Your Enterprise Cybersecurity Solutions Guide

Tarsus Distribution works with you to help protect your business with an advanced and integrated portfolio of enterprise security products and services, infused with AI and a modern approach to your security strategy using zero trust principles - helping you thrive in the face of uncertainty. In this article, we guide you through what enterprise cybersecurity is and why a solid plan is needed to protect your business. 

The cybersecurity business challenge is compounded by the fact that cyber threats have to be looked at within the larger business context. The reality is cyber threats are just one of many threats against the business and, from a budget perspective, are relatively small threats. Therefore, the enterprise has to prioritise limited resources to get the best possible security for the available budget.

Covered In This Article

What Is Enterprise Cybersecurity?
The Risks To Business Without A Security Solution
The Importance of Enterprise Cybersecurity Governance
Aligning Third Parties and Supply Chains
Enterprise Cybersecurity Foundations
How Tarsus Distribution Can Assist With Enterprise Cybersecurity Solutions

What Is Enterprise Cybersecurity?

Enterprise security is a multi-faceted concern that includes both the internal or proprietary business secrets of a company as well as the employee and customer data related to privacy laws. Enterprise security is increasingly in focus as major international companies such as Facebook, Yahoo!, and Equifax has all faced large fines and government intervention due to the loss of sensitive customer data to hackers.

Enterprise security is focused on data centre, networking, and web server operations in practice, but technically begins with human resources. Social engineering is the root cause of as many as two-thirds of all successful hacking attacks according to some security researchers. In social engineering attacks, weaknesses in human nature, employee integrity, or personal gullibility are exploited by attackers to gain access to a network or data resources. Phishing attacks via email encourage employees to click on links that download and install malware. In Vishing (voice or VoIP phishing) attacks, hackers exploit voice conversations over the telephone with various employees to attain insider information that leads to a compromise in network security such as password information.

Smishing (SMS phishing), baiting, spearfishing, and water holing are all related hacking techniques based on social engineering processes. These attack vectors can compromise even the most robust network security systems and can only be countered through increased employee awareness through training, vetting, and screening. For more answers to security-related questions, click here.

The Risks To Business Without A Security Solution

The importance of enterprise security can be illustrated by looking at the role of encryption in internet communications. When an email is sent, or a user password is entered to log in to a website, the data is transferred point-to-point through a series of third-party channels. At this point it could potentially be intercepted and read by malicious users with unauthorised access unless encrypted.

The threat includes unauthorised agents using packet sniffing software installed on the telecom network, the ISP, or local Wi-Fi channels. Although the value of information sent over these connections may vary, no enterprise company or other complex organsation would be willing to have their trade secrets, client communication, and internal discussions monitored by third parties with malicious intent on open channels.

The ability to access unencrypted passwords and login information can compromise not only individual accounts and data but also an entire corporate network if an intruder gains data center access.

The Importance of Enterprise Cybersecurity Governance

Enterprise security governance is a company's strategy for reducing the risk of unauthorised access to information technology systems and data. Enterprise security governance activities involve the development, institutionalisation, assessment and improvement of an organisation's enterprise risk management (ERM) and security policies.

Governance of enterprise security includes determining how various business units, personnel, executives and staff should work together to protect an organisation's digital assets, ensure data loss prevention and protect the organisation's public reputation.

Aligning Third Parties and Supply Chains

As cyber breaches and attacks mount, top managers of corporations in every sector are looking into the sources of their vulnerabilities, including the third parties and supply chains that make their businesses possible. In the wake of high-profile events such as the recent Sunburst malware attack, however, chief information officers (CIOs) and chief information security officers (CISOs) are being deluged with conflicting messages. The Sunburst attack proved that enterprise environments and third-party capabilities are interpenetrated and indistinguishable. Attackers are opportunistic, adapting to whatever foothold they can gain, no matter the source.

Enterprises need to examine operations realistically to determine their most likely forms of attack. New exposures from acquisitions or sales of business units need to be addressed. Attacks can come in the form of advanced persistent threats from nation-states, ransomware operations, cyber theft, industrial espionage, or malicious actions by individuals (insider or outsider threats).

The most viable enterprise-security strategies have to address the several dimensions of the threat environment, each of which is subject to change, sometimes dramatically, at any point in time:

• the nature of attackers and their most likely tactics
• the nature of the current and imminent enterprise-security environment
• the nature of the business, including acquisitions, operations, market conditions, partners, and competitors
  
  

Enterprise Cybersecurity Foundations

A solid foundation is the basis of a functional and secure enterprise protection structure. It is important that corporations meet these foundations head-on and ensure that they are as solid as possible.

Endpoint

Endpoint security is the practice of securing endpoints or entry points of end-user devices such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices from being exploited by malicious actors and campaigns. Endpoint security systems protect these endpoints on a network or in the cloud from cybersecurity threats. Endpoint security has evolved from traditional antivirus software to providing comprehensive protection from sophisticated malware and evolving zero-day threats.

Network

Network security is the protection of the underlying networking infrastructure from unauthorised access, misuse, or theft. It involves creating a secure infrastructure for devices, applications, users, and applications to work in a secure manner.

Data Protection

Data protection is the process of safeguarding important information from corruption, compromise, or loss. The importance of data protection increases as the amount of data created and stored continues to grow at unprecedented rates. There is also little tolerance for downtime which can make it impossible to access important information.

How Tarsus Distribution Can Assist With Enterprise Cybersecurity Solutions

With the demand for so many layers of protection, Tarsus Distribution takes a consultative approach to ensure your clients’ pain points are addressed. We partner with resellers to help them develop roadmaps to protect their clients’ businesses for years to come. Not only do we have a large South African and African footprint, but we also have an in-house team of cybersecurity experts as well as strong relationships with vendors to make sure you’ve got the expertise you need at affordable prices.