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Just a few years ago when the topic of supporting offsite workers arose, some of the key conversation topics were related to purchase, logistics, deployment, maintenance and similar issues. The discussions back then were more like “special cases” vs. today’s environment where supporting workers offsite (now known as the hybrid workforce) has become a critical mainstream topic.
Now with the bulk of many organization’s workers off-premise, the topic of security and the ability of a security vendor to help support an organization’s hybrid workers has risen to the top of the selection criteria. In a soon to be released Cisco endpoint survey, it’s not surprising that the ability of a security vendor to make supporting the hybrid workforce easier and more efficient was the key motivating factor when organizations choose security solutions.
Today, when prospects and existing customers look at Cisco’s ability to support hybrid workers with our advanced security solution set and open platform, it’s quite clear that we can deliver on that promise. But, yes, good tools make it easier and more efficient, but the reality is that running a SOC or any security group, large or small, still takes a lot of work. Most organizations not only rely on advanced security tools but utilize a set of best practices to provide clarity of roles, efficiency of operation, and for the more prepared, have tested these best practices to prove to themselves that they are prepared for what’s next.
Knowing that not all organizations have this degree of security maturity and preparedness, we gathered a couple of subject matter experts together to discuss 5 areas of time-tested best practices that, besides the advanced tools offered by Cisco and others, can help your SOC (or small security team) yield actionable insights and guide you faster, and with more confidence, toward the outcomes you want.
In this webinar you will hear practical advice from Cisco technical marketing and a representative from our award winning Talos Threat Intelligence group, the same group who have created and are maintaining breach defense in partnership with Fortune 500 Security Operating Centers (SOC) around the globe.
You can expect to hear our 5 Best Practices recommendations on the following topics;
Check out our webinar to find out how you can become more security resilient and be better prepared for what’s next.
We’d love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with Cisco Secure on social!
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Every year we can count on new technology to make our lives easier. Right? As beneficial and convenient as tech can be, it can also pose risks to our online safety and privacy—risks that we should be prepared to handle. Increasingly, we’re seeing governments around the world implementing stricter privacy laws. And even major players like Google are phasing out invasive tracking technology like cookies. However, when it comes to activities like banking, shopping, taxes, and more, the need for broader online privacy protection has never been greater. Let’s take a look at some prominent trends in the way we now live online and how we can protect our data.
Crypto, the blockchain, NFTs, tokens – all of these terms are considered part of what’s being termed Web3. Whereas Web 2.0 described an internet made up of large corporations hosting content and consumers, Web3 is governed by the blockchain. What this means is that applications use a decentralized online ledger to document transactions of all sorts. The most famous example is bitcoin, a blockchain that acts as a digital currency. Another example would be NFTs, which are digital works of art. Web3 may be in its infancy, but it’s important to consider what this means for privacy and data protection. Blockchain affords users anonymity in regards to currencies like bitcoin. Of course that means bitcoin also has a reputation as the currency of choice for money-launderers and other shady enterprises. Still, that means it’s good for privacy, right? Well, maybe. The EU’s GDPR rights to erase or amend data are at odds with transactions on a blockchain, which are essentially unchangeable. So if you’re buying cryptocurrency, NFTs, or interacting with blockchains in other ways, just understand your personal information might be hidden, but the record of your transactions is totally visible.
Tip: If you’re keeping cryptocurrencies in an online wallet, you’ll want to use an identity protection service to monitor those account credentials so you can be warned of breaches and leaks onto the dark web.
Student privacy is a top concern as households turn to remote learning. In a rush to optimize remote learning experiences in the face of a rapidly evolving digital landscape, many educators and remote learners may not realize the hazards that put student privacy at risk.
Since 2020, schools have adopted a range of technologies to optimize the digital classroom, including virtual learning platforms, holistic learning solutions, and even social media applications. However, many of these digital platforms are not designed for child usage, nor do they have privacy policies in place to ensure that the student data gathered is protected. Many learning platforms may even treat student data as consumer data, raising more red flags regarding student data privacy and compliance. Online learning has also garnered the attention of cybercriminals looking to exploit student data, resulting in online bullying, identity theft, and more.
For educators and parents alike, knowledge is the greatest asset to mitigating the risks of remote learning. IT teams and educators must understand the implications of the student data they collect, govern access to it, and control its usage to comply with child privacy regulations. Parents can take proper precautions by discussing the importance of privacy with their children. Keeping learning platforms up to date and monitoring their children to prevent them from downloading suspicious apps or straying to unknown websites are all ways to ensure safer remote learning environments.
Tip: Getting a VPN for the family to use is a great way to safeguard your privacy while your kids are learning online.
Remote work has become commonplace nowadays as more companies permit their employees to work from home long-term and, for some, permanently. In a recent Fenwick poll among HR, privacy, and security professionals across industries, approximately 90% of employees now handle intellectual property, confidential, and personal information in their homes. Endpoint security, or the protection of end-user devices such as our laptops and mobile devices, poses more of a concern as employees trade in office networks for their in-home Wi-Fi. If these devices and networks are unsecured or if the data is not encrypted, employees run the risk of exposing sensitive information to hackers. Those of us working from home can help ensure the safety of our company’s confidential information by boosting our awareness of security threats and prevention measures via company-mandated security training.
Tip: McAfee’s Protection Score is a great way to understand how protected you are online and what you can do to stay more secure
This buzzy term is being used to describe Meta’s (previously Facebook) vision for a fully connected future. Right now it exists as an AR/VR space accessible through Meta’s own VR hardware, Oculus. However, the terminology has caught on as a catch-all for platforms that may contain work, business, gaming, entertainment, social interactions, and more in one easily navigable, immersive online setting. Web3 features, like blockchain, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies are being touted as integral parts of the metaverse. As exciting and futuristic as this is, there are major privacy questions that will have to be answered. This means that as customers you’ll want to think hard about what you choose to share through the metaverse and look into the privacy settings a platform offers you.
Tip: Use comprehensive online protection. McAfee Total Protection secures all aspects of your life online. From identity to online connections to antivirus, a full security suite like Total Protection keeps you and your family safer on all the devices you use and places you go online.
Some of the platforms I use the most allow me to keep track of and manage my finances. Whether it’s my mobile banking app or taking advantage of online tax filing, there is such a convenience in having the ability to pay bills, deposit checks, and more, all with the devices I use every day. But many of us may not realize just how much trust we put into these platforms to protect our online privacy, especially when we don’t have a clear picture of who exactly is on the other end of our online transactions.
While recognizing the signs of online banking and tax-related fraud helps ease the burdens associated with these schemes, there are multiple steps users can take to prevent becoming a victim of these scams in the first place.
Tip: Full-featured identity protection will protect you financially. Services like McAfee Identity Protection Service include credit checks, identity theft restoration, and even stolen fund restoration as benefits.
Digital devices are part of how we live our lives every day, whether we’re taking conference calls on our laptops, tracking the latest mile on our smartwatches, or banking on the go. Although our everyday digital devices make our lives that much more convenient, securing them makes our lives that much safer by minimizing online threats to ourselves and those around us. Safeguarding the digital platforms we use for work, school, finances, you name it, is the first step to ensuring our private information remains just that—private.
The post Privacy in Practice: Securing Your Data in 2022 and Beyond appeared first on McAfee Blog.
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