Why is cybersecurity important for digital transformation projects?

The rapid development of digital technologies has significantly changed the concept of security and increased the risk of cyber threats.

The nature of cyber threats and attacks has changed and cyber attacks are now more frequent, complex and targeted. As digital transformation projects involve the adoption of new technologies and the integration of digital systems, cybersecurity has become a critical issue for organizations and businesses.

What are some of the benefits of cybersecurity in digital transformation?

By definition, digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of an organization's operations, leading to major changes in the way the organization operates and delivers value to customers.

There are many benefits of cybersecurity in digital transformation. Perhaps the most important is that it helps protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with data privacy regulations. With the proliferation of cloud-based applications and data storage, it is more important than ever to have strong security measures in place.

Cybersecurity can also help improve operational efficiency and reduce costs by automating repetitive tasks and identifying potential threats before they cause damage. Another important benefit of cybersecurity is that it can help build trust with customers, partners, and other stakeholders.

In today’s hyper-connected world, people are increasingly concerned about privacy and data security. By investing in cutting-edge security methods and technologies, organizations and businesses can demonstrate that they take these concerns seriously.

This can go a long way in building trust and fostering long-term relationships. Overall, there are many good reasons to prioritize cybersecurity during digital transformation. Investing in the right tools and technologies now will help ensure a successful digital transformation.

Understand security risks to have appropriate solutions

Digital transformation is the process of using technology to radically improve the performance or reach of an organization or business. The goal of digital transformation is to make organizations or businesses operate more efficiently, reduce costs, increase revenue, or penetrate new markets.

To achieve these goals, organizations must undergo a comprehensive digital transformation strategy that covers all aspects, from organizational structure and processes to customer engagement and product development. One of the most important but often overlooked aspects of this digital transformation strategy is cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity is essential to protect an organization’s data, systems, and networks from cyberattacks. These attacks can have a major impact on digital transformation initiatives, leading to delays, disruptions, and even data breaches. Therefore, it is important for organizations to understand the risks posed by cyberattacks and take steps to mitigate them.

By understanding the importance of cybersecurity and taking steps to mitigate risks, organizations and businesses can protect their digital transformation initiatives from potential attacks.

Cloud Security

Cloud security, also known as cloud computing security, consists of a set of policies, controls, procedures, and technologies that work together to protect cloud-based systems, data, and infrastructure. These security measures are configured to protect cloud data, support regulatory compliance, protect customer privacy, and establish authentication rules for users and personal devices.

Organizations undergoing digital transformation need to take steps to ensure cybersecurity. Cloud computing can bring significant benefits in terms of cost, flexibility, and scalability, but it also introduces new security risks that need to be managed.

The first step is to understand the security risks associated with cloud computing. These include data breaches, denial of service attacks, and unauthorized access to resources. Once these risks are understood, organizations can put measures in place to mitigate them.

One way to mitigate risk is to use a cloud security solution that provides comprehensive protection for your organization’s data and applications. This solution should include features such as data encryption, firewalls, and intrusion detection/prevention.

Along with that is developing a strong security policy for the organization or business. This policy will address how data is protected in the cloud, who has access to that data, and what procedures are in place in the event of a security breach.

Finally, it is important to regularly review the security posture of your organization and ensure that the solutions and policies in place are continually updated to ensure that your organization is protected against the latest threats.

Data Security

The increasing use of digital technologies has led to a transformation in the way organizations and businesses operate. This digital transformation has brought many benefits but also new security risks. As organizations and businesses become more dependent on technology, they face new threats that can jeopardize their operations.

To mitigate these risks, it is important for organizations to understand their security risks and put appropriate cybersecurity measures in place. Here are five key data security solutions to implement before embarking on digital transformation:

1. Conduct a risk assessment

Before embarking on digital transformation, it is important to conduct a risk assessment to identify potential security risks. This will help organizations and businesses determine what cybersecurity measures need to be put in place to mitigate these risks.

2. Implement security policies and procedures

Once potential security risks have been identified, organizations and businesses need to implement policies and procedures to mitigate these risks. These policies and procedures must be designed to protect the organization's data and systems from attack.

3. Train employees on security policies and procedures

It is important that all employees are aware of the security policies and procedures of the organization. They should be trained on how to follow these policies and procedures to help protect the organization's data and systems.

4. Implement technical controls

Technical controls such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help protect an organization’s network from attack. These controls should be in place before embarking on a digital transformation.

5. Monitor the network for security threats

Once the above measures have been taken, organisations should regularly monitor their networks for security threats. This will help organisations identify any potential attacks and take steps to mitigate them.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Identity and Access Management (IAM) is an umbrella term that encompasses the products, processes, and policies used to manage user identities and regulate user access within an organization.

“Access” and “user” are two important IAM concepts. “Access” refers to the actions a user is allowed to perform (such as viewing, creating, or changing a file). “Users” can be employees, partners, vendors, contractors, or customers.

IAM systems are designed to perform three main tasks: identification, authentication, and authorization. This means that only the right people have access to computers, hardware, software applications, any IT resources, or perform specific tasks.

Organizations looking to improve their cybersecurity posture should consider implementing an IAM solution. IAM solutions provide a centralized platform for managing user identities and access privileges, which can help reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

However, it is important to note that IAM solutions are not perfect and must be properly configured and regularly updated to be effective. Additionally, IAM solutions should only be part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that also includes measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and encryption technologies.

Building a cybersecurity strategy

More and more organizations and businesses collect, share and store sensitive data online, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. To protect themselves, organizations and businesses need to develop a strong cybersecurity strategy, including building a security roadmap, identifying security vulnerabilities and establishing key performance indicators (KPIs).

Rushing into digital transformation will increase the level of risk

The benefits of digital transformation are something that everyone knows, but there are potential pitfalls on the path of digital transformation that organizations and businesses must also avoid, especially the issue of cybersecurity.

Typical risks can arise from not providing enough resources to match the project’s ambition, lacking the ability to handle multiple cloud platforms at once, and not complying with security regulations. Organizations and businesses often fall into cybersecurity “traps” if they rush into digital transformation.

As part of their digital transformation strategy, organizations need to consider how they manage cybersecurity risks. With more business processes and data moving online, organizations will face new risks that need to be addressed.

Prioritize security issues

Rick Hemsley, Head of Public Sector and Government Cybersecurity at UK-based multinational audit firm Ernst & Young, said that security should be a top concern and a key point for any organization or business undergoing digital transformation. Organizations and businesses need to “integrate security considerations into every aspect of developing new systems, processes and products,” and those that fail to do so will be passive in cybersecurity.

Meanwhile, Frank Kim, a member of the SANS Institute, a company specializing in information security and cybersecurity training (USA), believes that there are more ways to avoid "traps" related to cybersecurity than to put security issues at the center of the digital transformation process. Organizations and businesses also need to learn to think differently about security issues and pay attention to the time to recover the network. Cybersecurity risks cannot be completely eliminated, but they need to be understood and managed effectively.

Accelerating digital transformation increases risk levels

Organizations that decide to accelerate their digital transformation efforts are putting themselves at greater risk of leaving behind cybersecurity vulnerabilities waiting to be exploited, says David Sarginson, head of software development at UK digital transformation consultancy Opencast. “More change means more risk,” Sarginson explains. “The more changes you make at any one time, the more complexity you introduce and the more likely you are to have unintended consequences.”

Additional complexities arise from organizations that have multiple cloud platforms in place, requiring employees to be familiar with multiple cloud platforms, Kim added. Security teams must be knowledgeable about multi-cloud environments in each area, including potential pitfalls, configurations, and mistakes.

As processing speeds increase, there is less time to catch problems that occur and more opportunities for security vulnerabilities to surface because security may not be built in from the start.

Promote appropriate cultural change

Effectively addressing the cybersecurity risks associated with digital transformation, whether it is accelerated or occurring at a slower pace, requires a risk-based approach from the start, says Rick Hemsley. CIOs and security teams must have the right level of knowledge and resources to “create a security framework defined by proactivity,” he says.

Meanwhile, Frank Kim said: “An organization cannot change its culture overnight. Depending on the size and nature of the organization, it can take anywhere from 3 to 10 years to change.”

In short, to avoid cybersecurity risks during digital transformation, organizations and businesses must have technical solutions as well as steps appropriate for cultural change. Organizations and businesses are not only interested in implementing new technology but also need to build a team of employees with knowledge of cybersecurity and build appropriate working processes.

Phan Van Hoa