Importance of mobile device security – In the today’s world, it is very unusual to find anyone who doesn’t own some kind of mobile device. Mobile phones or tablets are manufactured by numerous number of companies and there are many different service providers that equip the majority of world’s population with mobile devices.

It is estimated that the number of mobile phone users by 2019 will surpass five billion people around the globe. In addition to the social and economical effects of this massive increase, there is a definite increase in the number of cyber crimes. Cyber criminals have taken advantage of this massive growth and developed methods to take advantage of the increased number of possible targets.

There are many opportunities for cyber-criminals to access their targets: through apps, operating systems and software, and by identifying and taking advantages of defects in security before the programmers do and a patch a released.

Threats to Mobile Device Security

An outdated view of hacking, malware or viruses would limit this activity to desktop computers or laptops. The reality is that mobiles are just as at risk. In fact, reported incidents are in the range of 16 million attacks. A mobile device can be at risk from several different methods, some of which include:

Malicious, or Insecure Apps

Malicious or insecure apps contain cyber security flaws in data storage, communication, or authentication practices, meaning they contain at least one common security vulnerability that can be exploited.

Data Sniffing

Data sniffing by capturing, monitoring and scanning traffic moving across a network. Active sniffingwill monitor traffic and it can also alter it in some way to the like of the attacking party.

Fake WiFi Networks

Fake WiFi networks poses as a legitimate wireless service provider to intercept information that users transmit.

Vulnerabilities

Vulnerabilities within operating systems can be used to gain control of mobile devices, and depending on the operating system and its software, some mobile devices can be easily patched. However, others may be more difficult to patch, which could leave them vulnerable.

Inactive Apps

Inactive apps that are installed on mobile devices but unused and have unsecured access to personal and corporate information pose a significant danger to devices if they are not uninstalled properly.

In addition to the above threats, mobile devices are also susceptible to physical attacks due to their portability.

But all is not lost. Here are some practical steps that will help you minimize the exposure of your mobile device to digital and physical threats.

Mobile Device Security Tips

Use strong passwords and/or Bio-metrics

Passwords are always important, but even more so when you consider that the device could be stolen and in the possession of someone who has unlimited access and time to try various values.

Screen Lock

The display should be configured to time out after a short period of inactivity and the screen locked with a password.

Remote Wipe/Sanitation

Many programs, such as Find my iPhone or Google Play Protect, even Microsoft Exchange Server (if an exchange email is configured on mobile device) allow you to send a command to the mobile device that will remotely clear the data on that device.

Physical Security

Mobile devices, such as tablets, mobile phones, and smartphones, must be properly stored and secured in a cabinet or safe when not in use.

Utilize VPN

Enforce the use of virtual private network (VPN) connections with a strong protocol like IPSec between the mobile device and enterprise servers, especially if connecting to an insecure open wireless network.

Encrypt your device

Data should be encrypted on the device so that if it does fall into the wrong hands, it cannot be accessed in a usable form without the correct passwords.

Disable Unused Features

Every feature has the potential to be another point of vulnerability in a mobile system, so it’s good practice to disable any features that don’t serve a purpose in your organization.

Install an Antivirus Application

A mobile antivirus solution will protect devices against malicious code (such as xCodeGhost and iBackDoor) embedded in apps. Here is a quick list of the most popular mobile antivirus application:

• Kaspersky lab (AppStore, Google Play).
• McAfee (AppStore, Google Play).
• ESET (Google Play).
• AVAST (AppStore, Google Play).

Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth When Not Needed

Disable Wi-Fi and the discovery setting on Bluetooth connections to prevent bluejacking and bluesnarfing attacks and avoid connecting to an insecure open wireless network.

Software Updates

Keep the mobile operating system and its apps up to date. Everything from the mobile operating system to the games and miscellaneous apps are potential gateways for hackers to compromise the mobile device. Updating mobile devices and apps on a regular basis ensures the best protection against most mobile security threats.

Other mobile device security tips

Perform Regular Mobile Device Security Audits

At least once a year, conducting mobile security audit helps companies keep their compliance programs up to date, effective and aimed in the right direction.

Perform User Education

Implement a continuous information security awareness and training program that teaches employees about mobile device threats and enterprise mobile device management and security policies.

The Bottom Line in mobile device security

Mobile device security should be a primary concern. It isn’t simple to accomplish, and new attacks occur every day through new vulnerabilities. You need to always be aware of and notice anything unusual that happens on your device.

We hope that the tips mentioned in these article will help to enhance your mobile device security. If you like this article please subscribe to our newsletter and share with your friends.

Also check out how can you raise awareness among employees enhanced mobile devices usage and various other information security domain here.

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To have a comprehensive and implemented IT service management ITSM strategy comes from the efficient workings of an IT service desk  that is developed by the support team to provide intelligent, multi-layered proficiency. The ITSM strategy provides the support team with a tool that not only supports the organization, but also empowers it. The question here is how does an organization evolve from having a proficient service desk to having a culture of support that promotes originality, invention and the creation of value?

1- Adopt Proven ITSM Standards

It might be assumed that established in-house processes are good enough for purpose, however, although it is necessary to continuously review and update systems, it is recommended that a reputable, proven guideline is used to update procedures. To do this, the adoption of a standard, for example, the information technology infrastructure library (ITIL^®), is advised. These standards offer a base or a guideline for the company to build upon. So, to begin, chose a reputable, verified base and work from there.

2- Generate a Service Catalog as part of ITSM strategy

A service catalog is one of the core elements of a successful ITSM strategy and provides a guideline to the IT services so that they can design the technology and procedures needed to carry them out. This also allows the IT services to become aligned with the company’s business strategies that they support. It also enables the IT services to demonstrate its effectiveness and importance within the company and the value it contributes company-wide.

3- Create CMDB

One of the core components of an ITSM strategy is a Configuration Management Database (CMDB). Some guidelines for building this are as follows:

• Distinguish the main stakeholders and provide them with the relevant information for the process. Ensure that stakeholders ‘buy-in’ is guaranteed as complete backing is needed in case the establishment of governance is necessary.
• Creating a CMDB is not a single step immediate process. Instead it can only be done in phases. The first is to record Configuration Items (CIs) that are able to illustrate the value of CMDB. This give the stakeholders something tangible to scrutinize and provide them information, so they can decide to buy-in. The proper level of governance is vital.
• Criteria for identifying assets needs to be established and precise information needs to be kept in the database. Information needs to be continuously updated and needs to consist of accurate data. A clear compression of combining, integrating and transferring data in the database is also necessary.

4- ITSM Strategy: Be Methodical

In fact, a better IT service management strategy is to roll things out step by step by giving your organization time to adjust to new processes and standards at each stage. You don’t have to implement a comprehensive strategy all at once.

5- Implement Continual Improvement (CSI)

Matrices should be developed to measure both the successes and the failures of each process. The realizations and malfunctions of each stage needs to be logged in a template or spreadsheet. Once the boundaries are decided all of the information can be input into the template and used to monitor progress, identify errors or issues, and improve the system.

6- ITSM Strategy: Assemble a Winning Team

The success of a company depends on the quality and efforts of its workforce who have both direct and indirect input to the successful provision of a product or service.  Quality staff in the right roles is vital to the success of any organization.
The company needs to ensure that it has the best people for the job and that they are engaged, committed and comfortable with the company’s business culture. They need to have well-defined roles and responsibilities and they need to know what they should be doing. This is relevant for all levels of staff and participants from the support team right up to management level and any other shareholders.

Final Thoughts

IT success is not an accident. It is a continuous, purposeful delivery of IT services. This is not an instant success, but rather a process of continuous monitoring and improvement. A carefully planned and implemented framework, for example, ITIL as an ITSM can prepare a business for current and prospective development and profit increases.

Ciatec, is an ITSM consulting firm with expertise that can definitely add to your ITSM strategy, contact us today for a free consultation.

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The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) replaces the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC and was designed to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, to protect and empower all EU citizens’ data privacy and to reshape the way organizations across the region approach data privacy.

What is GDPR?

At its core, GDPR is a new set of rules designed to give EU citizens more control over their personal data. It aims to simplify the regulatory environment for business so both citizens and businesses in the European Union can fully benefit from the digital economy.

The GDPR applies if:

1. Your company processes personal data and is based in the EU, regardless of where the actual data processing takes place; or
2. Your company is established outside the EU but offers goods or services to, or monitors the behavior of, individuals within the EU.

What is personal data under the GDPR?

Personal data is defined as any information related to a natural person or data subject that can be used to identify the person directly or indirectly.

Some key points to note in respect of GDPR:

Organizations must maintain a Personal Data Breach Register and, based on severity, the regulator and data subject should be informed within 72 hours of identifying the breach.

Fines for breaches of certain important provisions can amount to up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is the greater. 

Individuals’ rights under the GDPR

All individuals in the EU will have the following rights with regards to their personal data:

Do we need to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO)?

Under the GDPR, an organization must appoint a DPO if:

• It is a public authority (except for courts acting in their judicial capacity).
• Its core activities require large scale, regular and systematic monitoring of individuals (for example, online behavior tracking).
  
• Its core activities consist of large scale processing of special categories of data or data relating to criminal convictions and offenses.

Ready to comply?

Obviously, tech giants such as social media networks, google, amazon are the most affected parties. However any other company operating in Europe or providing services to EU citizens must comply. And with fines reaching €20 million, the cost of not complying with GDPR is far greater than any investment to be made in order to comply with it.

Contact CIATEC today, to have all your information security processes are in complaint with GDPR.

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While “Go-to-Market” concept is still a thing in our countries, digital marketing techniques through digital technologies continues to develop and improve. Digital marketers and advertisers got powerful tools in their hands that keep getting better everyday. Tools and platforms such as social media, search engines and big data provide endless opportunities to reach more customers and increase revenues.

There are many digital marketing tools available, and they are all relatively easy-to-use but the trick is to select or mix-and-match the one’s that best suits your business goals.

Here is an info-graph highlighting the most common digital marketing channels:

Industry News

Have you started a blog for your business? If not, you should probably start right now, blog posts with content of most recent industry updates will demonstrate how on-trend your business is, increase your organic search presence and definitely drives more customers. Content creation is the key, blog posts needs to contain relevant information, a certain level of copy writing and experienced content. If done right, the business could become an industry source of information and opinions. As for the tools, WordPress is the most powerful blogging tool out there, among others.

Social Media Marketing

This is a widely known method, and it is based on sharing of information and direct communication with consumers, followers, partners and the competition on social media sites with the aim of marketing products and services. Social media is already considered to be a powerful marketing platform and most companies would have a presence already established there.

In general, social media is now an essential part of any marketing campaign and one that won’t be going away anytime soon, it is here to stay. In effect, it is currently one of the most effective, focused methods of targeting a specific demography. A social media marketing campaign can be quite simple, yet, so effective.

Here is an info-graph highlighting some of the social media marketing benefits.

Comment and Opinion Pieces

These provide great opportunities for ‘link bait’ and can attract a large amount of attention for a digital marketing campaign. Opinion pieces can be used to offer individual comments on recent news releases or trends. An eye-catching, provoking headline that includes important catch phrases is a strong method of creating better link bait. You can use sites such as “Quora” to answer users question and direct users to your business.

Content Marketing

Digital marketing through content marketing makes use of strong subject matter to entice customers to your online site. The content can be any subject and method of delivery, from blogs, forums, instructional guides, Q&A sessions, news articles, pictures, banners, podcasts, webinars, gifs and links to social media sites.

 Here is an info-graph highlighting some of the content marketing benefits.

Email Marketing

Email campaigns are usually carried out once a list of target consumers has been compiled. The list is then contacted with a cleverly designed email advertisement, relevant to the target audience. This can take the format of newsletters, product release date launches, online only announcements and are all instantaneous and relatively inexpensive. To strengthen this method, it can be used in collaboration with other strategies, include linking social media, websites and customer service contacts to the email campaign.

Here is an info-graph highlighting some of Email Campaigns benefits.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Digital Marketing through search engine optimization is one of the most popular methods used to boost your online presence by increasing your pages ranking on search engines such as Google. This involves building  SEO friendly website with proper keywords and back links. Google trends serves as a good tool to check what keywords are trending in web searches and use them as keywords on your website.

Here is an info-graph highlighting some of SEO benefits.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

Another type of PPC advertising method as the company pays per every single click to link to a website. The majority of social networks offer this method of advertising, not just search engines, and the ads are shown in the targeted user’s feed as a pay per click advertisement.

 Here is an info-graph highlighting some of PPC benefits.

Search Engine Marketing

SEO and PPC together with SERM (Search Engine reputation management) forms the technical term Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Think about it as the big umbrella with all the three mentioned techniques lies underneath it.

In some cases, instead of just including certain keywords or phrases, a company may opt to pay for advertisements to feature on the result pages of search engines. This is known as Search Engine Marketing or SEM and it works by companies bidding on keywords that feature frequently on Google or Bing from users entering specific words. This means that the company can advertise its products by having their advertisement pop up beside the results for those specific words or phrases.

The greatest benefit from search engine marketing is that it places products exactly where they need to be at the exact moment that a potential customer wants to buy that product. This is not available with any other advertising method, which explains why this method of marketing is so popular and valuable and provides quick returns on investments.

Here is an info-graph highlighting some of SEM benefits.

Mobile Marketing

Traditionally, mobile marketing was limited to targeting your potential customers through SMS, which is still widely used up till now. But with the increased popularity of Smart Phones the term “Mobile Marketing” might also include social media marketing and other forms of digital marketing mentioned above. However, if we want to specify a scope for mobile marketing we would limit to three areas:

1. SMS marketing, obviously.
2. Mobile Apps such as Whatsapp Business.
3. Responsive Website for your business that loads perfectly on a mobile device.

Conclusion

The importance of digital marketing options and methods cannot be understated. Quite simply, it provides companies with opportunities for competitive advantages. It is a relatively low-cost option and it is an instant, targeted method of linking a company with a large interested field of potential consumers. It is also an opportunity for companies to deliver real-time customer services, which improves customer satisfaction, increasing loyalty and profits. It enables companies to compete on a global basis and gives them an online presence worldwide.

In summary, the digital world is now an integral reality of our everyday lives. It is our first port of call when we need information or if we want to buy a product. This shows the absolute necessity for a strategic business plan to guide and secure this crucial competitive business advantage.

Did we miss anything?

Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Ciatec is a digital marketing agency providing services to clients in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, Beirut and other areas. At Ciatec, we can assist you in your digital marketing campaigns either through our consulting service, or through training your staff with our Digital Marketing Training program. Contact us today to get a quote.

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ISO/IEC 27001:2013 is the standard for Information Security Management; ISO 27001 is part of the ISO 27000 family of standards which helps organizations keep information assets secure. It is used by thousands of companies worldwide and allows them to establish a clear effective system for maintaining confidential data so that it is safe and secure, yet, available. This standard combines requirements for the security of procedures, the workforce, as well as the physical and technical aspects of the company.

As defined by the International Organization for Standardization, ISO/IEC 27001:2013 standard specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system within the context of the organization. It also includes requirements for the assessment and treatment of information security risks tailored to the needs of the organization. The requirements set out in ISO/IEC 27001:2013 are generic and are intended to be applicable to all organizations, regardless of type, size or nature.

Why ISO 27001:2013?

Information security is not an IT issue, but rather a company-wide problem. Security risk management is a vital component for an effective security plan and there are many options available to companies. Therefore, a reputable, proven standard like ISO 27001 provides a comprehensive guideline to base a security system on and a plan for recovery in the case of a security breach.

The ISO 27001 standard includes requirements for investigating the company’s information security risks and considers the threats, vulnerabilities and impacts that are specific to that company. It consists of a guide for selecting and implementing a set of data security controls, measures and procedures to manage the most dangerous risks to the company. It also highlights the necessity of continuous monitoring so that the security procedures and risk treatments are kept up to date and continue to meet the organization’s individual information security needs on an on-going basis.

What value does ISO 27001 certification add to a business?

There are a number of important business benefits in adopting ISO 27001, whether applying it as a best practice or getting an official certification. Here is an infograph highlighting the most important ones.  

ISO 27001 Benefits include:

• Allow doing business globally
• Improve planning and control
• Achieve better human relations among different departments.
• Improves your ability to recover your operations and continue business as usual
• Reduces likelihood of facing prosecution and fines
• Increase the ability to comply with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) approved by EU.

Make no mistake, achieving ISO 27001 is not a guarantee that information breaches will never occur, however by having a robust system in place, risks will be reduced and disruption and costs kept to a minimum.

Implementing ISO 27001 Process

Implementing ISO 27001 can often be seen as quite an administrative and procedural business process. There is a false belief that ISO 27001 implementation is a clerical and bureaucratic business route and that the severity of the standard limits the operations of a company.

An obvious consideration to make when deciding whether to implement ISO 27001 or not is the potential drain on time and resources. The hints below explain how to achieve an effective execution of ISO 27001.

Top tips on making ISO/IEC 27001 effective for you

Conclusion

The ISO 27001 method provides a company with the optimum framework on which to base a security strategy. It provides information on how to introduce and update security methods and a guideline to work off for internal compliance or external certification against the standard.

The use of ISO 27001 is the optimum method of guaranteeing information security of a company. This is not a stand-alone method however, and it requires a joint task-force of a culture respecting and valuing information and keeping it secure, through individual ownership and responsibility for information security.

Need consult regarding ISO 27001? Contact us here, @AskCiatec on Twitter and follow us on Linkedin for future updates.

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Information security is the prime area of concern when using internet and is of utmost importance in the banking sector. This research highlights the increasing security risks and threats facing the financial sector as the increased demand for security in banking sector give rise to new business avenues as well as challenges.

A high-level of information security in banking and financial services sector can be attained by striving to achieve integrity, confidentiality, availability, assurance and accountability. Information security risk assessment, strategy, controls implementation, process monitoring and updating aid in attaining these objectives.

What did we find researching Info Security in Banking?

SecurityScorecard analyzed and evaluated the security posture of nearly 3,000 financial institutions to find existing vulnerabilities within banks, investment firms, and other financial organizations to determine the cybersecurity performance of the financial sector. A breakdown of the data by security category and also a closer look at the performance of FDIC-insured banks, revealed the following key insights about the financial sector:

• 45% of the financial firms had at least one malware event between March and August 2017, a proof point that hackers frequently target the financial industry.
• Financial institutions fall victim to breaches more than companies in the telecommunications, transportation, food, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical sectors combined.
• The financial industry has difficulty managing third-party security risks that arise from the availability of leaked credentials and exposed passwords.
• With respect to cybersecurity health, only 25 percent of the 20 Highest Performing FDIC- insured banks received an ‘A’ grade in DNS Health.

Threats facing Information Security in Banking Services:

I. Internal Threats

Staff Carelessness

End user carelessness constitute the biggest security threat to the organizations, surpassing the ever-present peril posed by malware or organized hacker attacks.

Internal fraud and theft

Employee fraud is one of the most expensive liabilities of an organization.
One frequently quoted statistic comes from the ACFE (Association of Certified Fraud Examination), which has reported year after year that companies lose, on average, five percent of revenues to employee fraud.

The diagram above presents just some of the internal fraud typologies currently facing teams of information security in banking sector: Theft from customers, Credit abuse, breaches of policies, money laundering, procurement fraud, trading fraud, expenses and payroll, and data theft.

How financial services organizations should respond to Internal Threats?

Internal policies and processes

It is wise, at the outset, to create a well defined policies and processes, that’ll serve as the common point of reference for the entire team. When done correctly and thoroughly, these documents will pave a clear way towards ensuring that there is uniformity and consistency in the practices and processes adopted in the startup.

Staff education and background checks

Financial organizations should hold their employees accountable for the collective security of the company. Insist that the information security team is not solely responsible for security — we all own it. Security awareness education should empower employees to do the right thing when confronted with security events.

On the other hand and not surprisingly, background checks during screening potential employees is a must for all banks.

Physical security measures in data centers

It is essential that you safeguard sensitive information from physical theft, physical data breaches and human error.  There is always a need to pay more attention to physical security in data centers with the ever-increasing sophistication of social engineering and hacking methodologies.

It goes without saying that data centers should also be made secure from natural disasters, power surges, water leakage, humidity, high temperature, fire… etc. all these fall under physical security and environmental controls in data centers.

User authentication and authorization

Understanding the specific challenges associated with access, and designing, deploying and maintaining successful access controls to meet those challenges, is a significant part of the security measures for banks and financial services organizations. It is also one of the most complex challenges.

II. External Threats

 Hacking

Online banking makes life a lot more convenient, but it also opens your finances up for hacks. It’s important to take active steps to protect your organization from data breaches, hacks, and other methods for exploiting accounts information, such as Phishing, Trojans, Session Hijacking.. etc.

Attacks on customers

Banks, financial institutions, vendors, merchants, and all organizations involved in online merchandising are finding an increased need to ensure their transactions are secure. It is equally important for their clients to secure their equipment themselves. Hackers, like all other predators will attack the weakest prey.

Emerging threats

We’re living in an extremely exciting time where technology is evolving rapidly in front of our eyes, but we know that new opportunities for consumers can also present new opportunities for hackers and cyber criminals. When working on information security and cyber security in banking or any other sector, it is very important to implement the vital resources that help us stay one step ahead of the hackers.

How financial services organizations should respond to External Threats?

Perimeter security in Banking Sector

As the first line of defense against intruders and security breaches, effective perimeter protection should form an integral element of the security strategy for financial services organizations. A combination of technology, physical security and the deployment of trained personnel  is often the most effective method of security integration, creating several layers of defense to protect the perimeter of the organization.

User authentication and authorization

It is quite challenging to improve account security – and at the same time, simplify the digital experience for customers. But online security should start with the authentication process. It is required to confirm that the user is the authorized user and not a hacker or identity thief. Authentication generally involves single and multi-factor authentication as well as additional “layered security” measures when appropriate.

Patch management

It is necessary to devise a patch management process to ensure the proper preventive measures are taken against potential threats. Patches apply to many different parts of the banking information system which include operating systems, servers, routers, desktops, email clients, mobile devices, firewalls, and many other components that exist within the network infrastructure.

Customer education

Training and education for customers is undoubtedly one of the important precautions necessary to safeguard customers’ confidential information, and to give customers professional guidance on how to protect themselves from ID theft, electronic fraud, and other threats, which they may encounter during online banking.

New customer services

Offering customers convenient ways to conduct their banking affairs while at the same time maintaining an adequate security measures to protect themselves and their customer base.

Working with third parties to improve controls

Working with third-party cyber security specialists is definitely a smart way to optimize business processes and reduce costs while optimizing protections. In addition, the services provided by a third party source will free-up internal cyber security and IT staff so they can focus on overall operations and delivering the highest levels of service to your organization and its clientele. But due diligence is essential to ensure that you select the best partners possible, because there is always the potential for increased security risks when outsourcing.

Multi factor authentication

Authentication methods that depend on more than one factor are more difficult to compromise than single-factor methods. Accordingly, properly designed and implemented multi factor authentication methods are more reliable and a stronger deterrent than outdated single-factor username/password authentication, and it’s vital that banks and other financial organizations take the steps to implement secure multi factor authentication.

Risks in the Banking Industry Faced by Every Bank

After we have identified the threats that could pose a risk to the banking sector, the next step is to identify the corresponding weaknesses (or vulnerabilities) in your organizational systems, resources, processes or policies that could be exploited by the threat.

Here’s a list of risks invariably faced by banks that may have a potentially adverse effect on their business.

Other Highlights

The biggest risk is not the loss itself but the bank’s reputation

Recommendations for better Security in Banking

Based on the information collected and mentioned a number of desirable measures, standards and objectives can be formulated in the field of Information Security in banking sector:

Information Security Standard: According to Industry participants, international standards usually serve as a reference to implement a comprehensive information security program that is integrated with the enterprise risk management framework, complied with regulatory requirements, and based on the latest industry security standards (for ex. ISO/IEC 27001:2013).  Technology can prove to be a valuable ally in this endeavor, by aggregating risk and threat intelligence from across the enterprise, and transforming it into the insights that organizations need to secure their assets, and protect their brand. 

The figure below shows the key advantages of implementing ISO/IEC 27001:2013 standard.

Security Intelligence: By cooperating with each other, international financial service providers can develop a set of shared indicators that will help not only create consistent and elaborate technical guidelines but also develop an appropriate “operator-friendly” approach to realistic security measures.

The figure below shows the key advantages of international cooperation of finance sector operators.

Final Thoughts on Information Security in Banking

Merely investing in information security and technology is not sufficient. It needs to be supplemented with organization-wide education regarding the regulations, standards, the value of data and the processes to securely manage sensitive data.

It is only by conducting proper training and imparting knowledge that the financial service providers can formulate a unified approach to manage sensitive data and adhere to regulation in the near future in order to combat financial cyber-crime and enhance security in banking and financial institutions.

Those were some thoughts about information security in banking and finance sector, if you’re working in the domain of information security in banking or any other information security field, we would like to read your comments below.

If you are a client or potential client looking for help in finding a particular skill or a role to utilize your abilities please follow CIATEC so we may communicate with you to understand your needs in more depth.

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We live in a hyper-connected, high-speed world today.  Advent of the Internet has given way to online and partly online businesses instead of the traditional offline businesses. The internet, along with smart phones, has changed the way business is done.

Let’s get started!

Anyone can start a money-making online business—anyone with a computer, that is. It can be some of the most profitable enterprises around – with low overheads and staff requirements, the potential to make money is huge.

Here are the 9 steps you must follow to celebrate your success.

I really hope the above 9 Key Tips For Running A Successful Online Business helps you get a grasp of the core concepts of online business and more importantly, the confidence to take the next step and start one of your own!

This post is also available in Arabic هذا المقال متوفر أيضًا باللغة العربية

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Everyone is talking about virtualization! Yet as with any technology, it can be challenging to wade through the gritty details of how your business can benefit from the upgrade.

Let’s talk about the big benefits of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), and what that means for your company.

So, all in all we can say that VDI desktops are secure, reliable and manageable end-user computing experience. The only area you might find inconvenient for the system is the disk storage. If you have the disk space in abundance, you are ready for VDI.

This article is also available in Arabic

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The notion of in-depth defense originates from the military model, which demonstrates that it is far more difficult to penetrate multiple layers of physical or non-physical defenses, than to simply break through a single line of defense. It is clear that an organization’s information property and resources can only be safeguarded if a number of security measures are used concurrently to this end.

Why Defense in Depth?

Although it is impossible to protect IT systems against all hackers, a sophisticated and effective in- depth system can assist IT administrators and security departments to detect and name hackers who are trying to breach the security of a computer, a server, a network or an ISP. Should a hacker manage to get through the first line of defense, and gain access to the system, an in-depth defense system can neutralize this threat long enough for network specialists and system administrators to ensure the breach does not happen again. This can be done by strengthening measures used to negate and counter the effects of the hacking.

An effective in-depth defense model will exploit the opportunities offered by slowing down the developing threat – and this ability is a key element in protecting information assets. An early warning system will come into play immediately attacks and issues are detected, so that a rapid response can be deployed, countering the threat’s effects by activating a damage limitation strategy. In this way, any non-technological measures which need to be introduced in response to the threat can be set in motion before the full impact of the threat can develop.

Components and layers of defense in depth include:

• Applications
• Data Access Layer
• Platforms
• Servers
• Operating Systems
• Networks
• Demilitarized Zones
• Data Repositories

The following are examples of techniques that can be used to implement defense in depth:

• Authentication and Authorization
• Anti-Virus Tools
• Intrusion Detection
• Encryption
• Firewalls
• Sandboxes

In addition to electronic countermeasures, physical protection of business sites along with comprehensive and ongoing personnel training and situational awareness enhances the security of vital data against compromise, theft or destruction.

Defense in depth strategies also include other security preparations than directly protective. They also address such concerns as:

• Monitoring, alerting, and emergency response
• Authorized personnel activity accounting
• Disaster recovery
• Criminal activity reporting
• Forensic analysis

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A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a business plan that describes how work can be resumed quickly and effectively after a disaster.

Why DRP?

Regardless of industry, when an unforeseen event takes place and brings day-to-day operations to a halt, an organization needs to recover as quickly as possible and continue to provide services to its clients. An effective disaster recovery plan can safeguard your organization from the risk of incurring heavy financial costs, reputation loss, and also protect your clients and customers.

Scope and Objectives of DR Planning

The purpose of the Disaster Recovery Plan is to define precisely how the organization will recover its IT infrastructure and IT services within set deadlines in the case of a disaster or other disruptive incident. The objective of this Plan is to complete the recovery of IT infrastructure and IT services within the set recovery time objective (RTO).

The following Disaster Recovery Plan is designed to ensure the continuation of vital business processes in the event that a disaster occurs.

Although Disaster Recovery Planning is complex and difficult process, but can truly be a lifesaver for a company. It can be thought of as an insurance policy that you will hopefully never use. By following the above 9 steps, your DRP will prove to be thorough, dynamic and effective.

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