What is Secure Digital Transformation?
The term digital transformation refers to the process of incorporating computer-based technologies into an organization’s products, processes, and strategies. A secure digital transformation can be thought of as an approach to digital transformation that focuses on processes and strategies that will ensure that the digital transformation will be carried out in such a way that security is prioritized, and security vulnerabilities are minimized. Before embarking on a digital transformation, however large or small, it is recommended that organizations consider what can be done to ensure that the digital transformation is the right fit for your organization, and that the digital transformation is secure. The following steps can guide your process:
Establish reasons for digital transformation. It is important to understand why a digital transformation is necessary in order to make appropriate implementation decisions. Some clues that a digital transformation may be warranted:
- More user traffic bound for cloud services than data centers
- More workloads running in clouds than data centers
- More SaaS applications are in use than those hosted locally
- More work is performed off of the network than on the network
- Business is fragmented
- Information does not flow smoothly and easily across departments
Establish a secure digital transformation process. Establish leadership for the transformation, ensure security vulnerabilities are considered at every stage of the process, and make certain that stakeholders are well-defined and included in assessments, as third parties often pose security risks through their own security weaknesses and lapses.
Collaborate with stakeholders. Engage with stakeholders to create a digital transformation plan that considers their unique objectives and preferences. Considering the unique security requirements of stakeholders ensures that the digital transformation will be secure for all parties, and it also builds trust as all interested parties have had their voices heard.
Design an integrated approach. A secure digital transformation that minimizes disruption to business can be achieved using an integrated approach with the following features:
- Cloud-delivered security infrastructure can consolidate network, cloud, and endpoint log data and can keep track of the data for analytics.
- Big data and machine learning can combat security threats by recognizing abnormal network activity and reacting quickly.
- Automated processes can take over tasks that do not require human supervision, such as automated threat detection.
Search for the right solutions for you. The right solutions for your organization should be selected by considering the unique needs of your organization, its stakeholders, and organizational and stakeholder security requirements. Just because a solution works for a similar organization, that does not mean that it will meet your needs or security requirements.