Telecom & Technology Consulting
Today’s CIOs and CTOs have more responsibility than ever before. They’re not only charged with leading the organization’s technology initiatives, they must also align everything they do with overall business strategies. And with so much to juggle, they can assume that certain elements don’t require their immediate attention. This mindset can have major security, financial, and legal implications.
For example, a rapidly increasing amount of enterprises are deploying AI agents to leverage the efficiency of automation. The potential downside, however, is that this strategy poses a real cybersecurity challenge regarding identity controls. Cyber thieves can bypass controls and access networks and applications.
Leaders can’t afford to be complacent about this issue. Solutions include providing each team member with their own account, multi-factor authentication, system access for only as long as required, and passwords that change automatically.
A related measure is to create AI-agent governance into everyday workflows. This allows staff to work quickly without losing control. A sample implementation could include requiring multi-factor authentication for administrators, elevated privileges that expire by default, and registering each agent with specific policies.
Be sure to keep a close eye on supply chains, which seem to become more complex every week. Supply chains present a great amount of risk, especially for manufacturing, retail, and logistics organizations. There are now many potential entry points to the network – remember, gone are the days where a company only has a single physical operation. There are now a global number of interconnected suppliers and cloud-based production systems. One breach at one location can devastate the entire operation.
Speaking of global issues, it’s a common belief that business and politics don’t mix – or shouldn’t be mixed. But leaders can’t ignore how geo-political events and trends can affect their organizations. Indeed, whether it’s an upcoming election in another continent or cybersecurity threats, the intersection of world events and commerce can manifest in real challenges. Leaders must incorporate geopolitical intelligence into not just security plans, but also how they might need to adjust for potential regulatory, supply chain, and reputational consequences.
The cloud as a concept has been around long enough that leaders can be lax about its associated security and privacy risks. Don’t ignore that. Cloud services and AI tools are often cross-pollinated, so it’s critical to develop an appropriate and modern level of security awareness for the matter. In addition, poor or inadequate training for cloud administrators leaves them without understanding proper cloud security practices and procedures. Cloud education should be a priority for every organization.
Compliance is another area that leaders can overlook or underestimate. But companies, especially those in heavily regulated industries like financial services and healthcare, must comply with myriad data privacy and protection laws. Dismissing the seriousness of these regulations can result in large fines and other consequences.
There is also immense risk when underestimating the potential legal problems associated with AI chatbots, which can create complaints about data privacy. For example, there have been many claims alleging unlawful interception of customer conversations, the argument being that the chat’s initial message should state that conversations are recorded. To avoid legal ramifications, organizations must be crystal clear about their data privacy policies and eliminate any ambiguity on the part of the user.
Perhaps most importantly, tech leaders must be continually aware that systems, software, and automation can only go so far. They have to keep in mind the human factor. This is especially important with cybersecurity, where breaches often occur due to human error. Even the most experienced and savvy employee can be tricked into clicking the wrong link or opening the wrong email.
The solution isn’t always about implementing more technology, it’s about offering more education and training. Tech leaders already have a lot on their plate, but it’s imperative to add another item to the list: challenge your assumptions.
