Corporate information security comes under attack

More than ever, information is regarded by business and corporations as a highly valuable, tangible asset. Unfortunately, this value is also recognized by sophisticated groups able to mount attacks at any time and from anywhere, making organizations even more reliant on their information security team for effective defense.

Until recently, the threats to corporate information security came from individual attackers acting alone and largely for the peer prestige they earned but this threat has now evolved into the domain of more effective, well organized criminal groups who even fund their own research, with the aim of financial gain.

This was the stark message delivered to members of the British Business Group (Dubai & Northern Emirates) IT Focus Group, at a recent meeting which attracted senior IT practitioners from across the BBG membership.

“The advantage clearly lies with the attackers who only have to find a single vulnerable spot, as security defenders try to identify and then plug every possible hole,” said Dimitrios Petropoulos, Managing Director of Dubai-based Encode Middle East, who presented and discussed the issues with the group of IT professionals from the BBG.

The meeting discussed the potential for conflict between the needs of business and the need for security, and exchanged ideas on how information security should be managed, and by whom.