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    Listen Up CIOs and CISOs: Are You Ready for What’s Coming?

    In a world without walls, protecting highly sensitive files and data is much harder than it used to be. Ultimately, today’s CIOs must operate with the philosophy that leaks will happen, that the perimeter is inherently porous and sensitive user data will travel, whether they like it or not. Not to mention, forcing employees into a restrictive workflow is a losing proposition that runs the risk of pushing users to go rogue. Just look at the industry that has sprung up around protecting against shadow IT.

    In the face of this reality, the question becomes, what should be top of mind for CIOs and CISOs everywhere? With 2014 dubbed the year of the data breach, and the severity of attacks already intensifying in 2015, Robin Daniels, chief marketing officer at Veradocs, has outlined five unique strategies for both CIOs and CISOs to innovate, excel and inspire change to protect both the enterprise and individuals from the inevitable — even after the inevitable happens.

    Robin Daniels is the chief marketing officer at Veradocs, a data security company that enables businesses and end-users to easily secure, track and share digital information across all platforms and devices. Robin is a prominent advocate and expert on enterprise software, security technologies, and cloud and mobile computing and how it is transforming enterprises and the software industry. Before coming to Veradocs, Robin led enterprise marketing at Box, growing the company over 5x. Having worked in the tech industry for over 15 years for leading companies such as Salesforce, Veritas and Vignette, Robin has extensive knowledge in the areas of cloud computing, enterprise software, collaboration technologies, and business innovation. He can be reached via Twitter at @Robin_Daniels.

    Listen Up CIOs and CISOs: Are You Ready for What's Coming? - slide 1

    Enterprise Security Strategies

    Click through for five stratgies CIOs and CISOs can use to help keep their organizations safer, as identified by Robin Daniels, chief marketing officer at Veradocs.

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    Make Security Everyone’s Business

    Both CIOs and CISOs must be aware of all enterprise vulnerabilities and stand ready to powerfully enable employees to communicate, act and share securely. Because of the recent hacks on Anthem, Sony, Target, and Home Depot, every company is waking up to the fact that they not only have to be a technology company, but that they also have to become a data security company in order to be competitive with other players in their market. Bottom line: everyone handling enterprise data across the company must be equipped to do so, and be held accountable every step of the way.

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    Cyber Risk = Business Risk

    Enterprise data security is tied directly to a company’s bottom line, as shown by reports indicating Sony’s $15 million price tag for the hack and Sony Pictures Co-Chair Amy Pascal’s decision to step down. When all is said and done, sensitive information revealed during the Sony hack is expected to cost the company billions of dollars. Security breaches are not just exposures of a series of numbers lying motionless in a database. They are invasions of the valued trust of your customers and users, they are invasions of personal information, and they often cost millions in revenue loss. Investments in innovative security solutions should be a regular line item and seen as integral to keeping a business healthy.

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    Be the Change Agent

    CIOs are in the limelight nowadays, namely thanks to the negative, panic-inducing sentiments around the overall uptick in cybercrime across the world. “Be the change you want to see” is a cliché that rings true here, as more and more IT executives are in the position to proactively prevent malicious attacks and inspire others to do the same. CIOs and CISOs alike will succeed in the age of cloud computing and BYOD by assuming a position of influence and ensuring a security model that enables employees to enjoy a non-disruptive, but protected user experience. You can have the strongest security in the world, but if no one uses it, it’s really not secure at all.

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    Have a Business-Centric Vision

    Data is the DNA of a business, with a business only being as healthy as the security processes protecting it. This needs to be articulated over and over to executives, employees and stakeholders in order to plainly outline a comprehensive vision for the future of the company’s data security strategy with an actionable game plan ready for implementation. Business leaders respond when the vision is clear and measurable, and employees adhere to guidelines that are direct and user-friendly.

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    Anticipate a ‘Cyber 9/11’

    Last, but definitely not least, every CIO must proactively build out a crisis plan that covers all aspects of necessary responses to even the worst case scenarios. Consider the recent hack on Anthem Inc., the country’s second biggest health insurer, in which tens of millions of medical records were stolen. Though cyber attacks are prevalent and growing in severity, they are (in almost all cases) avoidable if effective policies are in place. Better yet, this is a chance to explore new and innovative security technologies created specifically for the evolving risks and threats of a mobile, cloud-dominated world.

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