Five worthy reads is a regular column on five noteworthy items we’ve discovered while researching trending and timeless topics. This week, we are exploring the concept of digital immune systems and why they are needed more than ever to ensure the resilience of our interconnected digital infrastructure in the ever-evolving technological landscape.
When was the last time you went through a whole month without stumbling upon news about some massive security breach? Even organizations with the most advanced security measures aren’t immune to these hacks. The harsh reality is that no firewall is impenetrable, and hackers are always looking for that one loose end. This means we need to be on high alert all the time. Enter the concept of digital immune systems (DISs).
A DIS can be defined as a comprehensive amalgamation of cybersecurity measures, technologies, and a framework designed to detect, respond to, and mitigate cyberthreats in real time. The term was coined due to its similarity to our biological immune systems that work around the clock to defend our bodies against infections, bacteria, and—you guessed it—viruses.
If DISs are something you have never heard of, now might be a good time. Apart from predicting that the DIS is going to be one of the many emerging technologies that come (and go), Gartner also believes that “by 2025, organizations that invest in building digital immunity will increase customer satisfaction by decreasing downtime by 80%.” When you think about this in terms of money, an 80% decrease in downtime matters a lot. Downtime can cost your organization about $9,000 per minute or $540,000 per hour. So, there are some sound reasons to understand and delve into this topic.
You might ask, “But why exactly do I need to understand yet another new trend in our ever-evolving realm of cybersecurity technologies?” In this blog, we try to demystify the concept of digital immunity and its crucial role in safeguarding your privacy and fortifying organizational resilience. Prepare to dive into the nitty-gritty of digital immunity with our handpicked selection of five insightful articles. Discover why now is the best time to enhance your digital immunity for combating relentless cyberthreats and ensuring a secure digital landscape.
1. What Is a Digital Immune System and Why Does It Matter?
As one of the first organizations to use the term extensively, Gartner provides a comprehensive overview of DISs in this article. It covers the basics of what a DIS is, why it matters for individuals and organizations, and what the prerequisites are for building resilient digital immunity. This article is a great starting point for anyone who is new to the concept of DISs.
2. How Organizations Can Strengthen Their Digital Immune Systems
This Forbes article argues that the number and cost of cyberattacks are increasing, and that traditional security measures are no longer sufficient. Organizations need to strengthen their digital immunity by having visibility into digital assets, including their IT infrastructure and cloud-based applications. The author also suggests ways for organizations to adopt a defense-in-depth approach to cybersecurity, urging companies to implement a variety of security controls rather than rely on a single solution.
3. Building Future-Ready Digital Immune Systems
This article describes a DIS as “the heart and soul of your technology backbone.” A DIS helps organizations identify vulnerabilities, reduce technical debt, and translate these security risks into performing assets. This piece also emphasizes four key areas to focus on to build a strong DIS, such as decreasing open-source risks, developing robust cloud migration roadmaps, improving software engineering processes, and modernizing IT infrastructure.
4. Cyber-Resilience On the Cloud by Adopting Digital Immune System and CNAPP
This article discusses the importance of cyber resilience and DISs in cloud security. On the one hand, a DIS is an automated defense mechanism that helps organizations anticipate cyberattacks, identify vulnerabilities, and take preventative measures. A cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP), on the other hand, is a comprehensive security framework for cloud-native applications that uses Everything as Code for secure-by-default implementation in DevOps. By combining a DIS with a CNAPP, an organization can create a more secure, resilient cloud environment.
5. Insights: the driving force behind a digital immune system
This article takes a unique angle on DISs and cyber resilience by touching upon an often-overlooked concept: insights. Insights are data-driven, actionable pieces of information that help us truly understand the cyberthreats we constantly face. Clear insights lay the foundation for the most appropriate decision-making and can be used to improve a DIS’s effectiveness. Considering the volatile, evolving threat landscape, being equipped with insights to identify patterns of malicious activity and to develop mitigation strategies might just be the saving grace for organizations after all.
In today’s cyber landscape, safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining trust are paramount for businesses. By establishing a robust DIS, they can shield their valuable data, preserve operational continuity, and fortify customer confidence. Top-notch protection against cybercriminals has become a priority, making a DIS an essential shield for businesses in the digital age.
Great Article