Was tun Sie, wenn Ihre IT-Lösungen die Sicherheit für Innovationen gefährden?

From my experience in order to make informed decision, risk need to be compressively assessed 1 Start with a thorough assessment to identify potential vulnerability and threat 2 Evaluate the potential threats and security vulnerabilities in IT solutions by considering both internal and external threats 3 Assess how innovations or new solutions impact the IT landscape 4 Quantify the risk exposure based on likelihood, impact and severity, and explore risk mitigation and control to address the risks 5 Engage the stakeholder in the risk assessment process 6 Maintain a risk register to log the risk and document the findings 7 Monitor the threats, vulnerabilities, change in risk exposure to proactively address the risks

To assess risks, we generally use tools which can test different aspects such as SAST(Static Application Security Testing), DAST(Dynamic Application Security Testing) and SCA(Software Composition Analysis) among others.

In the IT services domain, balancing innovation with security is paramount. When a solution compromises security, it's essential to reassess and prioritize risk management. Drawing from extensive experience, one would typically conduct a thorough security audit, identify the vulnerabilities, and implement necessary safeguards. If the innovation is crucial, finding alternative ways to achieve the same goals without compromising security is key. Ultimately, the aim is to ensure that innovation does not outpace the ability to protect data and systems effectively.

In my experience, conducting a comprehensive review of both your innovation strategies and security protocols helps identify where the compromise occurs. One thing I’ve found helpful is to involve cross-functional teams in the policy update process, including security, IT, and operational staff, to ensure all perspectives are considered. A common mistake is to prioritize innovation without adequately assessing the potential security risks, which can lead to vulnerabilities. For example, before rolling out a new cloud-based solution, updating your data protection and access control policies can mitigate security risks while still harnessing the benefits of innovation.

Fundamental training on secure development standards should be incorporated and must be reviewed at development stage to lessen the risk.

When IT solutions compromise security for innovation, it is essential to find a balance between innovation goals and the need to protect data and systems from potential threats. First, robust security controls must be built into innovative IT solutions from the start. This may include implementing encryption, multi-factor authentication, continuous system monitoring, and other advanced security measures to protect sensitive data and critical systems. At the limit, one might end up giving up innovation in order not to affect safety. Addressing the challenge of balancing innovation and cybersecurity requires a proactive approach.

Conduct Risk-Based Vulnerability Assessments 🔎: When your IT solutions compromise security for innovation, it’s essential to conduct regular risk-based vulnerability assessments to identify and address potential threats. This means assessing the potential risks associated with your innovations, determining the likelihood of those risks occurring, and prioritizing remediation efforts based on the level of risk. By performing these assessments, you can ensure that you’re continuously monitoring and addressing any potential security weaknesses that may arise from innovative solutions.

What I have learnt is that, Innovation cannot be stalled due to security reasons and likewise security cannot be compromised for an innovative feature. One common way is piloting the feature for a small user group with lesser to no access to sensitive data and incrementally deploy to all users while taking inputs from risk assessment monitoring.