Security technology professionals are enjoying a boom time as continuing economic hardship makes business data vulnerable to sabotage. A survey has found that 70 per cent of UK financial services firms spent more on security in the past year, and the threat from within was their gravest concern by Helen Beckett [Published 09/06/2010]
Deloitte's 2010 Financial Services Global Security Study reported that data loss prevention strategies and security policy management were focal points for activity. Greater investment is being driven by increasing numbers of security threats alongside more regulation, according to the firm of consultants.
Access management a favourite
Security specialist, Richard Walter, chief technology officer of Overtis Systems, confirmed that the prevailing climate of vulnerability around data has created a new focus. “The network and perimeter are locked down; it’s all about identity and access management now. This piece needs people who understand the technology and business process – and are able to talk to the managers of people – the HR department. It needs a hybrid individual”.
The current and vigorous interest in security matters has created demand for three types of IT professional, reckons Steve Smith, managing director at Pentura, an IT security consultancy. “The first is the accredited professional with ISO 27001 who understands best practice and can communicate this to the employer or client”, he says.
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Enter the pen tester
Second is the seriously techie type who walks the fine line between hacking and penetration testing. “This kind of individual is extremely focussed and derives personal gratification from testing systems to discover their vulnerabilities,” according to Smith. Systems to come under the scrutiny of the penetration tester could be websites, telephones, internet or any other kind of digital system.
There are a variety of badges of accreditation that pen testers can go for. Until now, the CHECK qualification has the badge of choice and accredited individuals were in demand. This is being superseded by the Tiger scheme, run by non-governmental committee , while the Council of Registered Ethical Security Testers (CREST) offers a number of options.
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New hybrid needed
Third, in Smith’s view, is a hybrid kind of role of security person. “This individual has a thorough understanding of data products and can help business consultants to build security policies around their usage.” Basically, they bridge the gap between business and technology in the security world.
And, as long as laptops are left lying around and discs go missing in the post, security specialists of all flavours will stay in demand. While the information commissioner is handing out more penalties for breaches of data privacy, so board members will be willing to spend and hire in order to batten down security.
Other findings from the Deloitte report include:
• 75% of UK financial services train employees to identify and report suspicious activities, are higher than the global average of 64%.
• 44% of firms globally and 35% in the UK see identity and access management tools as a priority, although this is significantly behind the US industry's 67%.
• 80% of UK respondents were most likely to fully implement encryption for mobile devices, with compared with a 42% global average.
• 75% of respondents either have, or plan to have, a security strategy within the next 12 months.
• Only 20% of respondents are very confident in their ability to thwart internal breaches compared with 50% when asked about their ability to thwart external breaches.
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