Human or Technology – which is best for a secure infrastructure?

When it comes to the secure infrastructure of any business, regardless of size, it’s paramount that it has the highest quality IT security in place to protect your company and its data.

As threats are many and varied, there is a myriad of possible solutions, some end-to-end and some which work best in tandem with other compatible solutions.

But can you completely trust technology to secure your business better than a human security team? Or is a personal response from employees the best way forward?

Human-based security

There are different cybersecurity requirements for every business. It can be based on size, internal/external endpoints, global reach, public profile and the value of its data assets to cybercriminals. However, the core considerations remain the same. These include firewalls, patch management, secure configuration, user access control and malware protection – the ‘Cyber Essentials’.

Your employees need to be constantly aware of these core cyber essentials and be educated on how to address any problems that arise. The best way to address this is by creating a dedicated security centre within your organisation. A specialised workforce focusing on threat detection and response allows all other employees to focus exclusively on their tasks.

If this workforce is not regularly informed and trained to respond to evolving cybersecurity threats and if they are not monitoring your systems 24/7, your business could be at even greater risk than before. In other words, having a security team may lull you into a false sense of security, especially if they are not working around the clock at maximum efficiency.

There will also always remain a certain amount of human error when solely relying on employee security responses. Nearly half of enterprises have suffered when their own employees have hidden cyber incidents, either due to ignorance or fear of admitting fault.

Technology-based security

Using specialised IT security software can relieve some of your employees' burdens, especially when using endpoint security solutions. These tailored products protect endpoints and entry points, such as laptops and servers, internal and external, permanent on-site and BYOD, from malware and cyber-attacks.

These systems protect all devices on your network, so your employees don’t have to. They work by authenticating log-in attempts, blocking the use of applications deemed unsafe, and using encryption to stop data loss, among other things.

Going one step further, introducing detection and response software to your infrastructure means it can actively monitor, detect and respond to increasingly advanced cyber-attacks. These products are designed to spot threats that your employees may not. And unlike your employees, they work tirelessly 24X7 to ensure all-around protection for your business.

Furthermore, these solutions can be either on-premise or work within the cloud, limiting the physical space needed to incorporate them and removing another vulnerability.

Working in tandem for the best secure infrastructure

But actually, neither is strictly the answer. Integrating people and technology is the best way to create the most secure infrastructure. Welding them into a security infrastructure that provides total end-to-end protection for your business.

While your employees need regular, comprehensive threat assessments and training, using a third-party Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service adds a different level of security.  MDR can dovetail with your own resources. Utilising an outsourced security team or external hardware and software infrastructures that are dedicated to fighting cyber threats.

MDRs are an excellent example of how to combine technology and human resources to form a flexible, all-in-one security solution seamlessly.

Cybersecurity is a complex landscape that is constantly evolving – and cyber criminals and their threats never sleep. To keep pace with the challenges, talk to one of our experts on an initial discussion (no charge). Complete our contact form or call 0207 685 7890 (select Option 1).

You’ll learn how people AND technology make the most secure infrastructure.