As in many areas of life, the only real constant in tech and cybersecurity is change. While bad actors continue to develop new and advanced methods of attack, the cybersecurity industry must evolve to meet them and even strive to stay ahead of the curve. Even setting aside the pressure of competing with cybercriminals, technology is always moving forward in an attempt to be more efficient and more convenient, offer a better user experience, and even just to patch bugs. There is no one-and-done solution for any kind of technology, especially not for security. It is vital for organizations to approach security as something that will necessarily change over time.
What is Future-Proofing?
Future-proofing refers to “a form of strategic planning” which takes into account the fact that technology and business will always change over time, and attempts to approach business operations—including technology and cybersecurity—with a view to adapt and evolve over time. This can mean a lot of different things, depending on the company’s available resources, limitations, short- and long-term goals, and sensitive assets. When it comes to cybersecurity, it often boils down to implementing security solutions, measures, and policies that will allow for change down the line when it is needed.
Future-proofing can be driven by many different goals and areas of concern, including fostering a good customer experience, relationships with partners and stakeholders, and defending the organization against cyberattacks and accidental data breaches. No matter what a company sees as its top priorities, it is crucial to think of the longevity of the organization and attempt to preempt some of the changes that are likely to occur in the future. There are a myriad of factors to consider when planning for this, including trends in economics, cyberthreats, technology, and even political and environmental concerns.
How to Future-Proof a Business
In order to future-proof your organization, it is important to consider different angles and methods for ensuring the long-term wellbeing of the company. Many of the ways in which a business can be future-proofed are also good business practices for other reasons. Establishing strong partnerships with other companies can increase your reach and fortify your standing as an organization in the long run while also being mutually beneficial short-term. Hiring employees who are proactive and forward-thinking, working to increase customer retention rates, and using sustainable business practices can all contribute to the long-term welfare and adaptability of your organization as well as fostering a better work environment, saving money, and even increasing revenue.
Cybersecurity-minded future-proofing requires forethought regarding making security measures and practices adaptable to a variety of potential future developments. One of the most significant factors in future-proofing data loss prevention (DLP) is ensuring that your business utilizes thorough and accurate data classification and tagging practices. This can help with the long-term sustainability of your DLP solution by making it much easier to adapt certain features over time as needed, such as altering access controls and keeping up with compliance regulations. It also makes for better data for artificial intelligence (AI) to be trained on, leading to more effective AI technology down the line.
The Importance of DLP
A good future-proofing strategy and a good DLP strategy should be complementary, each feeding into the other in certain ways. Implementing and maintaining a solid DLP strategy should be a security priority at all times, but it is especially important in the context of looking toward the future. The loss of sensitive data, whether it be through theft, leakage, deletion, or corruption, due to a cyberattack or a well-intentioned employee mistake, can be massively detrimental to a company. If the data loss is particularly bad, it can even lead to the end of a company; DLP is vital to the longevity and wellbeing of the business.
Similarly, future-proofing measures can also fortify your security posture and supplement the DLP solutions that work for your company. By dedicating effort and resources to ensuring that your technology is able to change to suit your needs, you make it easier to maintain strong security over time. It is important to employ technology that can scale, adapt, and easily integrate to avoid technological incompatibilities leaving gaps in your security strategy. If your devices, networks, and software are able to work with and mold to future developments, you may prevent attacks that take advantage of out-of-date technology and unprotected areas.
Conclusion
In order to maintain the wellbeing of your business in the long term, it is essential to consider the future in all areas of decision-making. Technology changes quickly and cybercriminals are always searching for innovative ways to outsmart current security measures, so companies must also consider how to adapt to changes in the threat landscape over time. A solid DLP strategy is important to the longevity of a business, both to prevent attacks and to keep data conveniently accessible to authorized parties in the long run.
