The use of unauthorised hardware or software is an emerging threat that security teams will need to navigate in 2022, says Neil Dover of HP Ireland
The shift to hybrid work has created problems for many Irish businesses. While working remotely has been a welcome move for most employees, it has put increased pressures on IT security teams who are battling to make networks and devices more secure while having less visibility and control.
While this new era of hybrid working has promoted greater flexibility, it has led to a dispersed IT environment that is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate.
In the hustle to maintain business continuity at the start of the pandemic, many security policies and processes were overlooked.
In a bid to keep teams connected, most businesses also moved exclusively to cloud-based applications and services – some for the very first time. While unintended, this exposed security gaps, leaving organisations vulnerable to threats.
The attack on the HSE in 2021 is a prime example of how threat agents are taking advantage of frail IT systems. It has been widely reported that the hackers responsible used well-known techniques and software to execute the attack.
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Any organisation, irrelevant of scale or size, that lacks the expertise and resources to detect, prevent or respond to attacks, will be ripe for picking.
As we embark on this new era of the workplace that blurs the lines between business and home, security teams and employees alike must remain vigilant.
Phishing attacks, similar to the one that took down the HSE, will remain an ever-present threat. With employees often using home devices for work, or corporate devices for personal use like online video streaming or socialising with friends, it is inevitable that this will continue in 2022.
Shadow IT, which is the use of unathourised hardware or software programmes, is another emerging threat that security teams will need to navigate on across 2022.
While unmanaged hardware or software programmes can and do increase workplace agility, they can also expose organisations to significant security risks.
Another factor to consider when reviewing potential security threats is how threat actors are targeting vulnerable and unknowingly willing participants.
Major sporting events like the upcoming Six Nations championship can often be used to entice users to click on malicious content, which can take the form of a competition or the promise of free tickets. Without the proper controls in place, one single click can compromise an organisation’s entire network.~
Endpoint Security
So how can IT departments overcome these security challenges? The logical first step lies in the adoption of enhanced endpoint security that equips them with greater visibility and management tools – making it more difficult for threat actors to gain access. Devices with remote recovery capabilities and self-healing firmware can help endpoints recover, no matter the compromise.
Resilient, self-healing hardware can contain and neutralise cyber-threats, making equipped devices virtually impossible to infiltrate. For example, disposable virtual machines can be transparently created whenever the user performs a potentially risky activity, like clicking on an email attachment or link. This means any malware lurking inside is rendered harmless and allows organisations to drastically reduce their attack surface.
In the coming months and years, as we continue to adapt to the hybrid world of work, more technology solutions will no doubt emerge to create more resilient workplaces.
Businesses in Ireland have an enormous opportunity to harness new tools to meet shifting employee needs while also delivering enhanced security solutions. However, organisations that get to grips with endpoint security first will gain an early lead.
• Neil Dover (pictured), Country Manager for HP Ireland since August 2019, is a graduate from DCU in Computer Applications and has over a decade of experience in various management roles across the HP business in Ireland.
