CYBER SECURITY
26 | March 2024
With industry studies frequently revealing the increasing number of successful cyber attacks to businesses and their datasets, perhaps the explanation for these lies at the heart of the approach and culture adopted by the companies experiencing them?
Rather than seeing potential issues at every turn, however, the adoption of a realistic, balanced approach to security – cyber or otherwise – should allow business operations to continue in their most productive fashion while preventing interferences.
While the training and education of company employees will help to avoid the more simple errors that can lead to security breaches, the rise of Internet-enabled devices is another worthy point of discussion to address cyber security issues (see boxed out item below). Previous examples have included loss of control of entire facilities after one element of their HVAC system was hacked into, with the potential for these incursions to escalate ever further and cause major headaches for all stakeholders.
Regardless of whether companies are attempting to remove the threat of physical attacks, or theft of products or data, the adoption of a realistic attitude should include the minimising of risk while supporting members of staff to work as productively as possible.
The issue of complacency is another factor deserving of more consideration in all areas business operations and their security levels. Phrases that range from “We’ve always done it this way and see no reason to change” to “We’ve had no problems so far, so expect that to continue” are frequently seen to precede the emergence of issues arising, no doubt to the amazement of those experiencing them.
The issue of complacency is another factor deserving of more consideration in all areas business operations and their security levels
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The rise of AI Depending on the views of the industry experts approached, one of the more worrying recent developments is the increasing sophistication of artificial intelligence (AI), with several high profile individuals and organisations claiming that this is a disaster waiting to happen. Their views include concerns that the application of AI will allow those with dishonest intent to wreak havoc, particularly in the area of cyber security. These views are often used to justify calls for increased control and legislation to govern the use and application of AI, although it seems unlikely that these will prevent those with negative intentions from using the technology to assist them. Although the use of legislation and government grants are often seen as the best means to drive business activities, those with criminal intent are less likely to be as easily influenced. Approaching the topic of AI with a more positive frame of mind, however, it can be assumed that this can also be used as a ‘force for good’. FM Director featured the example of the client-side FM using AI to manage facilities in a variety of geographical areas (see FM Director February) that would otherwise have required months of research and effort, to ensure that each complied with the correct requirements, condensed into a matter of days.
21/03/2024 10:47