Accelerated adoption of tech is ushering in waves of innovation across industries but it has also led to a rise in cyberattacks and security concerns. As we continue on the path to becoming a fully digital economy, enterprises will have to work round-the-clock to secure data, resources, and employees, all while working remotely. Huzefa Motiwala, Director– Systems Engineering for India & SAARC, Palo Alto Networks said, “As per Palo Alto Networks’ Global IoT Survey 2021, 84% organisations have seen an increase in the amount of non-business IoT devices connected to their business network and 86% of Indian enterprises believe that the shift to remote working has resulted in an increased number of IoT security incidents.”
“Seeing how hybrid work has brought multiple clouds, devices, networks and endpoints into the mix, not only has it widened the digital attack surface, but switching between these while they remain a part of the corporate network, can leave enterprises vulnerable to attacks. This makes developing a robust cybersecurity strategy a complex affair, while weak remote access policies and implicit trust on many devices make it easy for cyber adversaries to gain entry and sabotage networks.”
He further added, “Organisations now need to realign their cybersecurity strategies to become proactive with their efforts and to make hybrid workforce security a strategic opportunity. This involves several sub-functions that contribute to holistic enhancement of a robust cyber security strategy, including:
Growth Opportunities for Market Players
As the demand for security solutions is on the rise owing to increased cyber activities, the market players witness accelerated growth. The organizations continue to invest heavily in their security infrastructure. In line with this, Huzefa Motiwala commented, “According to Gartner Inc, end-user spending on security and risk management in India is forecast to total $2.6 billion in 2022, an increase of 9.4% from 2021. The sheer volume of cybersecurity investments in the Indian market today should prove that growth opportunities for security providers and partners are immense. With this in mind, we have judiciously invested in our NextWave 3.0 Partner Program and are now reaping the benefits. NextWave 3.0 provides our partners with an array of specialised products and services which provide them and our customers a competitive edge. We also encourage partners to integrate these products and services into their own operations, which can strengthen their infrastructures and in turn scale new markets and deliver optimal customer experiences.”
“NextWave 3.0 was established with a focus on providing incentives and value for our partners. We recently added specialisation benefits that give our partners graded benefits based on the resources invested, business growth, and competencies acquired. The program is tuned to market needs and helps partners address a customer’s evolving cybersecurity frameworks. Our partners are now well-positioned to leverage our investments in building pipelines, acquiring new customers, and delivering the portfolio.”
“Recently, we partnered with Infosys to enable global organisations to secure hybrid cloud infrastructure from a single unified platform, while maximising existing investments and integrating Secure-Access Service Edge and Zero-Trust architecture components with our Cortex® XSOAR offering. We also partnered with Tech Mahindra to create specialised industry solutions that offer complete visibility and control of the network, endpoint, and cloud security. In 2022, as we move forward towards a services-driven economy, we will continue to introduce enhancements to fuel mutual business growth and enable partner-led services,” concluded Huzefa Motiwala.
Growth in Zero-Trust Security Model’s Adoption
“The normalisation of hybrid/remote work models, rise in cloud services, and ubiquitous internet devices are driving a greater adoption of the Zero-Trust security at the enterprise level. Zero-Trust secures an organisation by eliminating implicit trust and continuously validating every stage of a digital interaction. This is particularly effective as, without trust, an adversary who gets access to your network through a compromised device or other vulnerability, won't be able to access or steal data. And since the Zero Trust model creates a "secure segment of one" with no way to move laterally, the adversary will have nowhere to go and can be detected,” said Huzefa Motiwala. “Furthermore, a true Zero Trust architecture not only enables access to the right applications and data but also secures that access. This means it prevents vulnerability exploits, tunnelling, malware, phishing and malicious websites. To make access safe for all users, devices, apps and data, organisations must continuously examine the network to prevent any malicious activity. Zero Trust Network Security employs comprehensive security monitoring for all users, devices, apps and data to detect such activity across the business’ IT and security infrastructure.”
