Security monitoring technology, with its continuous data analysis and incident response capabilities, plays a pivotal role in safeguarding a company’s digital assets. However, its significance extends beyond just cybersecurity. Tony Walt, co-founder and director of Port443, explains how comprehensive cyber security monitoring, including security information monitoring (SIM) and security event monitoring (SEM), often combined as SIEM, can offer valuable insights to various business departments, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.
Modern SIEM and SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) platforms, enriched with user and entity behavior analytics, monitor user accounts and devices actively participating in the system. This data goes beyond security alerts, shedding light on user and network behavior patterns across the organisation.
Walt highlights five departments, aside from IT security, that can benefit significantly from security monitoring:
- Human Resources (HR): Security monitoring provides transparency for HR’s time and attendance tracking. It allows for efficient monitoring of employees working in-office or remotely, enhances security for remote workers, and aids with offering more personal employee support without compromising sensitive data.
- IT Department: Security monitoring helps identify and address the issue of rogue or “shadow IT.” With comprehensive visibility into the environment, IT can reduce vulnerabilities, improve endpoint detection and response, and eliminate unauthorised applications and services.
- Finance and Business Management: By analysing system and software usage, monitoring supports IT and software asset management by revealing redundant systems, unnecessary subscriptions, and wasted licensing. This aids in compliance and cost control.
- Marketing: Marketing departments can leverage security monitoring’s visibility to assess campaign responses and validate them. Understanding traffic patterns can distinguish between genuine responses and those generated by bots.
- Operations and Site Management: Automated monitoring and alerts assist operations and site management by providing early warnings during disruptions like load shedding. It also helps in identifying insecure connected devices and IoT sensors, mitigating associated risks.
Walt concludes that cybersecurity is no longer an isolated department but a modern business enabler. Its benefits extend to every department within the organisation, emphasising the importance of implementing the right cybersecurity tools to enhance overall efficiency and reduce costs.
