TECHNOLOGY
Miscommunications in IT security lead to cybersecurity incidents in 62% of companies
January 12, 2023 5:58 p.m.
More than half of top-tier managers (62%) admit that a miscommunication with the IT department or IT security team has resulted in at least one cybersecurity incident in their organizations.
In terms of personal attitudes, the majority of non-IT executives cited a diminished sense of cooperation between different teams (34%) and said this situation makes them question their colleagues’ skills and abilities when communication with their IT-security employees was unclear (33%).
The recent Forrester analytics survey says that companies spend an average of 37 days and $2.4 million to detect and recover from a cybersecurity breach. To determine how much mutual understanding between executives and information security teams affects a company’s cyber resilience, Kaspersky conducted a global survey of more than 1,300 business leaders.
According to the results of the study, 98% of non-IT respondents experienced miscommunications regarding IT security. With regards to consequences, most often a breakdown in communications leads to serious project delays (67%) and cybersecurity incidents (62%). Almost one-third of respondents (30% and 27% respectively) even said that they had even encountered these issues more than once. Among other negative effects are a wasted budget, the loss of a valued employee and deteriorating relationships between teams –situations that occurred to 61% of respondents.
In addition to worsening business indicators, unclear communication with IT-security employees also affects the emotional state of the team and makes executives question IT-security employees’ skills and abilities. Also, 28% executives admit that misunderstandings make them lose confidence in the business’ safety and 26% of them find this situation makes them nervous, which affects their work performance.
“Clear communication between a company’s executives and IT security management is a prerequisite for corporate business security,” comments Alexey Vovk, Head of Information Security at Kaspersky.
”The challenge here is to put oneself in the others’ position, to anticipate and prevent serious misunderstandings. This means that, on the one hand, CISOs should know the basic business language to better explain the existing risks and need for safety measures. On the other hand, a business should also understand that information security in the 21st century is an integral part of business and budgeting for it is an investment in protecting company assets,” adds Vovk.
To make the communication between IT security and business functions within the company more transparent, Kaspersky recommends the following:
- Understanding professionals from another sphere requires not only empathy but also additional knowledge. While IT security workers could get more information about basic business terms and concepts in various training courses, non-IT executives have an opportunity to walk in a CISO’s shoes to get insights on the most relevant IT security challenges.
- Both IT and non-IT managers should not lock themselves in a professional “information bubble”. Staying aware of the agenda in both the business and cybersecurity worlds is another key to successful communication and mutual understanding between them.
- Cybersecurity specialists should use reliable and understandable arguments when communicating their needs to the board and justifying their cybersecurity budget. Use information about the threats and security measures most relevant to your particular industry and company size to prove the probability of risks and the protective measures needed. Resources such as IT Security Calculator and reports based on experts’ observations can significantly ease this task.
- Today when cyber threats are becoming more and more relevant and companies are forced to increase their information security budgets, it’s extremely important to allocate cybersecurity investments to tools with proven efficacy and ROI. This means tools that lower the level of false positives and reduce the time of attack detection, the time spent per case, and other metrics are important to any IT security team.
The full report and more insights on communications issues between C-level and IT security managers are available via the link.
TECHNOLOGY
Converge kicks off data privacy advocacy program for students
3:30 p.m. December 12, 2024
AMID the increasing social media activity of young Filipinos, leading fiber broadband and technology provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has launched an advocacy campaign that advances digital literacy and privacy awareness among school children.
Through its Corporate Governance and Data Privacy (CGDP) Group, Converge introduced its Project PIGLET (Privacy Integration through Guided Learning of Emerging Technologies), which intends to educate learners on the importance of protecting their personal information online.
To kickstart the initiative, Converge tied up with its neighboring primary school Francisco Legaspi Memorial School (FLMS) in Pasig to engage its pupils in Grades 2 to 6 in a child-friendly discussion on digital literacy and responsible online behavior.
“The goal of this initiative is to raise awareness about the potential risks in the internet since children nowadays are already given access to gadgets and social media. We believe it is essential to start educating kids to be more vigilant from an early age, both at home and in school, to help them avoid falling victim to these threats,” said Converge SVP and Corporate Compliance and Data Protection Officer Atty. Laurice Esteban-Tuason.
During the launch, Converge hosted a storytelling session for the pupils, along with their parents and teachers. Integrating a child-friendly spin on the topic, the story follows the adventures of the ‘Astro Kids’ in the ‘Internet Universe,’ where they encounter deceptive monsters, feigning friendliness, tricking them to share their personal information like their full name, birthday, address, and contact information.
With the help of Captain Conrad, the Astro Kids successfully defeated the monsters in the story, guiding the participants to be cautious and not to easily trust individuals who seem overly friendly in cyberspace. Additionally, the students were encouraged to inform their parents or teachers about such incidents of potential identity theft, fraudulent schemes, and misinformation.
“The technology is constantly evolving, and our call is for all of us to be aware and vigilant as we navigate all these. We hope that the lesson we impart through this program is a step to a safer online and digital experience for all of us,” added Esteban-Tuason.
Next year, Converge plans to explore other approaches to engage students at other academic levels and visit more schools throughout the country to spread the campaign.
Converge has been actively striving to help foster safe and secure online spaces for Filipinos. In 2022, Converge collaborated with UK-based child abuse watchdog Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to combat the distribution of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse.
Additionally, Converge partnered with the Stairway Foundation last year to raise awareness about ways to safeguard kids against online sexual abuse and exploitation.
Moreover, ensuring that its network won’t be used for criminal activities, the company also blocked almost 12 billion entry attempts to illicit and harmful web addresses as of end-2023.
TECHNOLOGY
Keep track of your health in style: 4 new must-have Xiaomi wearables
6:30 a.m. November 30, 2024
Xiaomi’s latest lineup of fitness wearables make health and wellness tracking super stylish and functional
Whether you’re living an active life or not, you shouldn’t underestimate the benefits of tracking your health and exercise. Keeping tabs on your fitness and wellness is easier than ever through the smart devices we own — and now that fitness wearables are more accessible than they were before, there’s nothing stopping you from your best and healthiest life.
But with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to think about which fitness wearable you’re going to go for. Fortunately, Xiaomi’s latest lineup of smart wearables narrow down the best choices for you, no matter your fitness level and budget.
- For the starter: Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active
Looking to get your first wearable but want to dip your toes before going all out? Try the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active, the entry-level option in the Smart Band 9 series.
It’s got a 1.47-inch display on a light 9.9-mm body, and keeps track of 50 different sports modes for 18 days on a full charge. It’s water-resistant up to five meters, which means you can also take it on your swim. Personalize it with colorful straps and over 100 customizable digital watch faces, making it uniquely yours.
Get the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Active on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop for only P1,199 and at authorized offline stores starting November 30.
2. For the casual: Xiaomi Smart Band 9
If you’re already using a wearable and want some more functionality on a bigger budget, the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 is a great choice to try.
The Smart Band 9 goes up to a stunning 1.62-inch AMOLED display also on a thin 9.9-mm body, and goes up to over 150 sports modes on a battery that goes longer at 21 days on a full charge. It can also monitor more vitals, including your heart rate, SpO2, stress, and your sleep quality, allowing for more insight into your health.
Get the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 on Lazada and at authorized offline stores for only P1,879.
3. For the enthusiast: Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro
Want to take your monitoring and tracking to a whole new level? The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro is the top-of-the-line in the Smart Band 9 series, offering the most features and functionality for power users.
The Smart Band 9 Pro has a beautiful 1.74-inch narrow-edge quadrilateral display resting on a high-quality metal frame with new straps. Along with the features in the Smart Band 9, the Smart Band 9 Pro also has professional workout analysis that personally guides you in doing your exercises and making the most out of your active life. Staying healthy has never been easier and more stylish.
Get the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro on Lazada and Shopee for only P3,799 and at authorized offline stores starting November 30.
4. For the super-stylish: Xiaomi Watch 2
You might need the tracking and monitoring functionality of a fitness wearable, but maybe you still want the piece on your wrist to look like a traditional watch. That’s where the Xiaomi Watch 2 comes in.
The Xiaomi Watch 2 is the ultimate lifestyle wearable, with a classic-looking 1.43-inch round AMOLED display. The water-resistant (up to five meters) watch has a wide array of sensors, from its 161 sports modes to health trackers to even environmental sensors that can tell you temperature, humidity, and direction. The Xiaomi Watch 2 can last up to 65 hours on a single full charge, and you can make it uniquely your own with over 200 customizable watch faces and colorful strap options.
If you want to go all-out in choosing a wearable, you can’t go wrong with the Xiaomi Watch 2.
Get the Xiaomi Watch 2 with a free three-month Spotify subscription on Lazada for P8,499 and Shopee for P7,599, and at authorized offline stores.
So if you’re looking for your first or your next fitness wearable, your best bet is with Xiaomi’s lineup!
To learn more about Xiaomi’s smart wearables, visit the official website at http://mi.com/ph.
TECHNOLOGY
Take life’s challenges head on with the OPPO A3
10:20 p.m. November 15, 2024
Enduring everyday life requires Filipinos to have a mobile device that can be their reliable companion to take on any challenge that arises.
The OPPO A3, OPPO’s strongest A Series device yet, stands out for its durability and reliability, making it a perfect companion for Filipinos in all conditions.
Embodying the #OPPOLangSakalam reputation, the OPPO A3 has been proven and tested to endure accidental falls.
If you’re always on the go, whether for work or school, it’s possible that your phone might take a tumble here and there. Smartphones can get damaged when such situations occur but with the OPPO A3 by your side, you can continue with your day with its ability to still function perfectly without any problems in case it accidentally slips out of your hands or pockets.
Carrying the durability standards of the OPPO A Series, the OPPO A3 passed the Military-Grade Shock Resistance (MIL-STD 810H), putting users’ minds to ease if ever these circumstances come about.
During several tests to see its durability, including a test from a height of 1.2 meters in different angles, the OPPO A3 showed no functional damage after going through it 26 times. When dropped on a marble tile face down from a height of 0.3 meters for 100 times, the device also didn’t show any function issues.
Apart from passing the Military-Grade testing, the OPPO A3 also acquired the SGS Certification for its strong build, which adds peace of mind to users. After being stepped on for 100 times during another test, the phone showed no signs of functional damage.
Face your battles boldly with the OPPO A3
The OPPO A3’s Military-Grade Shock Resistance and SGS Certification proves its durability and reliability, making it the perfect smartphone for everyone. What’s more, the OPPO A3 also comes in multiple variants and stylish colorways, offering users options that will fit their needs.
- The OPPO A3 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM variant is priced at Php 8,999, available in Starry Purple and Sparkle Black.
- The OPPO A3 8GB ROM and 128GB RAM is priced at PHP 9,999 while the OPPOA3 8GB ROM and 256GB RAM is priced at PHP 11,999 available in Starlight White and Sparkle Black.
Get a hold of the OPPO A3 in all OPPO stores nationwide and online via OPPO’s e-commerce platforms on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
For more information on the OPPO A3, visit OPPO’s official website at www.oppo.com/ph/ or OPPO Philippines’ official Facebook page.
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