More than 33 billion records will be stolen by cybercriminals by 2023, an increase of 175% from 2018 (TechTarget, 2023). This is an alarming increase in incidents that companies must put an eye to.
In accordance with that, security development has become a crucial aspect of every organization in today’s digital age. With the increasing number of cyber threats and data breaches, it is essential to comprehend the level of security development and associated hazards.
It involves creating secure software and systems to prevent unauthorized access to data and protect against cyber threats. This is important for organizations that handle sensitive data, including financial institutions, healthcare providers, and government agencies.
A robust security development process can help organizations protect their data and prevent cyber-attacks, thereby maintaining their reputation and customer trust.
There are four levels of security development, and they are as follows:
1. Reactive Security: The organization reacts to a security incident after it has occurred. Reactive security is not effective as it does not prevent the security breach from happening in the first place. This level of security development is the least desirable, and organizations should strive to move beyond this level.
2. Proactive Security: The organization takes proactive measures to prevent security breaches from occurring. Proactive security measures include regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, and penetration testing.
3. Managed Security: The organization has a dedicated security team that manages and monitors the organization’s security. The security team is responsible for detecting and responding to security incidents, implementing security policies, and educating employees on security best practices.
4. Optimized Security: The organization has fully integrated security into its operations, and security is a part of the organization’s culture. The organization has a continuous improvement process for security, and security is a priority at all levels of the organization.
In line with this, there are several hazards associated with security development, and they are as follows:
1. Lack of Knowledge: One of the hazards associated with security development is the lack of knowledge among employees about security best practices. Employees may inadvertently compromise security by clicking on phishing emails, sharing passwords, or not updating software.
2. Insufficient Resources: Another hazard associated with security development is insufficient resources. Organizations may not have the budget to hire a dedicated security team or invest in the latest security tools and technologies.
3. Complexity: The complexity of security systems and tools can also pose a hazard to security development. Complex systems can be challenging to manage and may lead to errors or misconfigurations, which can compromise security.
4. Third-Party Risk: Organizations may also face security hazards from third-party vendors who may not have robust security processes in place. Organizations must conduct due diligence when working with third-party vendors and ensure that they have adequate security measures in place.
Security development is a crucial aspect of every organization, and it is essential to comprehend the level of security development and associated hazards. Organizations should strive to move beyond reactive security and invest in proactive, managed, and optimized security measures.
Organizations should educate their employees on security best practices, allocate sufficient resources towards security, and conduct due diligence while working with third-party vendors. This helps protect their data, prevent cyber-attacks, and upholds their reputation and customer trust.