A new special report from the Security for Business Innovation Council (SBIC) warns that IT professionals 
are going to have to up their game exponentially, or growing transformational forces threaten to overtake their security strategies. According to the SBIC, these forces include cloud computing, social media, mobile technology and Big Data.
The report, which calls these trends ‘disruptive’, strongly advises that the rapid adoption of these advanced technologies are revealing disturbing gaps in IT security – including a lack of business skills and relationships, weak supply chain management and technically unsophisticated action plans.
The SBIC report outlines the impact of each trend and recommends strategies IT security teams can adopt to achieve success. Here is a summary of their findings:
Cloud Computing – The success and rapid adoption of cloud-based technology has pushed security concerns to the forefront for all organizations. Businesses should be vigilant about evaluating vendor security controls and also employ continuous monitoring.
Social Media – Social media is now a worldwide phenomenon so comprehensive policies and security controls are essential. The report recommends a strong social media risk management strategy that includes cross-functional teams.
Mobile – BYOD and the increase in corporate-owned mobile devices will continue to demand comprehensive risk management from IT security teams. It is critical that they adopt strategies that address the inherent vulnerability of end-points.
Big Data – The report recommends a multi-year approach to Big Data security if organizations are going to use Big Data effectively. This includes a more effective and immediate mitigation of threats as well as addressing new projects. The SBIC recommends that security teams need to be involved at the ground floor when new Big Data projects are initiated to assure they are adequately managing the risks.
