is likely to be able to break into your network, BUT, if you have both preventative and monitoring mechanisms in place, you will be able to minimize or eliminate the loss of data.  Plus, the right tools and processes will protect you from the majority of assailants, who are not as skilled or determined.
  
• Good security is like sugar to a cake, not icing.  It is exceedingly difficult to add retroactively.  It costs more when you do it that way, and is far more disruptive than when it is baked in.
  
• The longer you go without proper security mechanisms in place, the less impetus there is to deploy any, the more expansive your network becomes, and the greater the pain when you are finally attacked.  Multiply by 50 if your organization is a famous, public one.
  

The bad guys have many advantages over the good guys in the race to attack/protect networks.  The sooner you get started on protecting yours in this ever-connected world, the better.  Start protecting your revenue today.

Think not?  Just ask Sony…