Cisco Blog » Security |
- How Well-integrated Tech Can Boost Your Organization’s Security
- Privacy Becomes Mission Critical
- Introducing Cisco Responsible AI – Enhancing Technology Transparency and Customer Trust
- EXPLORE Security 2022: A Behind the Scenes Look with Cisco at the Security Startup World
| How Well-integrated Tech Can Boost Your Organization’s Security Posted: 26 Jan 2022 06:00 AM PST When Cisco created the first Security Outcomes Study earlier this year, five key practices emerged as being most critical to successful security programs. But why are these practices so impactful? And what should security leaders do to implement and maintain them? These questions (and more) have been answered in our newly published Security Outcomes Study, Volume 2. As a part of that study, we're diving even further into each of these five drivers through a five-post blog series. And here, in Part 2 of our blog series, I'll discuss the second of the top five practices: well-integrated security technology. What Did We Find?There was one main question we sought to answer around this key practice: Why would an organization want to integrate its security technologies with the rest of its IT architecture? Unsurprisingly, the main reason was to improve the efficiency of monitoring and auditing. So with the help of our research partner, Cyentia, we sought to understand more about what types of integrations were most common, how those integrations were achieved, and how those factors played in to varying security outcomes. Buy vs. BuildMore than three quarters of respondents would rather buy security technology than build it themselves, especially when it comes to cloud-based solutions. When evaluating technology, the most successful companies prioritize integration with their current tech stack ahead of base product capabilities.  Furthermore, if companies stick with a platform of products rather than point solutions, they are more than twice as likely to see successfully integrated security technologies. Yes, as we mentioned in the report, we're fully aware that this bodes well for Cisco, who offers a well-integrated platform of security products. But, don't forget, this was a double-blind study – the respondents didn't know who was asking the questions, and Cisco didn't know who was being surveyed. Interestingly, we were surprised to learn there's virtually no difference in security outcomes between those that buy products with out-of-the-box integrations and those that build integrations on their own. Just under half (~49%) of organizations using either of these approaches report strong integration levels. It would seem for most organizations in most industries that there would be a greater benefit to out-of-box purchasing of products versus building their own. But, as it turns out, this is not the case. As noted above, the real differentiator was doubling down on a cloud-and platform-based solution, probably with a preferred vendor. Improving AutomationWe also wanted to know if having integrated solutions helped with desired outcomes, such as improved automation. Companies with well-integrated security technologies were seven times more likely to achieve high levels of automation for event monitoring, incident analysis, and incident response processes (4.1% vs. 28.5%).  Of course, it's not just about automation. If you have a well-integrated security stack, you can optimize the work your security and IT teams do, leading to other preferred outcomes including increased efficiency and employee engagement. Narrowing Your FocusIf you're looking to integrate your security stack, where should you initially focus? We asked this question focusing on the five National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) functional areas (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover). While integrating any of these five functions had positive outcomes, the Identify function had the biggest boost.  So, What Do We Recommend?With security teams stretched thin and ever-evolving threats looming, having a well-integrated security tech stack is a critical step for increasing efficiency and accuracy. But where does your journey towards integration begin? Based on our survey results, I'd suggest that security teams should:
Bottom line: integrated security technology is the best security technology. And I hope our continued research and corresponding recommendations put you on the path to better security outcomes. Click here to read other posts from our blog series, and stay tuned for part 3, focused on preparing for timely incident response. And most importantly, check out the Security Outcomes Study, Volume 2 to explore all of our newest research. We'd love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with Cisco Secure on social! Cisco Secure Social Channels |
| Privacy Becomes Mission Critical Posted: 26 Jan 2022 05:00 AM PST It's been more than 3 years since the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect, and over two-thirds of the world's countries have now enacted privacy laws. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges in keeping personal data safe, and most have reaffirmed their commitment to privacy's requirements and principles. Even more importantly, customer requirements and business value have driven organizations to ensure data is well protected as privacy has become mission critical for organizations around the world. Today, Cisco released its 2022 Data Privacy Benchmark Study, our fifth annual review of key privacy issues and their impact on business. Drawing on responses from more than 4900 organizations in 27 geographies, the findings show that organizations have increasingly integrated privacy into many of their most important processes, including sales motions, management metrics and review, and certain employee responsibilities. Customers Driving the Need for PrivacyPrivacy has become table stakes for business today. Ninety percent of organizations say their customers would not buy from them if they did not adequately protect customer data. And 91% say that external privacy certifications, like ISO 27701, have become an important factor in their buying process. This also has translated into a management priority, as 94% of organizations are reporting one or more privacy metrics to their Board of Directors. Privacy laws provide important reassurances for companies doing business together. While the new privacy regulations come with added cost and effort, organizations are increasingly recognizing the value of these protections and are overwhelmingly supportive of these laws. Amazingly, 83% of respondents around the world believe the privacy laws have had a positive impact, versus only 3% who believe they've had negative impact. Privacy responsibilities are also no longer limited to lawyers and privacy professionals. Nearly one-third of security professionals now identify "data privacy" as a core area of their responsibility, second only to "Detecting and Responding to Threats." Business Value: Budgets Higher and ROI Remain StrongAccelerated by the needs of the pandemic and new legislation, privacy budgets increased 13% last year to $2.7 million from $2.4 million for the average organization. Estimated benefits from privacy also increased from $2.9 million to $3.0 million, and the increases were particularly strong with small- to medium-sized businesses. On average, organizations are getting benefits worth 1.8 times their privacy investment. Thirty-two percent of respondents are getting benefits at least 2 times their privacy investments, and only 19% are estimating they are not breaking even. Interestingly, organizations who see themselves as more privacy mature are getting higher returns than others. The most privacy-mature organizations are averaging returns of 1.97 times, compared with 1.53 for the least privacy-mature organizations. Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI)Organizations recognize they have a responsibility to use data ethically and appropriately, and most say they have processes in place to ensure any use of personal data, including automated decision making, meets customer expectations. On the other hand, over half of consumers express concerns about how their data is being used in AI today, with many saying they will trust organizations less that use automated decision-making with personal data. Hence, it's an area to which organizations need to pay close attention. RecommendationsThis research suggests organizations should continue to invest in building privacy capabilities, particularly among security and IT professionals, and those who work with personal data. Transparency is particularly important to customers, and organizations need responsible frameworks and governance over their use of personal data, especially when applied in AI. To learn more, check out the Cisco 2022 Data Privacy Benchmark Study and our Principles for Responsible AI. Also see our New Trust Standard – a framework for demonstrating and communicating trust and accountability with respect to data. All this and more can be found on the Cisco Trust Center. We'd love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with Cisco Secure on social! Cisco Secure Social Channels |
| Introducing Cisco Responsible AI – Enhancing Technology Transparency and Customer Trust Posted: 26 Jan 2022 05:00 AM PST Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly part of our everyday lives, and this transformation requires a thoughtful approach to innovation. Cisco is committed to delivering technologies and services by managing AI development in a way that augments our security, data privacy, and human rights focus – fostering a more inclusive future for all. Today, I am proud to announce Cisco's Responsible AI initiative, a governance framework that guides internal development and provides a vital communication channel with our customers, partners, industry, and organizations. The Responsible AI initiative is a part of the Cisco Trust Center, a place where we work alongside our customers and suppliers to ensure responsive data-related processes and policies. AI is inherently different than previous technologies and requires a more responsive approach to governance. For example, AI models are typically trained on data sets and automate the production of insights that can influence decisions and actions. This approach introduces potential issues, including bias, that can arise from inconsistent or incomplete training data sets. Additionally, some models derive output and insights that are based on machine-generated processes, limiting access to the underlying algorithm. These challenges are known to the industry, and there are continuous advances in AI that may address some of these concerns. Cisco employs a human-centric approach to design and development that includes the processes used to evaluate new technologies. Our approach to designing responsible AI systems is focused on advancing the experience of our customers, partners, and the organizations they serve. The Responsible AI initiative serves two vital roles in the governance of new technologies. First, it defines internal processes to ensure a continuous assessment and management loop with our designers, developers, and partners. Cisco has established development guidelines, testing and response protocols and included them in the Cisco Secure Development Lifecycle. Second, the initiative is part of the Cisco Trust Center and expands Cisco's communications channels and processes to include the governance of AI-related technologies, products, and services. The Responsible AI Initiative is driven by a clear set of principles, furthering Cisco's commitment to respecting and upholding the human rights of all people, as published in Cisco's Global Human Rights Policy. Our Responsible AI Principles include transparency, fairness, accountability, privacy, security, and reliability in a way that is consistent with Cisco's operating practices and directly applicable to the governance of AI technologies. Each principle includes concrete working practices and empowers customers to participate in a continuous cycle of feedback and development. See the Responsible AI Principles for more information. Cisco is committed to a responsible and reflective approach to the governance of AI technologies based on continuous learning, policy setting, and observation cycles. Cisco will also participate in AI-related initiatives with other industry leaders, standards committees, and global government agencies. We invite you to participate in Cisco's Responsible AI initiative. Your perspective and feedback will help us shape this technology and our products in a way that is supportive and equitable for all. See other Cisco perspectives on Responsible AI:
Learn more at trust.cisco.com. We'd love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with Cisco Secure on social! Cisco Secure Social Channels |
| EXPLORE Security 2022: A Behind the Scenes Look with Cisco at the Security Startup World Posted: 25 Jan 2022 09:00 AM PST Today, most CISOs in the enterprise space have decades of experience. They've led teams covering everything from threat intelligence to security/privacy by design initiatives, navigated tricky transitions like the one from on-prem to the cloud, and become prominent business leaders in their companies. Here's the reality though: even the most seasoned CISO needs help with what's next. No matter how much experience you have, every day, you're being asked to define best practices in areas that are still being shaped – from AI, to cloud, to digital. With only so many hours in the day, how do you ensure that you're addressing today's business needs and keeping an eye on the future? In my new role as a CISO Advisor within Cisco, I spend a lot of time helping CISOs strike that balance. Like other security leaders, I'm attending numerous security conferences (mostly virtual nowadays), reading the latest analyst reports, and keeping my ears open for new technology with relevant use cases. Recently however, I started partnering with a new team who has changed the way I've thought about the security ecosystem: the Cisco Investments team. For those of you who aren't familiar (like I was until a few months ago), Cisco Investments is Cisco's venture capital arm. They are a team dedicated to identifying and building relationships with top startups – determining opportunities to invest, acquire, or partner. They eat, sleep, and breathe the security venture capital world, and they work with startups and Cisco's own engineering teams to collaborate on new capabilities that complement Cisco's existing product offerings. So, what does this mean for you as a CISO? Don't Have Your Own Dedicated Innovation Team? Let Cisco Investments Be Your Extended TeamIt's no secret that working with startups comes with unique benefits – particularly agility and forward-thinking solutions. However, according to our CISO Survival Guide to the Startup Ecosystem while nearly all (99%) security leaders say their organizations are open to working with a security startup, most (56%) survey participants don't have a formal assessment process for looking at the latest and newest tech in the sector. That's the beauty of a team like Cisco Investments. If you don't have a formal assessment process or a dedicated innovation team, they can fill that need, identifying enterprise-grade, best of breed companies that are Cisco-vetted and trusted. Join us on February 23rdTo bring these insights to you – CISOs and security leaders – our CISO Advisor team is partnering with Cisco Investments to host EXPLORE Security 2022 on February 23rd. Not only will you have the chance to hear from Cisco's investment and acquisition team about our strategy and perspective on the security startup world, but also hear from other security venture capital experts at YL Ventures and Forgepoint Capital. Then after the main event, we're also offering select customers the chance to meet these startups first-hand in VIP Experiences. Whether you're interested in learning more about cloud data security, cloud network security, risk and compliance, or something else, we can personalize an experience, introducing you to the founders and visionaries who we partner with every day. We'd love to hear what you think. Ask a question, comment below, and stay connected with Cisco Secure on social! We'd love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with Cisco Secure on social! Cisco Secure Social Channels |
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