Traditionally, business strategies involved having one team or department for physical security and a second group of IT professionals for cybersecurity. They were of equal importance but tightly segregated with one group managing certain procedures and devices, while the other group managed computers and connections.
The traditional approach was based on the premise that even if security was breached, sensitive data would remain safe, or vice versa. If the digital data is breached, it would not affect the substantial protection of the property.
Today, this type of security management is outdated and ineffective as many businesses and enterprises are moving towards installing IoT devices and using smart technology.
Many AI developments now aim to facilitate the creation of a connection between cyber and all types of security and all professionals involved in a company’s security strategy. Now the emphasis is on IT and logistics protection experts working together to reap the benefits of a converged business protection system.
What does security convergence imply?
Networking systems are challenging the traditional separation of cybersecurity and physical security as technology advances. What previously functioned as systems in individual silos contrasts with the potential offered by technological interconnectivity. New technological advances require teams to work closely together for new technology to be truly effective.
The skill sets of all members of the security team are combined to create operational procedures to respond to often complex vulnerabilities and to better protect businesses from a variety of threats and risks. Physical asset protection, video monitoring installation and access limitation along with intrusion detection can now be managed together through a single interface.
With an increase in the use of interconnectivity technology, team convergence becomes more urgent as enterprises face larger potential attack surfaces. Convergence requires that all team members, regardless of their department, share the common goal of protecting company assets.
Convergence is not simply combining two departments into one larger one. Convergence requires team members to establish goals, policies and procedures so that, rather than a unified department, the company benefits from a unified team that provides security and manages risks, vulnerabilities and threats together.
However, to enable protection teams to successfully converge, there are several important processes to put in place.
sharing information
Communication is the starting point for building the convergence of protection. All staff must commit to convergence. Each department must be aware of the goals of the other department. Cybersecurity professionals can schedule smart devices according to their priorities, which however can create difficulties for important security teams. To build a converged system, one of management’s priorities should be planning how departments will share procedures, policies, and resources.
Business management should create a series of meetings and workshops where cybersecurity and substantive protection teams share what they know and how existing systems operate. Both teams must collaborate to create a shared database.
Converged security systems must address the needs of cyber and physical security departments
To unify privacy goals and encourage cooperation, a management team should be created that combines leaders from both teams. The most experienced and authoritative members of both departments should be included rather than simply selecting any member of the department. Experts recognized within their departments for their expertise by their peers are ideal.
Converged leadership will be responsible for providing team members with the tools and the policies and procedures involved in using these tools. Communication should help the different teams understand not only their roles, but also the roles of the other team involved. This will help expand the skill set of all converged team members and build stronger collaboration among members.
Security leaders should formalize responsibilities and roles. Shared vulnerabilities for both cyber protection and substantial protection in linked assets will need to be identified, assessed, and then analyzed to indicate shared solutions.
Creating a framework for combined security data
The main benefit of combining substantial and cyber protection teams is that both teams can query useful data from both types of devices and procedures, especially how they relate to each other. Creating a shared framework for the data collected allows both sets of practitioners to analyze a larger and more detailed collection of information.
Creating a shared framework will allow both teams to contribute data to a central database that was previously divided and segregated into one department or another. This convergence of data can be analyzed to obtain convergent observations and useful information for the entire system.
Cloud
Cloud-based platforms for data convergence can be more effective than traditional systems. Combining cybersecurity systems with physical devices and systems in a cloud management platform will allow all converged team members to remotely monitor systems and make adjustments, when necessary, from wherever they are. This will also facilitate the use of unified processes and procedures.
Another compelling benefit is that companies no longer need to install and protect expensive hardware on-premises when using the cloud. Everything can be stored on cloud servers and managed remotely.
Other benefits include using the latest technology tools, adding/deleting/scaling/reducing resources quickly without disruption, but most of all, it frees up staff to focus on specific strategic tasks and needs instead of wasting time and valuable capabilities in constant monitoring.
Eliminate segregated databases
With a shared framework for databases and remote cloud management, there will no longer be a need for substantive and cyber protection teams to maintain separate databases. Historical data can be moved to the cloud, where it can be easily accessed by all staff, both physical and IT.
The goal of creating a converged system is to communicate and share the data collected using a single platform. All devices, such as keypad door access control systems, CCTV cameras, intrusion sensors, or access control systems, will require programming to send all data to the shared management platform. This will allow any member of the security team to examine all data from a single converged system. As a result, the combined data can produce a greater understanding of vulnerabilities and features.
Organizational obstacles to security convergence
Even as technology drives the need for convergence, there are still hurdles to overcome. Budget constraints can slow progress, as can dispersed staff and business locations. For employees who have worked for years in established roles, new responsibilities and procedures can create confusion about individual roles within the security team. Skill set issues can also plague the initial period of change.
In conclusion
A cyber security versus physical security mindset is no longer effective for asset protection. It will be necessary to develop new procedures and company policies that combine the two types of skill sets involved along with the creation of cross-data analysis.
To successfully build a converged business security system, IT protection employees and physical protection team members will need to work together sharing data and expertise across the board to close gaps in protection.
With smart technology, cyber systems and physical security are increasingly interdependent. Security convergence is no longer a futuristic concept, it is a current need.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn