Organisations both large and small are striving to understand their people better so they can give them more opportunity to be productive and put into their hands the technology that they need, and are familiar with in their daily lives. That kind of tech is good morale and productivity, and is great for a company’s bottom line.

There’s an ulterior motive, too. If your business fails to keep pace with innovation, you’ll ultimately be left behind.

It was in last year’s, rather than 2019’s ‘O2 Future Trends’ report, that the futurist Graeme Codrington said: “Within two years, if you are not mobile-first (which naturally implies cloud-first) you might be too far behind the curve to catch up… We can expect that tomorrow’s employees will expect to be able to use the same level of technology at their workplace as they do at home. That means mobile-first, AI, natural language processing and staying always connected.

“We joke about how Wi-Fi should now be the foundation layer for Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. But the time is coming when transport, work, medical treatment and civil liberties are all so reliant on the internet that connectivity will be as much a human right as running water and electricity. Now is the time to seriously question the legacy IT investments that are holding you and your people back, because waiting is a costly game. Implementation cycles are being shortened from five years to five months, because of the risk of obsolescence over time.”

A landscape of growing threat

Sadly, as companies empower their people more and unlock the good that the cloud and mobile advancements have to offer, there are those out there using the self-same technologies for their own ill gains.

“In 2017 hackers made a lot of easy money and caused huge disruption as a result of UK business missing the basics when it comes to securing data. Most of the breaches I read about in the press could have been easily prevented by taking a more proactive approach to cyber security and following the government’s guidelines,” wrote Dean Thomson, cyber security specialist at O2.

Whether it’s ransomware, malware, cyber crime, physical theft or something else – it feels like a new threat emerges every day. The media is littered with horror stories about data breaches, security blunders and tech tales of woe, so how can you avoid being next – and keep your people happy?

Follow the money

Security is big business. Analyst firm IDC predicts spending on security software, hardware and services will reach $120 billion by 2020. That’s a lot of money going towards fighting a real and growing problem.

«Three overarching trends are driving security spending: a dynamic threat landscape, increasing regulatory pressures, and architectural changes spurred by digital transformation initiatives,» said Sean Pike, IDC’s Security Products and Legal, Risk, and Compliance programme vice president.

Ultimately, the more we adopt mobile technology in our personal lives, the more we’ve come to expect these same technologies to make our lives easier when we’re at work. Implement technology in the right way and businesses should see a positive outcome across the board.

“Digital workplaces are good for employees, good for customers and good for profits.” said Emma Thompson, Head of Technology and Telecoms Business Partnership Team, UK Government Cabinet Office in O2’s Futures summary 2019.

Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for digital transformation. It means different things to different businesses, but one aspect that’s fundamentally important is security. For instance, an organisation that becomes mobile first will need an agile infrastructure to allow its people to work and collaborate from anywhere.

This also requires end-to-end security, with each part of a company secure – whether that’s a server at head office or a member of staff using a work smartphone on an overseas business trip.

A big problem for business of all sizes

Whether you’re a large or small business – or any size in between – security has to be front of mind. Like taking out an insurance policy you hope you never need, it’s a must.

It’s a dilemma. Ultimately, we need technology. Its benefits far outweigh any negatives and it makes a very real difference to businesses and individuals alike.

However, in order to reap the rewards rather than be exposed to the risks, we have to tread carefully. To help, here is our guide to what you really need to consider when it comes to workplace security.

Click to view the above workplace security guide infographic full size

Do the following…

Do: Utilise two-factor authentication

Many employees actually like two-factor authentication as it helps if they forget their passwords as well as protecting what the company holds dear. By ensuring two verification steps need to be followed before granting access, you are reducing the chances of unauthorised access.

“Two-factor authentication may not be quite the security silver bullet it was once thought to be, but it’s still an important area of security and access control to keep in mind when obtaining and setting up services for your business or personal life,” according to an IT Pro article on the subject.

“The more hurdles you can put in the hackers’ way, the less likely they are to target you.”

Do: Look at both WAN and LAN

Devices that have connectivity can become dangerous in the wrong hands. That’s why it’s so important to focus on all network security elements – from LAN to WAN and beyond.

O2 was the first mobile operator to achieve CAS(T) certification (the government standard for secure communications), to validate the financial and human resource effort placed into security to protect the businesses that rely on it.

Do: Embrace behavioural analytics

By taking advantage of Big Data platforms and sophisticated technologies such as Machine Learning, behavioural analytics looks at user activity to try and identify and stop insider threats. For example, employees who are able to interpret behavioural analytics can spot potential security breaches by looking at who is accessing various network assets, how often and what devices they are using to communicate with.

Do: Focus on endpoint protection

The majority (around 70%) of businesses in the UK still rely on signature-based detection to fend off malware and ransomware attacks, according to O2’s Dean Thomson. This, simply, isn’t good enough, he says.

“It’s time to deploy next generation endpoint protection that uses behavioural analysis to detect and stop malicious activity. This technology will also go a long way in helping to protect against chip based exploits such as Meltdown and Spectre,” Thomson added.

Do: Ensure you focus on the knowns and unknowns

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and it’s easy to try and learn from what’s happened in the past to try and affect what may happen in the future. But, while it’s good to learn from experience, organisations must remember that the threats that expose our weak spots need the same amount, if not more, attention.

Do: Embrace evolving behaviours

With new threats emerging all the time, it’s important not to stand still when it comes to security. Be prepared for every possible eventuality and respond accordingly.

The most dangerous threats to your business are the ones lying dormant waiting to activate. There’s no place for complacency when it comes to workplace security. And, while people are your biggest and best asset, where security is concerned, they are also your biggest allies.

Don’t do the following…

Don’t: Shut people out

People need to feel valued and listened to. And there’s no greater way of showing you’ve been listening than answering their needs. So when you’re implementing any new technology, don’t do it without first talking to those who will end up using it. Get your people on board early on to help educate them on being security aware.

Don’t: Get the balance wrong

When it comes to accessibility boundaries and rules, there needs to be the right balance between tech security and tech freedom. Use it in the right way, tailored to how people work – with the right security in place – and technology can help unlock employees’ potential.

Don’t: Allow unauthorised devices on the company network

In the same way you wouldn’t allow any uninvited guests into your house, the same goes for your business. Many larger organisations may have this covered, but if a smaller business is keeping an eye on costs then unauthorised devices could slip through the net. In this case, ensure you maintain an audit of company issued devices as well as making sure employees understand the responsibility they hold every time they connect their personal devices to your corporate network.

Don’t: Think you can do it alone

No one really understands your business as well as you do, but you’re not expected to have all the answers. That’s why it’s important to work with your trusted partners to reinforce your defences. When it comes to security management, a third-party engagement can make a great deal of sense.

“Don’t waste money on trying to build and tool your own Security Operations Centre, instead outsource the problem to the experts,” according to Thomson.

“The costs for managed security services have come down considerably in the last year and it is far more secure to use a SOC that can see threats that are not just targeting your own business. There’s strength in numbers. We’re here to help if you need us.”

In conclusion

Technology is only one part of the puzzle when it comes to effective security; but ultimately, your people are the best defence. That’s why it’s important not only to educate employees on all the dangers, but also get them onside with your security strategy.

“Don’t let’s talk about the technology as if it’s the technology’s fault that we’ve
gotten better or worse at anything. It’s about how we choose to use the tools we’ve got,” Codrington added.

A business’s biggest asset is its people, and equipping them with the right technology to unlock their productivity is key. If an organisation and its people are always going to be connected, they need to be able to work on any device, collaborate with colleagues and access data and apps securely wherever they are.

When it comes to security, it’s often said, that you’re only as strong as your weakest link. So, make sure you strengthen those defences and continue to invest in them as the threats evolve. Together, it’s far easier to stand up to the many against threats and stop them rather than taking them on alone.

Discover how O2’s technology is helping businesses empower their workforce.

Data management company Rubrik was found to have an unsecured server that exposed, in some cases, sensitive client information.

The server itself wasn’t password protected which meant that anyone who knew the location of the server could access it, according to TechCrunch. It held tens of gigabytes of data including client names, email addresses, email signatures and their case work.

Rubrik, which is valued at $3.3 billion, has some incredibly high-profile clients whose information was on the exposed database which include Deloitte, Shell and the NHS among others.

It wasn’t just the high-profile clients that belonged on the database, all of its corporate clients resided on there and the database was indexed on Shodan, a search engine for exposed devices and databases.

In addition to the names and contact details, contents of emails relating to issues and complaints between clients and Rubrik were also stored on the dedicated client portion of the exposed server. Some emails also included sensitive information about Rubrik’s clients’ setup and configuration.

Rubrik has said it took the database offline within an hour of becoming alerted to the issue, the data from which dated back to October 2018 according to email timestamps.

«While building a new solution for customer support, a sandbox environment containing a subset of our customer corporate contact information and support interaction data was potentially accessible for a brief period of time,» said a spokesperson for Rubrik. «We rectified this issue immediately.»

«We also confirmed that no customer-owned data was exposed,» the spokesperson added. «Other than the security researcher who discovered this issue, no one has accessed this environment».

This comes as fairly ironic news as Rubrik recently announced that it will expand into the security and compliance market.

On that note, you may have picked up on the fact that some of Rubrik’s clients are based in Europe which means GDPR could come into play. The data giant could face a fine of up to 4% of its annual global revenue for exposing data it is responsible for.

It would be a big blow to the up-and-coming star in data management which raised $261 million from venture capital firms earlier this month and was also listed in the top 5 IPO prospects for 2019 by Mosaic Score.

A host of Microsoft’s cloud services including Azure Government Cloud and LinkedIn sustained a global authentication outage just a few days after users were blocked from accessing Office 365 in Europe.

Users in parts of Europe, the US, as well as Australia and Japan were blocked from logging into their services between 9pm GMT yesterday and the early hours of this morning due to authentication issues.

A host of Microsoft Cloud services including Dynamics 365 and Office 365, as well as US Government cloud resources, were out of action for a few hours due to problems with its authentication infrastructure.

According to the outage detection service downdetector, the issue may have affected a wide range of services including Skype, OneDrive, Office365, and Outlook.com – which all experienced spikes at roughly the same time. Users also complained across social media about difficulties logging into these platforms.

The issue, which has now been resolved, involved users attempting to log into new sessions, with the Azure status page indicating it concerned an internal DNS provider, describing the issue as ‘Level 3’ after an investigation. Microsoft says that engineers mitigated the outages by failing over CyberLink DNS services to an alternative provider.

These issues were resolved shortly after midnight this morning, but lasted at least a few hours, affecting users in predominantly the Eastern hemisphere who were getting into the crux of their working days.

The global outage arose just five days after Microsoft customers were unable to access their Office 365 accounts for a full working day in Europe.

The company confirmed on Thursday, after initially maintaining that services were running smoothly, that its cloud-powered productivity suite was experiencing difficulties, with the continental outage lasting around nine hours in total. 

This rocky start to the new year reflects a series of outages that Microsoft had sustained with its cloud services in the last few months of 2018, as the Windows-manufacturer struggled to provide 100% reliability. 

The phrase “big data” itself unnerved some of us a few years ago. And in light of recent worries concerning improper use of personal data, it’s taken on a sinister note for some. But the increasingly huge wealth of data about every aspect of life now available is one of the miracles of the connected computing era. We create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day, and that figure is also increasing daily. Despite the valid concerns about the misuse of personal data, all this information has the potential to revolutionise every area of our lives in beautifully beneficial ways.

The key ingredient is how you interpret and use all that data and we’re only just scratching the surface of what can be achieved with all the information. This is because big data is by definition beyond what traditional data-processing application software is designed to cope with. Research group Gartner’s Doug Laney coined the “3 Vs” to define big data back in 2001, standing for volume, velocity and variety. More recently variability, veracity and complexity have been suggested as additions.

What all these parameters are intended to illustrate is that it’s not just the amount of information that defines “big data”, but the speed at which it is arriving and the many different categories involved. Both the number of cases and the attributes for each one are orders of magnitude larger than previous data repositories. For example, wearables such as sports watches are collecting a wealth of information about people’s exercise habits and this often includes details like heart rates, location throughout a routine, cadences for cycling and running, and even blood oxygen levels.

Businesses now rely on the data they collect about their customers, so how this is used effectively by employees is paramount. The modern era of “digital” companies like Google, Facebook, Uber and Airbnb are more about how they use the data they collect than what they actually trade in or produce. There is a huge debate about the relationship between these kinds of companies and their users. In the case of pure data companies like Facebook, there is a more complex value exchange than traditional commerce. With the latter, the customer parts with money and receives a product or service in return.

But with a company like Facebook or Google, the end user doesn’t part with any money for the service they receive – such as social network media sharing or internet search results, email and cloud-based applications. Instead, what they exchange is their personal information. Data is the currency that users spend to receive the services provided. Regulatory frameworks like GDPR have arisen in recognition of the value of the data users part with when they access these services. However, many users don’t realise (or care) how much personal data they are giving away. The entertainment and social interaction they receive in return is sufficient to make them feel that they get more back than they spend.

All businesses collect data about their users, and whether or not users feel uncomfortable about this depends on how this information is used, as well as what they get in return. At one end of the scale, passing on personal details for third-party marketing purposes is not usually appreciated. However, the ability to use a system like Apple Pay to order a food delivery using just a thumbprint to verify identity and transfer the necessary funds is much more convenient than digging in your pocket for a credit card. Handing over your credit card details to Apple is necessary for this convenience. When this process also passes on your address details to the delivery company automatically, it’s an even more seamless experience.

This is just the smallest tip of the iceberg. Big data promises to make emerging services like car sharing meet end user needs more seamlessly. Putting aside those who own cars for enthusiast reasons, the biggest barrier preventing people from switching to car sharing from personal ownership is the fear of not having their vehicle available exactly when they need it. But accurate predictive analysis of behaviour, bringing in factors like weather, current events and even personal habits, could mean that there is always a car nearby when required, because the data analysis calculated that you would. Perhaps a little spooky, but undeniably convenient. The ability of services like Uber and Airbnb to match provision with need is already showing the potential from well-honed analysis of behavioural data. Similarly, Amazon’s grasp of supply-chain flow allows it to deliver many products the next day, or even the same day.

Over the next few years, the amount of information we share and is amassed about the world around us is set to increase exponentially. Virtually all companies can potentially benefit from collecting the right data and analysing it appropriately. Internet of Things devices, like per-room home thermostats, per-socket power consumption monitoring, health monitoring patches and connected cars with real-time tracking, are set to proliferate. These will be providing huge volumes of data and new possibilities of analysis. The relationship between health and lifestyle, for example, can be explored continually to find improvements.

The bandwidth available to wireless devices will be an order of magnitude higher, too, with 5G already being tested in the UK, for example O2’s trial at the O2 Arena in North Greenwich, London. When 5G is eventually introduced it will allow wireless data speeds up to 1,000 times faster than 4G, and promises much lower latency too. In combination with the Internet of Things revolution, 5G will further enable the exponential growth of data accumulation, particularly real-time supply from intensive sources like video surveillance.

Big data also has the power to make jobs easier for workers in critical areas such as emergency services. Police in the UK, for instance, are already using ‘predictive crime mapping’, where huge amounts of data on crime types, locations and times are processed to generate hotspot maps showing officers where crime is most likely to occur. The NHS, too, has a rich pool of patient data on which to draw. This can aid doctors in everything from recognising the warning signs of diabetes to effectively managing patient flow and ward demand during busy winter months.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this feature, there are potential dangers from all this data. But with the right safeguards and observance of regulations, the fears people have can be allayed, allowing the benefits to shine through. O2, in its business blog post “What does the future of big data look like?”, highlights how regulations like GDPR can be viewed as an opportunity for companies, rather than a threat. Testing your data for compliance should be seen as a chance to review what is being collected and how it is used, with the aim of finding untapped potential. Rather than just being an unwanted extra cost, this process can truly uncover the beautiful future possibilities of big data.

Discover how O2’s technology is helping businesses empower their workforce.