It has long been predicted that the next major military conflict will be fought as much in cyberspace as in the physical world. Indeed, the invasion of Ukraine was preceded by a growing number of cyber attacks on Ukrainian both public and private sector organizations. So how can private sector procurement teams help their organizations gear up for emerging cyber threats?
As the governments of the U.S., U.K. and other countries announce new or strengthened sanctions against Russian financial interests and assets abroad, cybersecurity experts, SHI, and its subsidiary, Stratascale*, are warning that private organizations in western countries must join their public sector counterparts in being prepared for increased attacks as threat actors potentially seek to cause disruption, economic damage, and even physical harm to countries imposing sanctions.
As procurement leaders work to align with IT and security management stakeholders for a proactive approach, a group purchasing organization (GPO) can guide them to strong, industry-leading solutions to protect against cyber attacks.
In the light of this increased threat level, private sector organizations need to review their security posture as a matter of urgency. As Stratascale’s Lead Research Analyst, Michael O’Neil, says:
| "External threats require a combination of tactics. As a minimum, you should automate the discovery of potential vulnerabilities to ensure that your organization is continuously on the lookout for direct attacks as well as to threats such as data exposed in the cloud and credentials made available on the dark web." |
Through the SHI and OMNIA Partners program, members can look to IT security expert, SHI, to help implement a multi-faceted approach when it comes to cybersecurity initiatives. From endpoint security to network security, SHI is at the forefront, making sure your security practices are strong and provide advice on how to achieve an ideal security posture.
To understand why your organization needs to consider several security tactics, the graphic below, created by Stratascale Cybersecurity Technical Advisor, Joseph Karpenko, illustrates the complexity and extent of the activities needed to minimize the risk to your organization. Cybersecurity professionals must work with teams across IT and the business to ensure that relevant data is available to analysts carrying out risk assessments, and governance is in place to minimize the likelihood of employees inadvertently exposing the organization to risk.
SHI offers OMNIA Partners members with free Executive Briefings on how to improve Cloud Security & Compliance as well as Identity & Access Management.
Learn more about how SHI can help improve your cybersecurity posture today!
* Stratascale is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SHI providing a consultancy-first approach to helping organizations rapidly adapt in response to business changes and challenges through technology innovation.
Original blog posted on The Hub | The Official Content Library of SHI International
