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The ‘IZING’ of Security

By Mark McCourt
May 1, 2012

The fast changing technology world is impacting everything in our business and personal lives, and while security is a late bloomer, it is not immune to change.

The big three: 9/11, Katrina and Sarbanes Oxley created a new world of terror, resilience and compliance, and turned security into a big dollar business, which drove innovation and is now changing the game by “IZING” the market.

Here are my 7 IZINGS:

1. Digitizing

2. Mobilizing

3. Virtualizing

4. Facilitizing

5. Businessizing

6. Verticalizing

7. Socializing

(And, cybercrime)

Digitizing:Security products look a lot like IT products because they areIT products.

The IP infrastructure has digitized security technology. The IT model implies you will buy services and software licenses more, and capital expense hardware less.

Mobilizing: There are 2 billion smart phones in the world. That number will double in a few years. Your employees will get their information where, when and how they want it, including your ESRM reports. We must recognize that your customers, their information and the devices all want to be mobile.

Virtualizing:What is exciting about the cloud? It is the first IT architecture with security as a forethought. Security is built into the infrastructure. Why is IT security so poor? Because no one who built early IT systems had ever taken a class on security. The cloud changes everything, offers a fresh start and enables us to overcome that. That secure cloud architecture allows you to lift up your security infrastructure and use services as needed. Smart enterprises want to use information to manage their business, not necessarily own the system that provides it. Google mail and Salesforce.com are successful examples. The value is in the security application, not the infrastructure. And the cloud offers great resilience.

Facilitizing: Building automation or intelligent buildings that integrate security with lighting, energy management and elevators is laying more “izing” on the “izing.” At Goldman Sachs you now reserve conference rooms and order hospitality as well as upload your presentations from your iPad that has no data drives. When you scan your ID credential at the meeting room, lights go on, the temperature adjusts, catering delivers and your presentation is ready to go. This convenient solution enables business and provides physical and logical security, as well as an audit trail in an economical self-serve model. Integrating security into facilities solutions is on the rise.

Businessizing: The CSO is a significant player on the executive team and is aligned with peers to achieve organizational goals. CSOs know that their CEOs want a return on their investment, and that means security has to drive organizational goals. Security spending tied to business strategy is most likely to be approved. Security proposals without a clear benefit are going to struggle to find money.

Your voice is now being heard by smart manufacturers who focus on solving your business, risk and security requirements, including metrics. Security has aligned with organizational goals and so must manufacturers’ solutions.

Verticalizing: One-size security management does not fit all. Great CSOs meet at the junction of subject matter expertise and organizational goals. Understanding your internal customer’s risks, business goals and compliance regulations while demonstrating value is critical as security verticalizes.

Socializing: Social media is pushing security and privacy responsibility to the individual who will play a role in their own well-being. The “See Something, Say Something” campaign is an example. This is a self-service world, and the solutions should include ways for those we secure to help secure themselves and their colleagues, whether that is at work or on campus or during international travel. Enterprises should seek solutions that reduce manpower and engage their stakeholders in the security process.

Cybercrime: Not an “izing,” but cybercrime is rampant. In 2011, cybercrime became the #1 crime, passing the global, illegal drug trade in dollars.

The DoD has recognized cyber as the fifth level of warfare. Worth noting is that once you go on the network, you open the door to cyber crime risks. The responsibility or liability risk is uncertain. Sony got hammered. TJ Maxx faced little, if any, negative impact.

In summary, it is fair to ask, why is all of this “izing” happening now? Well, the cost of ignoring risk is enormous. Prevention is the post 9/11, Katrina, SOX goal. And you do that by “izing” security.  

KEYWORDS: Chief Security Officer (CSO) cybercrime security compliance Terrorism

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Mark McCourt was once the publisher of Security magazine.

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