You can’t grow trust on a rocky infrastructure

There is an explosion of personal data about what we buy, where we go, and what we watch. We trust the custodians of our data to ensure it is not breached or used irresponsibly. But not all organizations that store and process sensitive customer data are fully aware that a chink in infrastructure can break our digital trust.  

Mitigating risk that threatens digital trust is a challenge. According to a recent IDC¹ Infobrief, respondents identified security as the top risk to digital trust. Striking a balance between ‘data utility,’ where it is accessible, complete, and timely, and data privacy, including data flows across hybrid clouds, the edge, and on-premises infrastructures, are fundamental.  

A trusted, distributed infrastructure must be flexible and scalable, allowing for agility without compromising on security. At the same time, it must enable enterprises to comply with changing data regulations and best practices. Capabilities should match the sensitivity of the data. Suppose it protects critical business data, sensitive consumer information, or intellectual property. In that case, enterprises need to be able to rely on a partner like Orange Business to provide a robust infrastructure and end-to-end trusted cloud services.  

Keeping business secure is getting harder 

It is paramount that enterprises strike a balance between ensuring data is accessible, complete, and timely for smart decision-making and data flows. This includes protecting data across hybrid clouds, the edge, and on-premises infrastructures. With the adoption of multiple data-producing applications, data visibility is vital. This is the degree of ease enterprises can monitor, look at and analyze data from different sources. Enterprises cannot expect to protect what they cannot see. 

Regarding hybrid cloud networking, enterprises are advised to use peer-to-peer encryption as part of mutual security responsibilities with cloud providers. This approach protects data as it is transmitted between users, making it much more difficult for malicious actors to intercept and steal sensitive data. It also gives business users greater confidence that their data is being secured. Use automation to minimize errors and put tight access controls in place. 

Remember, no enterprise is immune from a cyber-attack. It is not an if but when scenario. Enterprises must ensure they have continuity procedures considering each application’s downtime cost.    

A zero-trust approach is also becoming standard as enterprises realize that threats exist inside and outside the network. Zero trust focuses on identity verification. If a person is looking to access data held on-premises or in the cloud, they can only do so if they have the proper privileges. A zero-trust architecture continuously monitors and validates – trusting no one. 

As well as shoring up defenses, a zero-trust approach helps ensure compliance considering increasing data privacy regulations.   

Enterprises are increasingly relying on interconnectedness and the easy sharing of information. A solid security posture imparts trust in customers and partners and provides greater operational resilience. 

It is not just about building a robust infrastructure. The infrastructure is constantly evolving, and enterprises must stay one step ahead of the latest technologies and threat vectors to enable their businesses to adapt quickly to change and customer demands. 

To find out more, sign up for the Orange Business Webinar here.

^{[1] IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by Orange Business, A Framework to Earn and Sustain Customer Trust, Mitigate Risk, and Drive Revenue Growth, #EUR150405923, June 2023}