In 2023, over 75% of cyber incidents targeting critical infrastructure were traced back to unknown or unmanaged assets. Yet, most OT environments still operate without complete asset visibility. Unlike IT networks, where asset inventories are well-established, OT environments often rely on legacy systems, proprietary protocols, and air-gapped assumptions—leaving security teams blind to potential risks.

If you don’t know what’s connected to your network, how can you secure it?

A recent study by the Ponemon Institute found that 65% of industrial organisations lack real-time visibility into their OT assets, increasing the risk of cyber threats and operational disruptions. In one case, a global manufacturing firm suffered a $140 million loss when a single vulnerable PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) was exploited in a ransomware attack, bringing production to a halt for two weeks. These incidents illustrate why asset discovery is not just an operational necessity—it’s a security imperative.

The average time a hacker goes undetected in an Operational Technology (OT) environment can vary significantly. However, some reports suggest that the average “dwell time” for attackers in general environments can range from 11 days to 287 days.

(In OT environments, the detection time can be longer due to the specialised nature of these systems and the potential lack of advanced monitoring tools. This extended dwell time allows attackers to conduct extensive reconnaissance, move laterally within the network, and potentially cause significant damage before being detected.)

Why Asset Discovery is the Foundation of OT Security

Operational Technology (OT) networks underpin critical infrastructure—from energy grids to hospitals and manufacturing plants. However, these environments were not designed with modern cybersecurity threats in mind. The convergence of IT and OT has amplified the risks, making asset visibility the first line of defence against cyber threats.

 Key Challenges in OT Asset Management:

• Legacy Systems & Proprietary Protocols– Many OT devices were never designed to be monitored in real-time, making it difficult for traditional IT security tools to detect them. Many industrial systems still rely on Windows XP or older, unsupported firmware, making them prime targets for exploitation.
• Lack of Integration with IT Security Tools– OT environments often exist in silos, disconnected from broader security operations. Traditional IT-based asset management solutions struggle to interpret OT-specific communication protocols like Modbus, DNP3, and SCADA systems, leaving security teams with blind spots.
• Regulatory Mandates– Governments are ramping up pressure on critical infrastructure providers to improve security. The Australian Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act requires organisations to maintain robust security postures, including asset visibility and risk assessments. Non-compliance can result in significant fines and legal implications, as seen in recent enforcement actions against non-compliant energy providers.

The Business & Security Risks of OT Blind Spots

Without complete asset discovery, organisations expose themselves to:

• Unpatched vulnerabilities in legacy systems– Attackers exploit outdated software that operators don’t even realise is running. In 2021, a water treatment facility in the U.S. was compromised when an attacker gained access through an unmonitored remote terminal, attempting to alter chemical levels in drinking water.
• Regulatory non-compliance– Failure to report asset risks can lead to penalties and reputational damage. In 2022, an Australian energy company faced scrutiny for failing to meet minimum cybersecurity standards outlined in the SOCI Act, resulting in operational disruptions and significant financial repercussions.
• Increased attack surface– Supply chain risks and ransomware attacks often originate from unmanaged devices. The infamous Norsk Hydro attack cost the aluminium producer an estimated $75 million in damages, largely due to attackers exploiting an unpatched OT device.

How to Approach Asset Discovery in OT

A robust OT security strategy starts with comprehensive, ongoing asset discovery. Here’s what IT and OT leaders should prioritise:

• Real-time Discovery & Risk Profiling– Understanding assets isn’t enough; organisations need current Critical Infrastructure Risk Management plans (CIRMP). Cyber threats evolve daily, and a one-time scan will quickly become outdated. Businesses must implement automated discovery tools that provide real-time insights into every device, protocol, and communication pathway within the OT environment.
• Compliance & Continuous Monitoring– Asset discovery should support ongoing compliance with frameworks like SOCI, NIST, and ISO/IEC 62443. This means maintaining detailed records of OT assets, tracking changes over time, and ensuring that vulnerabilities are addressed before they can be exploited.
• Integration with SOC & Threat Intelligence– Critical Asset require real time monitoring. The best security strategies feed asset data directly into Security Operations Centres (SOCs) and integrate with threat intelligence platforms. This approach enables organisations to proactively identify and neutralise threats before they escalate into full-scale incidents.

Beyond discovery, organisations need Compensating Controls or Positive Security Objects (PSO’s) to support operations across longer lifecycle assets. A know vulnerability can be addressed at with an effect Risk Management Plan, especially when primary controls are not feasible or effective. An example being OT Network segmentation to isolate high-risk devices and implementing Virtual Patching solutions tailored for OT environments.

 What Comes After Discovery?

Asset visibility is step one—but security leaders must also:

• Implement continuous monitoring and risk scoring to detect threats in real-time.
• Strengthen compliance reporting with actionable data for audits.
• Integrate asset discovery with OT SOC services for an end-to-end cybersecurity approach.

 The Future of OT Security: From Reactive to Proactive

OT security isn’t just about defending against threats—it’s about understanding your environment before an attacker does. Asset discovery isn’t a one-time project; it’s an ongoing strategy that lays the foundation for a resilient, compliant, and secure OT ecosystem.

The reality is, no security strategy is complete without full visibility into the assets within an OT network. As threats evolve and regulations tighten, organisations that fail to address asset visibility will find themselves increasingly vulnerable—not just to cyberattacks, but to regulatory penalties and operational failures.

Orro helps organisations navigate the complexities of OT security with real-time digital asset discovery, network segmentation and virtual patching, managed OT SOC services, and compliance-driven solutions. Our expertise ensures that organisations don’t just identify their assets—they protect them.

Want to know where your blind spots are? It’s time to find out.

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Carl has had a front-row seat to the evolution of enterprise networking, having been part of Cisco’s engineering leadership for nearly three decades. From the Catalyst 6500 days to today’s AI-driven infrastructure, his perspective underscores a fundamental truth: while technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, simplicity remains the ultimate goal.

“Change is the constant,” Carl said, reflecting on how the industry has transitioned from standalone networking products to integrated, security-first solutions. What was once a world of switches and routers has now become a landscape where networking, security, and observability are seamlessly intertwined.

Below are some of the key outtakes from my insight-filled discussion with Carl during Cisco Live.

Cisco’s latest innovations focus on three key areas:

– AI-Ready Data Centers – As organisations ramp up AI adoption, they require robust infrastructure that can support compute-intensive workloads. Cisco’s investments in high-speed networking, advanced silicon, and partnerships with AI chipmakers like NVIDIA and AMD are setting the stage for scalable AI-driven enterprises.
– Future-Proof Workspaces – The return-to-office trend has forced businesses to rethink their physical environments. Cisco’s latest collaboration tools—including AI-enhanced room configurations and workplace sensors—are helping organisations create more adaptive, productive, and sustainable workspaces.
– Digital Resilience & Security – Cisco’s new security paradigm revolves around the Cisco Security Cloud and innovations like Hypershield, a new application protection framework. With cyber threats evolving at lightning speed, integrating AI-powered security intelligence into networking infrastructure has never been more critical.

The AI & Cloud Rebalancing Act: Why Workloads Are Moving Back On-Prem

One of the most compelling insights from our discussion was the shift in cloud strategy among enterprises. While cloud adoption continues to grow, many organisations are re-evaluating where their workloads should reside.

“Eighty percent of organisations IDC surveyed said they’d be repatriating some or most of their workloads and data back on-prem,” Carl explained. The reasons? Cost, compliance, security, and latency concerns are driving enterprises to adopt a more balanced hybrid model.

AI is a prime example—training large models in the cloud is expensive, leading many organisations to consider on-prem AI workloads for efficiency and control. Smaller, domain-specific AI models are also emerging, allowing enterprises to deploy AI solutions at the edge rather than relying solely on hyperscalers.

The Power of Observability: Accelerating Incident Response with AI and Automation

With IT environments becoming more complex, observability has emerged as a top priority for enterprises. Cisco’s acquisition of Splunk underscores the growing importance of data-driven insights in security and network performance monitoring.

As Carl put it, “The more data you have, the more you see. The more you see, the more you can action.” By integrating ThousandEyes, XDR, and AI-powered automation, Cisco is enhancing its ability to pinpoint issues in real time—reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency.

One standout example Carl shared was an incident where a Cisco engineer, using ThousandEyes, was able to instantly diagnose an ISP-related outage for a customer. The ability to visualise the entire network path—from user to application—represents a paradigm shift in troubleshooting and network resilience.

The Evolving Role of the CTO: Driving Innovation & Business Strategy

As the pace of innovation accelerates, the role of the CTO has become more critical than ever. Carl believes that CTOs are now integral to shaping business strategy, not just overseeing IT operations.

“Every business is now a technology business,” he said. “Understanding how emerging technologies can create differentiation is crucial for staying ahead.”

He also highlighted the importance of fostering innovation within teams. Encouraging engineers—regardless of experience level—to challenge the status quo and bring fresh ideas to the table has been a key driver of Cisco’s success.

Final Thoughts: A Call to Action for IT Leaders

For those who couldn’t attend Cisco Live in person, Carl recommended exploring Cisco’s on-demand content and engaging with Cisco’s technical teams to better understand how these innovations can drive business outcomes.

As the enterprise technology landscape continues to evolve, IT leaders must remain agile, embrace AI-driven solutions, and prioritise security and observability. The shift toward integrated platforms and hybrid AI is already underway, and those who can effectively navigate this transition will be best positioned for success.

To hear our full conversation, check out our special two-part episode of Securely Connected Everything

Securely Connected Everything S5-1: The Future, Reimagined: A Look Ahead with Carl Solder [Part 1]

Securely Connected Everything S5-2: The Future, Reimagined: A Look Ahead with Carl Solder [Part 2]

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Quantum computing is no longer a futuristic concept confined to theoretical physics or science fiction. It is rapidly becoming a reality with transformative potential across industries. Companies like Google and IBM have already made significant strides, with processors reaching hundreds of qubits and projections pointing toward thousands in the near future. While this promises unparalleled computational capabilities, it also presents a looming challenge: the potential to undermine the cryptographic systems that secure our digital world.  

For businesses and governments alike, this is not just a technological curiosity—it’s an urgent call to action. 

The Quantum Threat: A Challenge to Modern Cryptography 

Traditional encryption methods, such as RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) and ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography), are fundamental to today’s cybersecurity framework. These systems depend on the computational difficulty of solving specific mathematical problems, like factoring large prime numbers or calculating discrete logarithms. Classical computers would take millions of years to crack these codes. 

Quantum computers, however, operate on entirely different principles. By leveraging qubits that can exist in multiple states at once (a property known as superposition) and can be entangled with one another, these quantum machines can perform complex computations at speeds unimaginable for traditional computers. Algorithms like Shor’s algorithm could decrypt data protected by current cryptographic methods in a fraction of the time. 

 The implications are profound: 

• Data at Risk: Sensitive information, including financial records, personal data, intellectual property, and government secrets, could become vulnerable. 

• Harvest Now, Decrypt Later: Malicious actors may already intercept and store encrypted data, intending to decrypt it once quantum capabilities develop. 

• Widespread Disruption: From secure communications to blockchain technologies, many digital systems rely on cryptographic protocols that could be compromised. 

Preparing for a Post-Quantum World: Strategies for Resilience 

The quantum threat timeline is uncertain, but the need to prepare is immediate. Organisations must adopt a proactive approach to safeguard their data and systems.  

Here are key strategies to consider: 

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Cryptographic Audit: 

• Identify all instances of cryptographic use within your organisation, including data in transit, at rest, and during processing. 
• Determine which systems are most vulnerable to quantum attacks. 

2.  Embrace Crypto-Agility: 

• Design systems with the flexibility to switch cryptographic algorithms as threats evolve. 
• Crypto-agile architectures enable seamless updates without needing complete system overhauls, thus minimising costs and operational interruptions. 

3. Implement Hybrid Encryption Models: 

• Adopt encryption strategies that blend classical algorithms with quantum-resistant alternatives. 
• This hybrid approach ensures continuity and security when transitioning to fully quantum-safe systems. 

4. Stay Informed on Emerging Standards: 

• Organisations like NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) actively develop post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) standards. 
• Engage with industry groups and standardisation bodies to stay ahead of developments. 

5. Develop a Quantum-Readiness Roadmap: 

• Create a phased plan for transitioning to quantum-resistant technologies. 
• Include timelines, resource allocations, and contingency measures to address evolving threats. 

Guiding Your Quantum Readiness Journey 

Navigating the complexities of quantum security requires more than just awareness; it demands strategic action and expert guidance. Our comprehensive approach is designed to support organisations at every stage of their quantum readiness journey: 

• Quantum Risk Assessments: We provide in-depth evaluations of your cryptographic landscape, identifying vulnerabilities and recommending targeted mitigation strategies. 

• Crypto-Agility Solutions: Our flexible security frameworks are built to adapt, ensuring that your systems can seamlessly integrate quantum-resistant algorithms as they become standard. 

• Managed Security Services: With continuous monitoring and expert oversight, we help maintain robust security postures, even as threats evolve. 

• Strategic Advisory Services: Our team stays at the forefront of quantum research and regulatory developments, offering insights that keep you ahead of the curve. 

 Why Act Now? 

While quantum computers capable of breaking current encryption standards may still be a few years away, the risk is already present. The concept of “harvest now, decrypt later” means that data being transmitted today could be vulnerable in the future. Delaying preparation increases exposure to potential breaches and compliance risks. 

By acting now, organisations can: 

• Protect long-lived sensitive data. 

• Reduce the costs associated with emergency responses to quantum-related breaches. 

• Gain a competitive advantage by demonstrating leadership in cybersecurity resilience.

Conclusion: Securing the Future, Today 

The quantum era promises transformative advancements, but it also brings a new class of cybersecurity challenges. Preparing for this future isn’t optional—it’s essential. Organisations that start their quantum readiness journey today will protect their assets and set themselves apart as leaders in digital security. 

Let us help you build a resilient, quantum-ready future. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your journey toward quantum-secure cybersecurity. 

Article written by Michael Van Rooyen, Chief Technology Officer, Orro

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Reflecting on this year’s event, the keynote sessions I attended, and the conversations at our exhibition booth, I was reminded of just how pivotal the cybersecurity landscape is. Below are key themes from the conference and insights that organisations should consider as they strengthen their cyber resilience.

CyberCon: A Growing Community with a Unified Mission

CyberCon 2024 marked another milestone in the event’s evolution. With over 450 speakers and 350 sessions, the sheer scale of this year’s conference was impressive. The event continues to reflect cybersecurity’s expanding scope and significance in all facets of business and government.

For attendees, the conference was more than just a series of sessions—it was a hub of knowledge-sharing, innovation, and networking. New elements like the AI Village, live podcast booths, and a knowledge-sharing hub provided interactive spaces for exploring ideas and testing new technologies. These additions reinforced CyberCon’s collaborative spirit and its role in fostering a unified vision for cybersecurity.

The Cyber Skills Gap: A Persistent Challenge

The release of the AISA 2024 Cyber Skills Study Report painted a stark picture: one-third of Australian organisations are vulnerable due to a shortage of expertise in critical areas such as AI, data security, and identity management. Joe Sullivan’s keynote addressed the broader implications of this gap, emphasising that building resilient organisations requires not only technology but also skilled people who can navigate crises and evolving threats.

This skills shortage is both a challenge and an opportunity. Addressing this gap will require organisations to invest in education, mentorship, and pathways to attract diverse talent to cybersecurity. Leveraging training programs, certifications, and partnerships with universities and training providers could be crucial.

Transparency and Preparedness: Lessons from the Uber Breach

Joe Sullivan’s keynote candidly reflected on his experience managing the Uber data breach and the subsequent legal and reputational fallout. His message was clear: transparency and communication are essential during any cybersecurity incident. Sullivan also highlighted the importance of having well-defined policies and procedures to guide organisations through crises.

For businesses, the lesson is simple but critical—be prepared. This means conducting regular incident response drills, ensuring your team knows how to handle breaches, and aligning with regulatory expectations. Clear internal and external communication during a crisis can mitigate damage and rebuild trust.

AI: Transformative but Double-Edged

Artificial intelligence was the focus of many discussions at CyberCon 2024. However, unlike the broader market, which focused on generative AI, the conference took a more nuanced view. Discussions centred on AI’s dual role in cybersecurity: as a powerful ally in detecting and mitigating threats and a tool exploited by adversaries to orchestrate more sophisticated attacks.

Sullivan discussed AI’s practical applications in threat detection and response, while Geoffrey Robertson addressed AI development’s ethical and regulatory challenges. His call for international treaties to regulate AI underscores the urgency of responsibly managing this transformative technology.

Organisations should prioritise AI in their cybersecurity strategies, focusing on ethical use, regulatory compliance, and the risks posed by AI-driven threats. Proactive investments in AI defences and ongoing education for teams will be critical.

Critical Infrastructure and Operational Technology: A Rising Priority

As the Australian Government continues to advance policies like the SOCI Act, the importance of securing critical infrastructure and operational technology (OT) systems is growing. While discussions on this topic were prominent at CyberCon, I expect it to dominate the agenda in 2025 as regulations tighten and threat actors increasingly target these environments.

Organisations in energy, transportation, healthcare, and other critical sectors should take stock of their current security postures. Conducting thorough audits, adopting zero-trust principles, and implementing advanced monitoring solutions will be essential to protecting these vital systems.

Supply Chain Security: The Next Frontier

The interconnected nature of today’s businesses makes supply chain security a top priority. CyberCon 2024 illuminated the vulnerabilities inherent in supply chains and the steps organisations must take to address them. From deep fake scams to ransomware attacks, the risks are evolving rapidly.

Robertson’s critique of Australia’s regulatory frameworks, including the lack of significant penalties for cybercriminals, calls for businesses to take proactive action. Implementing stringent supply chain security protocols, vetting third-party vendors, and incorporating cyber risk management into procurement processes will be key to mitigating these risks.

The Future of Cybersecurity Regulation

Geoffrey Robertson’s keynote also delved into the broader regulatory landscape, emphasising the need for international cooperation in combating cybercrime. His discussion of ransomware, deepfakes, and the misuse of AI highlighted gaps in current laws and the need for robust enforcement mechanisms.

Staying ahead of domestic and international regulatory changes will be critical for Australian businesses. Ensuring compliance with frameworks like the SOCI Act and preparing for potential global AI regulations will help organisations avoid penalties and enhance their resilience.

Reflections and Call to Action

CyberCon 2024 was a vibrant showcase of innovation, collaboration, and shared purpose. It highlighted our progress as a cybersecurity community and the challenges that remain. For organisations, the key takeaways are clear:

• Embrace Transparency: Prepare for crises with clear policies and open communication strategies.
• Invest in Skills: Address the cyber skills gap by fostering diverse talent pipelines and offering continuous training opportunities.
• Leverage AI Responsibly: Use AI to strengthen defences while staying vigilant about its misuse.
• Secure Critical Systems: Protect critical infrastructure and OT environments through zero-trust principles and proactive measures.
• Focus on Supply Chains: Adopt robust supply chain security protocols to mitigate interconnected risks.
• Stay Ahead of Regulations: Align with current and emerging cybersecurity laws to remain compliant and resilient.

And if you’d like advice or assistance with any of the above actions, please reach out to us at Orro – we’re here to help.

CyberCon continues to inspire, challenge, and unite us as we face an ever-evolving threat landscape. I thank everyone who visited our booth and contributed to the enriching discussions. We can drive innovation and collaboration to build a safer digital future.

I look forward to seeing you at CyberCon 2025.

Article written by Michael Van Rooyen, Chief Technology Officer, Orro

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From AI-driven advancements to groundbreaking developments in security, networking, and operational technology (OT), Cisco’s unified approach—what I’d call the “One Cisco” strategy—brings together its full portfolio to deliver integrated solutions greater than the sum of their parts. Here’s a closer look at the key themes and insights that will shape the future of enterprise technology.

AI and Security: Powering the Next Generation of Digital Infrastructure

At the heart of Cisco’s innovation is its investment in AI and security. These aren’t standalone advancements; they’re deeply integrated into Cisco’s technology stack to drive real-world outcomes.

Unified AI Assistant

Cisco introduced a skills-based Unified AI Assistant, designed to handle everything from policy setting and configuration to detecting and responding to threats like ransomware. By leveraging AI’s capabilities, this tool simplifies complex processes, enabling businesses to operate with greater agility and security.

Splunk Integration

The recent acquisition of Splunk was another standout moment, signaling a leap forward in Cisco’s security and observability capabilities. By cross-correlating vast datasets, Splunk enables faster, more effective threat detection and resolution—an essential capability for organisations navigating today’s cyber threat landscape.

Hypershield Security

Cisco’s Hypershield technology represents a fundamental shift in network security. By embedding AI-native security directly into the network fabric, Cisco ensures that threats are mitigated at every level, aligning with the principles of zero-trust architecture. This distributed approach prevents lateral movement of threats, enhancing resilience across hybrid and edge environments.

Customer Experience: Personalised, Predictive, and Seamless

Cisco is redefining customer experience with innovations designed to make technology intuitive, integrated, and impactful. This goes beyond technical capabilities to consider the end-user’s journey, ensuring organisations can extract maximum value from their technology investments.

Cross-Architecture Integration

Central to this is Cisco’s commitment to cross-architecture integration and open ecosystems. By uniting networking, security, observability, and collaboration tools, Cisco creates seamless, interoperable solutions that adapt to an organisation’s unique requirements.

Workspace Transformation

Innovations like the Cisco Ceiling Microphone Pro and workspace designer tools are tailored for hybrid work environments, improving the experience of remote and in-office collaboration alike. These tools are part of Cisco’s broader strategy to eliminate the barriers of distance, creating what they call a “distance zero” work environment.

Proactive, Predictive AI

Cisco’s focus on personalised and predictive AI interactions elevates customer support and engagement. By integrating AI into tools like Cisco’s assistant, organisations can anticipate issues, optimise performance, and improve decision-making—enhancing both efficiency and satisfaction.

Operational Technology: Extending the Edge

As industries continue to converge IT and OT environments, Cisco is making significant strides to support operational technology (OT) applications. This is a pivotal area for Orro, and the insights from these events underline the growing importance of OT in enterprise strategies.

IoT and Edge Computing

Cisco’s edge computing solutions are designed to extend the power of the data centre to industrial and IoT applications. Whether in manufacturing, energy, or transportation, these technologies provide consistent security, performance, and visibility across distributed environments.

OT-Specific Services

Cisco’s commitment to OT includes the launch of tailored services that address the unique challenges of industrial systems. This focus highlights the importance of secure, integrated solutions in environments where downtime isn’t just inconvenient—it’s costly and disruptive.

Networking and Observability: Building Resilient Infrastructure

Cisco is transforming how networks are built, managed, and observed, ensuring they’re ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

Wi-Fi 7 and Network Automation

The introduction of Wi-Fi 7 access points sets a new standard for wireless networking, offering unmatched performance in high-density environments. Coupled with network automation tools, Cisco is enabling organisations to simplify operations and optimise performance in increasingly complex network ecosystems.

Observability with ThousandEyes

Cisco’s ThousandEyes observability platform integrates seamlessly across applications, networks, and infrastructure, delivering end-to-end visibility. This capability ensures organisations can quickly identify and resolve performance issues, supporting digital resilience in a hyperconnected world.

Unified Vision: One Cisco

Cisco’s strength lies in its ability to bring everything together—a true “One Cisco” approach. By combining its diverse portfolio into unified, integrated solutions, Cisco delivers value that exceeds the capabilities of individual technologies. This vision aligns perfectly with Orro’s mission to provide Securely Connected Everything for our customers.

Final Thoughts: Driving Innovation Together

Cisco’s vision, supported by its relentless innovation across AI, security, networking, and OT, sets the stage for a future defined by integrated, resilient technology. At Orro, we’re proud to partner with Cisco to bring these advancements to life for our customers.

If you’re ready to explore how these innovations can transform your organisation, reach out to us today. Together, we’ll build a secure, connected future.

Article written by Michael Van Rooyen, Chief Technology Officer, Orro

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But as digitalisation sweeps through the industrial landscape, the boundaries between IT and OT are blurring. Integrating these two can unlock significant benefits like operational efficiency, agility, innovation, and cost savings.

Despite the promise, merging IT and OT remains a tricky challenge for many organisations. However, with the right strategies and solutions, these challenges can be addressed, leading to a harmonious integration.

The clash of machines 

The rapid rise of technologies like Industrial IoT, cloud, and AI has made the lack of interoperability between OT and IT more pronounced than ever.

In industries like manufacturing, OT systems often consist of legacy equipment that was never designed to work with modern IT infrastructure. For example, software applications are frequently updated to keep pace with technological advancements, while industrial machinery can remain unchanged for years, sometimes even decades. This creates a significant compatibility gap.

The sheer diversity of OT assets adds another layer of complexity. Different communication protocols, varying standards, and a multitude of devices make it tricky for IT teams to create a unified environment.

To bring everything together, organisations need to invest in infrastructure that supports both IT and OT needs. For example, IoT middleware solutions act as bridges between disparate systems, translating protocols and facilitating communication.

Another way to harmonise IT and OT is by using open-source solutions and adhering to industry standards. Protocols like MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) and OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) are specifically designed to bridge the divide between IT and OT, ensuring they can communicate seamlessly.

The data deluge

Another challenge of IT and OT working in isolation is the data silos. This separation makes it tough for organisations to get a complete view of their operations, hindering decision-making.

When IT and OT finally do come together, they open up a floodgate of diverse data, including structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. Managing all this data and extracting valuable insights is difficult without the right strategy and solutions in place.

Picture a factory equipped with IoT sensors, constantly feeding terabytes of data into their centralised IT system every single day. Without a robust data management strategy, valuable insights might get lost in the noise. Or, imagine a utility company that has smart metres hooked up to its data analytics platform. We’re talking millions of metres generating massive amounts of data that can quickly lead to inconsistencies and quality issues if not managed properly.

Edge computing solutions can help manage large volumes of data more efficiently. These advanced technologies process data closer to the source, reducing latency and boosting real-time decision-making.

A robust data governance framework is also essential for ensuring data quality and consistency. This means setting standards, policies, and procedures for data collection, storage, and usage. Regular data audits and validation processes will help ensure your data stays accurate and reliable.

The security tightrope 

Cybersecurity is a critical concern that intersects both IT and OT domains.

One big issue is that OT environments often rely on legacy systems that weren’t built with cybersecurity in mind. These outdated setups might not have the security features needed to fend off today’s cyber threats. When they’re connected to IT systems, they create more entry points for attackers if not properly secured. Given that downtime in OT can be a big problem, sometimes even endangering lives, the stakes are high.

Another challenge with IT and OT working independently is the lack of consistency in security policies and procedures. This divided approach can create protection gaps, where weaknesses in one area can affect the other.

To truly secure the whole organisation, it’s crucial to have a unified security strategy that covers both IT and OT environments. This should include implementing advanced security measures, such as encryption, endpoint protection, network segmentation, and intrusion detection systems. Conducting regular security assessments and updating security protocols are also critical for keeping up with evolving threats.

IT/OT convergence in action 

The integration of IT and OT systems is transforming businesses across various industries. Here are some hypothetical scenarios of IT and OT working together seamlessly in different settings.

Retail: Sync and stock

A fast-growing retailer decides it needs to optimise inventory management, with the ability to track inventory in real time, predict stock shortages, and autonomously reorder supplies.

On the OT side, shelves equipped with weight sensors and RFID tags detect low or out-of-stock items. These smart shelves continuously monitor stock levels, ensuring that products are available when customers want them, reducing the likelihood of lost sales opportunities. When there’s a sudden spike in demand, the IT system communicates this to the OT systems in the warehouse, allowing for immediate adjustments in operations to prioritise packing and shipping high-demand items, which is particularly crucial during peak shopping periods.

From the IT perspective, data from these sensors is transmitted to a central system for analysis. This system compiles all the information and sends alerts to store employees or automated replenishment systems. These alerts prompt immediate action, either by staff who physically restock the shelves or by autonomous systems that initiate the restocking process.

Manufacturing: The fast lane to efficiency

An automotive manufacturing plant faces unexpected downtime and delays due to complexities in their production line. By implementing digital twins, the plant creates a virtual replica of the physical production line, which is continuously updated with real-time data from sensors embedded in the machinery and equipment on the shop floor.

In this scenario, the IT team is responsible for setting up the digital infrastructure, including data collection, storage, and analysis systems. They ensure that the data flows seamlessly from the sensors to the centralised database and then to the digital twin model. This involves using advanced data analytics and machine learning algorithms to process the enormous volumes of data generated.

On the other hand, the OT team focuses on the physical aspects of the implementation. They install and maintain the sensors on the machines and work closely with the IT team to ensure accurate data collection. Their deep understanding of the machinery and production processes is crucial in interpreting the data and making informed decisions.

By working together, the IT and OT teams create a comprehensive digital twin system that allows the plant to monitor machine performance in real time, predict potential failures, and schedule maintenance activities proactively.

Energy: Harnessing the winds of change

In a region abundant with wind and solar resources, an energy provider aims to maximise the use of renewable energy. By integrating IT and OT, the organisation can effectively manage the unpredictable nature of renewable energy production, ensuring consistent power supply.

On the IT side, they use advanced weather forecasting systems to predict wind and solar patterns. This data is then connected to the OT systems controlling wind turbines and solar panels. When high wind speeds are predicted, the turbines adjust to capture as much energy as possible. Similarly, the angles of the solar panels are tweaked based on sunlight forecasts.

This integration also allows for real-time management of energy storage. When there’s excess energy during peak production times, it’s stored in batteries and released when production dips, ensuring a steady energy supply. This seamless blend of IT and OT not only optimises the use of renewable energy but also boosts grid stability and promotes sustainability.

Water: Safety from source to sip

A rural town relies on both groundwater and seawater for its water supply. Ensuring the quality of this diverse water source is crucial for public health and environmental conservation. To achieve this, the town’s water supplier sets up an integrated water quality monitoring system that combines IT and OT.

The OT infrastructure includes sensors placed at various points along the water supply chain, from groundwater wells to desalination plants. These sensors measure parameters such as pH, salinity, turbidity, and chemical contaminants.

The data collected is then sent to an advanced analytics platform that uses AI to assess water quality. For example, if there’s a sudden increase in chemical contaminants, the system can identify potential sources and suggest corrective actions. This allows the supplier to act quickly, ensuring water remains safe and clean for everyone.

Mining: Digging deep for insights

Imagine a mine where every piece of equipment, from the massive trucks to the tiniest sensors, is interconnected and communicating in real time. Thanks to IoT devices, data analytics platforms, and cloud computing, mines are evolving into complex networks where data flows effortlessly from the operational floor straight to the decision-makers’ desks.

With real-time data on ore grades and mineral composition, the extraction process is optimised. This ensures that only the highest quality ore gets sent for processing, maximising yield and reducing waste.

Meanwhile, there are drones flying high for aerial surveys and delivering detailed maps and 3D models of the mining site. These maps are integrated with autonomous haul trucks and drilling rigs to take over the dangerous jobs, removing the need for human operators in risky environments.

Wearable technology also comes into play, monitoring miners’ health and safety in real time. These devices track vital signs, detect hazardous gases, and offer real-time location tracking. If a miner shows signs of distress or enters a dangerous area, alerts are instantly sent to the control centre, enabling swift action.

Logistics: Trucking along smoothly

A logistics company is finding itself struggling with unexpected breakdowns and frequent delays with its fleet of delivery trucks. To overcome these issues, the organisation’s OT team fits the trucks with advanced telematics devices, which are linked to a central ERP system that’s managed by their IT department.

This smart, integrated setup allows the company to keep a watchful eye on various aspects of its fleet in real time — including vehicle performance, driver behaviour, fuel consumption, and even route efficiency — and take action as needed.

For instance, if a truck starts displaying signs of mechanical issues, the telematics system swiftly sends an alert to the maintenance team, who can then schedule repairs well before a breakdown occurs. Or, if the system detects unsafe driving behaviours, such as harsh braking and speeding, it provides instant feedback to encourage safe driving. The system also suggests the most efficient routes by analysing real-time traffic conditions and delivery schedules, helping to reduce both fuel consumption and delivery times.

Healthcare: Bridging IT and OT for better patient care

A large hospital is struggling with delays and potential errors in patient treatment due to poor data-sharing between its IT and OT systems. To tackle these issues, the hospital decides to introduce new IoT-enabled patient monitoring devices, which connect to a centralised electronic health record system.

These devices automatically log real-time data, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels, straight into the patient’s electronic health records. Nurses and doctors can then access the latest patient information from any device, making diagnoses quicker and more accurate.

This integrated system also sends automated alerts for any critical changes in a patient’s condition, allowing for rapid intervention and reducing the risk of complications. On top of that, the integration of predictive analytics helps healthcare professionals foresee potential health issues before they escalate, improving patient outcomes while boosting operational efficiency.

Making IT and OT work in harmony 

At Orro, we’re the experts in IT/OT integration across multiple industries, bringing to you state-of-the-art technologies, comprehensive managed services, and elite skills. Together, we can break down those walls between IT and OT and unlock a whole new world of operational excellence. Learn more about how we make great things happen

The post Bridging the Great Divide: The Benefits of IT and OT Convergence appeared first on Orro.

Performance issues can crop up from anywhere within the IT stack — be it inefficient code, resource bottlenecks, or network latency. But traditional monitoring only gives you a partial view of your IT environment, making it difficult to pinpoint the root cause of issues. This lack of insight often leads to prolonged downtime, extended incident resolution, and poor decision-making.

Here is where full-stack observability comes in, sweeping away the mystery. By offering visibility into every layer of your technology stack — from your underlying infrastructure and networks to frontend applications — it helps you to unlock a whole new treasure trove of IT insights.

Observability vs. monitoring: What’s the difference?

So, what’s observability anyway? 

To set the record straight, observability is not the same as monitoring. 

Traditional monitoring focuses on specific components of your IT stack or particular data points collected at certain times, which can create gaps in the overall picture. A key downside to this method is it requires you to know exactly what to look for. This means it’s often not equipped to handle unforeseen problems, such as new cyber threats, because it’s designed to be reactive. It alerts you only when something goes wrong according to the criteria you decide on.

Observability, on the other hand, can help you uncover the “unknown unknowns”. It shows you the true state of your IT stack, from the application layer down to the underlying infrastructure. This is achieved by continuously collecting and analysing real-time telemetry data, such as system logs, performance metrics, metadata, and application code. Observability tools extract vital insights from this data and provide recommendations for optimisation — all presented through a single, dynamic, real-time dashboard. You can easily see how all the components of your system interact and contribute to overall performance and proactively identify potential issues before they escalate. 

Simply put, monitoring tells you something’s wrong, whereas observability digs deeper to reveal the root cause and how to resolve it.

The fundamentals of full-stack observability 

Let’s break down some of the core capabilities that make full-stack observability indispensable:

Data collection and aggregation

Getting a clear and cohesive view of your IT environment starts with capturing and centralising real-time data from every layer of your IT stack. With applications now deployed in highly distributed structures, data must travel through numerous components. Traditional monitoring struggles to keep track of information flow, unable to continuously and reliably collect data from diverse sources. A robust observability platform integrates with all your IT components, easily ingesting and aggregating data so it’s ready to be analysed.

Visualisation

A picture is worth a thousand words when you’re dealing with distributed IT environments. A robust observability platform presents all your telemetry data and actionable insights on a single, easy-to-navigate dashboard. These dynamic dashboards update in real-time, whereas traditional monitoring dashboards are static, focusing on data at a specific point in time. A robust observability dashboard also allows you to zoom in on specific data points, see how different parts of your system are connected, and track information flow.

For example, an observability dashboard might show increased latency in a payment processing system. Comprehensive visualisation helps the team identify the exact microservices causing the delay. By pinpointing the bottleneck, they can reallocate resources on-the-fly, ensuring smooth and efficient transactions. 

Contextual analysis

Data is just noise until it’s contextualised. A robust observability platform correlates data from every layer of your technology stack to uncover hidden patterns, relationships, and interdependencies. With the right context, teams can quickly identify anomalies, understand their impact, and trace them back to their root cause much faster and more accurately. 

For instance, a traditional monitoring system might alert you to high CPU usage, but without context, it’s unclear whether this is a serious issue or just a temporary spike. On the other hand, full-stack observability could reveal that the high CPU usage is due to a surge in user traffic following a new feature release. This context allows teams to respond appropriately, whether that’s scaling resources or investigating further.

Anomaly detection  

Anomalies are often the earliest possible signs of issues. Traditional systems struggle with accuracy, responsiveness, and scalability when it comes to spotting anomalies. But with full-stack observability, even minor deviations can be flagged early and identified as anomalies before they escalate.  Automated anomaly detection can pinpoint faults faster — reducing the time-to-detection from hours to as little as a minute — leading to quicker repairs. 

Additionally, unlike traditional rule-based monitoring systems that are prone to generating false positives, full-stack observability leverages machine learning algorithms to detect a broader range of anomalies with greater precision. 

For example, in software development, minor code changes can sometimes lead to major unexpected issues. Automated anomaly detection helps catch these discrepancies early on, ensuring that developers can address problems quickly, enhancing the overall quality of the software. 

Automated alerts and responses

The sheer amount of alerts generated from multiple traditional monitoring tools is overwhelming for teams to manage. By integrating observability and automation tools, you can set up automated alerts based on predefined thresholds. You can also accelerate issue resolution by setting up automated responses to common issues that can be resolved without humans involved. For example, if a specific server starts showing signs of failure, an automated script can spin up a new instance to keep services up and running. 

Predictive maintenance

Traditional monitoring often focuses on reactive measures, alerting IT teams after something goes wrong, leading to a constant race to fix issues as they arise. Full-stack observability shifts the focus to proactive measures. Predictive analytics help forecast and flag potential future issues based on historical data, then suggest actions to improve system stability and prevent recurrences of past issues. 

For example, in data centres, predictive maintenance helps monitor server performance and anticipate hardware failures. By analysing temperature trends and fan speeds, the full-stack observability can predict when a server might overheat and alert IT teams to take preventive action. This not only prevents downtime but also extends the lifespan of critical hardware.

The ripple effect

Full-stack observability isn’t just for the IT department; it’s for the entire organisation. 

It boosts overall business performance by helping different departments in different ways. For example, CIOs can use observability data to make informed investment decisions, while business leaders gain clear insights into how IT performance impacts revenue. Infrastructure managers can ensure resources are used efficiently, and DevOps teams can accelerate development cycles. Service desk teams also benefit from automating issue resolution for common problems. 

Another significant benefit of full-stack observability is its ability to improve knowledge sharing and collaboration. In many organisations, different teams are responsible for different parts of the IT stack and often use various tools and languages, resulting in communication gaps and inefficiencies. Observability provides a central platform and language, making it easier to work towards common goals like delivering better products and services, increasing customer loyalty, and improving operational efficiency. 

Implementing full-stack observability 

Define objectives 

As with any technology implementation, start by defining the scope and objectives of your observability initiative. Think about the specific problems you want to solve, where you lack visibility, and the results you hope to achieve. It’s important to involve all relevant stakeholders in the process. Engaging with people across the organisation builds a shared understanding of the benefits and goals of the observability implementation, ensuring everyone is on board and supportive.

Establish baselines 

Getting a good read on the health and performance of your IT components requires setting some baseline metrics. These benchmarks show you what normal operation looks like and help you spot problems. KPIs to consider are Mean Time to Detect (MTTD), Mean Time to Resolve (MTTR), uptime and availability, user satisfaction scores, and various performance metrics such as network latency and application load times.

Develop a data strategy

Data is the foundation of effective observability. That’s why you need a solid data strategy. This should clearly outline how you will collect, monitor, manage, and secure data from different layers of your IT stack to ensure its quality, availability, and reliability. 

Choose the right tools

Picking the right tools is essential for effective observability. Observability tools vary widely in features and capabilities, so here are a few key points to consider:

• Integration capabilities: Look for solutions that can integrate data from every part of your tech stack. The more integrations a tool supports, the better visibility you’ll get into your system’s performance. Ideally, it should work seamlessly with most, if not all, of your existing tools.

• Scalability: Ensure the tool can handle an increasing number of data sources and complex queries without sacrificing performance. You don’t want your observability tool to become a bottleneck as your system grows.

• Support: Consider the level of customer support provided by the technology vendor. A responsive support team can be invaluable, especially when you’re dealing with critical issues.

Integrate across your stack

To effectively capture and aggregate all relevant data points, you need to embed monitoring agents and collectors into everything from your frontend applications to your backend servers. Ensure that the instrumentation covers critical aspects such as capturing metrics, generating logs, and tracing requests across distributed systems. For example, on the frontend, this means tracking user interactions, page load times, and errors. On the backend, you could monitor API response times, database queries, and server performance.

Integrate across workflows

Observability should be an integral part of your day-to-day operations. Create automated alerts for critical issues based on the baselines established earlier. The aim is to receive timely notifications about issues that require attention. The alerts should be actionable, providing enough context for teams to understand the problem and take corrective action. Also, set up predefined responses to common problems to speed up issue resolution, maintain service availability, and use resources efficiently.  

Integrate across teams 

Observability is a team sport and works best when everyone is on the same page.

Encourage your teams to embrace observability as a core practice. Teams need to understand how to use the tools effectively, interpret the data, and take appropriate actions. This might involve formal training sessions, workshops, or on-the-job learning. The goal is to build a culture of observability where everyone is empowered to contribute to the overall health and performance of the IT stack. 

Continuously analyse and optimise

Regularly review your observability strategy and tools to ensure they are meeting your objectives. Collect feedback from your teams and make adjustments as necessary. This might involve refining metrics, adding new data sources, or tweaking alert thresholds. The goal is to evolve your observability practices to keep pace with changes in your technology and business environment.

Start your observability journey with Orro 

The era of operating in the dark is over. Full-stack observability has emerged as a powerful approach to managing the complexity of modern IT environments. 

No longer do you have to guess what’s happening within your systems; now, you can turn IT operations from a black box into a transparent, efficient, and future-proof engine. This means delivering better products and services, responding faster to market changes, innovating with confidence, and so much more. 

If you’re still stuck using traditional monitoring tools, it’s time to see your IT in a new light with full-stack observability. Orro offers a state-of-the-art observability platform, backed by specialised expertise and 24×7 support, so you’re not alone on this transformational journey. 

As the first step forward, learn more here. 

Better yet, if you’re up for it, let’s talk about what observability can do for your organisation. Get in touch .

The post Unlocking IT’s black box with full-stack observability appeared first on Orro.

The Problem with Multiple Vendors

Organisations often rely on multiple vendors to address various aspects of their security posture, from firewalls and endpoint protection to threat intelligence and response. While this approach may seem beneficial, it often leads to significant challenges:

• Integration Complexities: When security tools from different vendors do not seamlessly integrate, it can result in disjointed security operations. Managing disparate systems can be a resource-intensive process that creates gaps in protection, increases the potential for human error, and complicates incident response. Gartner highlights that fragmented security architectures can lead to opaque and siloed operations, making them both porous and inefficient​.
• Increased Management Overhead: Managing a multitude of vendor relationships, contracts, and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) requires substantial administrative effort. This overhead not only diverts focus from core security activities but also increases the risk of misaligned strategies across the security ecosystem.
• Accumulating Tech Debt: The complexity of managing multiple vendors often results in delayed updates, inconsistent standards, and redundant functionalities. Over time, these factors contribute to technology debt, where outdated systems and patchwork integrations hinder the organisation’s ability to stay current with emerging threats and technologies.

Benefits of Vendor Consolidation

Consolidating security vendors can address these challenges, offering several key benefits:

• Simplified Operations: Consolidation reduces complexity by streamlining security management, allowing organisations to focus on protecting their assets rather than managing multiple vendors. A unified approach simplifies monitoring, incident response, and policy enforcement, making the overall security posture more robust.
• Enhanced Security Posture: Integrated security solutions provide comprehensive visibility and control across the entire IT environment. By consolidating vendors, organisations can achieve better alignment and coordination of their security strategies, which significantly reduces gaps and enhances the overall effectiveness of their defences. According to Gartner, 75% of organisations are pursuing vendor consolidation to improve their security posture and capabilities, a sharp increase from just 29% in 2020​.
• Cost Efficiency: Vendor consolidation can lead to significant cost savings by eliminating redundant tools and leveraging economies of scale. Organisations can negotiate better pricing and reduce the overhead associated with managing multiple contracts and licences, freeing up resources for other critical security investments.
• Improved Compliance and Risk Management: A consolidated approach makes it easier to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements, as it simplifies the tracking and reporting of security controls across the organisation. Reducing the number of vendors also minimises the risk of supply chain vulnerabilities and helps ensure a more consistent application of security policies.

What to Look for in a Best-in-Class Cyber Security Provider

When considering vendor consolidation, it’s essential to select a provider that offers comprehensive, integrated security solutions that align with your organisation’s needs. Here’s what to look for:

• Comprehensive Services: A top-tier provider should offer a full suite of managed and professional services, such as Security Operations Centre (SOC)/Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), threat detection and response, vulnerability management, penetration testing, and cyber advisory services. This ensures that all aspects of your security posture are covered under a unified strategy.
• Seamless Integration and Interoperability: Look for providers whose solutions are designed to work together seamlessly, without the need for extensive customisation. Integration should be a core principle, allowing for cohesive operations that enhance visibility and control across your security environment.
• Scalability and Adaptability: Choose a provider that can scale services according to your organisation’s growth and adapt to evolving security threats. The ability to adjust and expand services as needed ensures that your security strategy remains aligned with your business objectives.
• Proven Expertise and Support: A best-in-class provider should have a proven track record of success, strong industry credentials, and robust customer support. They should act as a strategic partner, offering insights and guidance to help you navigate the complexities of the cyber security landscape.

How to Approach Vendor Consolidation for Best Results

Approaching vendor consolidation requires careful planning and execution to ensure a smooth transition and optimal outcomes:

• Assessment and Planning: Begin with a thorough assessment of your current security landscape, identifying redundancies and inefficiencies. Evaluate the total cost of ownership and the operational impact of each vendor and use this information to develop a consolidation plan that addresses your specific needs.
• Implementation Best Practices: Implementing a consolidated security model should be done in phases, allowing for a controlled transition that minimises disruption. Engage stakeholders early in the process, ensure clear communication, and provide training to help teams adapt to the new solutions.
• Continuous Improvement: Vendor consolidation is not a one-time event but an ongoing process. Regularly review and adjust your security strategy to keep pace with evolving threats and business changes. A commitment to continuous improvement will help maintain a strong security posture over time.

Conclusion

Consolidating your security vendors can significantly simplify operations, enhance your security posture, and reduce costs. By partnering with a best-in-class provider that offers comprehensive, integrated solutions, organisations can achieve a streamlined and effective approach to cyber security.

If you’re considering vendor consolidation and need guidance on how to get started, the team at Orro is here to help. Reach out to us for a consultation or to learn more about our managed and professional cyber security services designed to meet your unique needs. Let’s secure your business together.

The post Consolidating Cyber Security Vendors: Simplify, Secure, and Strengthen Your Operations appeared first on Orro.

With the boom of IoT, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, remote working, and guest access, traditional on-premises NAC systems are not up to the task of securing our modern, borderless networks.

Now 20 years old, these legacy systems are a common cause of dread and frustration among network admins. They’re challenging to troubleshoot, not user-friendly, and struggle to scale with evolving demands. Plus, updates and patches usually mean downtime.

This is why IT leaders are increasingly turning their gaze towards cloud-based NAC. This new system brings the agility, scalability, and ease of use needed to manage today’s networks.

The new age of NAC

Today’s cloud-based NAC systems do more than allow or deny access. They provide fine-grained control over who can enter the network and what they can see and do once they’re inside. A robust cloud NAC solution has a range of capabilities.

See all, know all

A top-tier Cloud NAC platform can identify, categorise, and monitor various devices with different operating systems, hardware configurations, and installed software. These range from PCs and laptops to smartphones, tablets, and ever-growing IoT devices. Whether these devices are accessing the network via wired, wireless, or remote connections, Cloud NAC can gather real-time information on them using both active and passive discovery methods. These methods include monitoring network traffic for endpoint information (passive discovery) or directly logging onto the connected devices using credentials (active discovery).

Policy enforcement simplified

One of the defining features of a Cloud NAC platform is its ability to create and enforce network policies based on user and device identity. For instance, it can block devices without the latest security updates or only allow access to devices on a whitelist of MAC addresses. Another example is only allowing staff to access resources and applications that are directly needed to perform their tasks. This can prevent excessive network permissions and minimise the likelihood of data breaches. Plus, policies can be developed and implemented in just minutes, compared to hours with on-premises NAC systems.

Access that scales

Due to its cloud-native architecture, a modern NAC solution can easily handle more users and devices, expanding at a moment’s notice. This is particularly beneficial for organisations experiencing rapid growth or those with fluctuating network demands. Cloud NAC’s integration capabilities also mean you can add more security and network tools as your business grows.

Zero trust, total protection

Modern cyber threats demand a zero-trust security approach. Built on the “never trust, always verify” principle, a zero-trust-based NAC system narrows the attack surface by continuously verifying the trustworthiness of users and devices. Controls can be set closer to the endpoints to prevent unauthorised access, data exfiltration, and lateral movement. Unlike traditional VPNs, controls can be adjusted in real-time for each user session.

Seamless integration with other tools

Integration with other systems is another significant advantage of Cloud NAC. With open/RESTful APIs, Cloud NAC works well with other security and IT monitoring tools, such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), and next-generation firewalls (NGFW). This integration capability means Cloud NAC can dynamically adjust access policies based on threat intelligence and real-time data, boosting your overall security strategy. Plus, when you connect Cloud NAC with AI-powered security tools, you get a system that’s much better at detecting and responding to emerging threats.

Always at the cutting edge

A cloud-native NAC solution with a microservices-based architecture automatically adds new features, security patches, and updates without causing downtime or disruption to your operations. This capability makes life much easier for network administrators, removing the headache of lengthy or delayed software upgrades and hardware issues.

The road to robust access control

The rapid deployment capabilities of a robust Cloud NAC platform, combined with the right support from partners like Orro, make the transition to modern NAC a smooth experience for everyone. So, what does the process involve?

Take stock of your existing setup

As with all technology implementations, the journey begins with a deep dive into your current NAC setup. This involves identifying which devices are connected to your network, checking their compliance status, and spotting potential vulnerabilities.

Set the rules of access

When you have a solid grasp of your position, you can establish access policies based on user roles, device types, and compliance requirements. For example, you might allow employees’ personal devices to use the Internet while restricting access to corporate resources.

Plan every step of the rollout

Every implementation needs a strong plan. Your Cloud NAC roadmap should include clear objectives and measures of success. For example, you might aim to set up stronger access controls so that staff, contractors, guests, or other third parties have minimal access to applications and resources, only what’s directly required for their tasks. Perhaps your goal is to make your network more adaptable to changes in demand and security risks.

Pick your perfect solution

In this crucial deciding phase, it is important to find a solution that integrates well with your existing infrastructure, can support all kinds of devices, takes a zero-trust approach, and delivers a seamless user experience for IT admin staff. Depending on your specific needs, there will be plenty of other considerations that a partner like Orro can help you with.

Deploy without disruption

After choosing the right solution, the next step is to implement it, following the steps in your implementation plan. A top-tier Cloud NAC platform can be deployed without causing any disruption or service downtime. This stage involves configuring the defined access policies and integrating them with other security and IT service management systems, ensuring everything works cohesively.

Keep monitoring, keep optimising

After your new Cloud NAC is running, the focus shifts to ongoing management.

This involves monitoring the performance of your NAC system, adjusting access policies as needed, patching up any vulnerabilities, and staying on top of regulatory compliance.

Educate and empower

You must get your employees up to speed to get the most out of Cloud NAC. Data breaches often result from human error, so employees should know the new NAC system and why it’s essential to your organisation. Providing training on best practices and how to comply with access policies goes a long way.

Reclaim control of your network with Cloud NAC

With the exponential growth of connected devices, knowing exactly who and what devices have access to your network is crucial. This should be a key part of any security plan.

Understandably, migrating to a new system can feel daunting. It’s natural to worry about how complex and time-consuming the deployment might be, the costs involved, and whether it’s worth the investment. However, a good Cloud NAC system is designed to be straightforward and can save money by cutting out the need for expensive hardware, reducing maintenance costs, and offering flexible subscription-based pricing.

At Orro, we carefully crafted our Cloud NAC service with simplicity in mind. Cloud NAC is the smarter, more efficient way to manage access to your network, powered by our bespoke One Touch Control AIOps platform, cutting-edge network access control technology, and round-the-clock support from our experts.

Having a knowledgeable and experienced partner like Orro can make a world of difference, paving the way for secure access, everywhere.

 Ready to take control of your network? Discover more about Orro Cloud NAC here.

The post Mastering network control in a borderless world with Cloud NAC appeared first on Orro.

Full fibre broadband, also known as Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), is becoming the gold standard of internet connectivity worldwide. Unlike traditional broadband connections that relied on sluggish copper wires for the final leg of the connection, fibre optic cables run directly to business premises, transmitting data as light signals. The result is significantly faster and more reliable internet connections.

Currently, businesses with full fibre enjoy gigabit upload and download speeds (nearly 10 gigabits per second), far surpassing older broadband options. The upgrade to full fibre broadband — available for free across most of Australia and expected to be accessible everywhere at no cost — has already been transformative for organisations seeking to boost productivity, efficiency, agility, resilience, and innovation. The transition to full fibre is set to gain even more momentum as more businesses notice the impact it’s having on their industry peers and competitors.

The transition to full-fibre networks is also being championed by governments worldwide that recognise the economic and social benefits they bring. For example, regions with advanced network infrastructure can attract investments from businesses that need dependable high-speed internet. These areas can then become bustling tech hubs, creating jobs, sparking innovation, bridging the digital divide, and driving inclusive economic development.

Breakthroughs in fibre optics

Recent breakthroughs in fibre optics are now setting the stage for truly mind-blowing internet speeds and capabilities.

From gigabit to petabit

In late 2023, international researchers set a record-breaking data rate of 22.9 petabits (22.9 million gigabits) per second using a single optical fibre.

Not long before this, a collaborative effort from Australian, Japanese, Dutch, and Italian scientists resulted in a data transmission speed of 1.7 petabits per second — the equivalent to the combined speed of 17 million home broadband internet connections — over a 67 km length of fibre. This was enabled by a groundbreaking glass chip developed at Macquarie University.

AI-native 6G networks

Fibre optics are also set to be the crucial backbone for both 5G and the highly anticipated 6G networks. With 6G expected to offer data transfer rates up to 100 times faster than 5G and ultra-low latencies of less than 1 millisecond, compared to the 30-60 milliseconds latency of traditional broadband, fibre optics will be vital for delivering on these promises.

6G is also expected to be entirely AI-native, meaning AI will be embedded directly into networking equipment, paving the way for autonomous networks that learn, organise, and operate by themselves. Fibre optic cables’ ability to handle massive amounts of data — generated from an extensive range of sources, such as sensors and IoT devices — will be crucial for AI to make real-time decisions.

A quantum leap towards quantum networks

In another exciting breakthrough, quantum data — information that is stored and processed using the principles of quantum mechanics — has successfully been transmitted through standard fibre optic cables for the first time. This milestone is crucial for the development of quantum networks, demonstrating that quantum devices can interface on the same wavelength.

Quantum networks have immense potential across various sectors. They can significantly enhance security by detecting any eavesdropping attempts, making them particularly valuable for governments and financial institutions.

Additionally, connecting quantum computers through these networks will supercharge computing power, allowing industries like pharmaceuticals to solve complex problems that are currently out of reach.

These networks also promise ultra-precise sensing and measurement, detecting tiny changes in our environment with remarkable accuracy, which could transform fields like logistics and medical diagnostics.

From misconceptions to realities: Why forward-thinking businesses are switching to full fibre

Advancements in fibre optics are accelerating rapidly, yet many businesses still depend on outdated ADSL or partial fibre broadband solutions (i.e. Fibre-to-the-Curb and Fibre-to-the-Node). Often, this is due to misconceptions about costs, complexity, and necessity, along with a general fear of change.

In Australia, full-fibre broadband plans are competitively priced, and upgrading from copper to full fibre is free, thanks to the government’s commitment to fibre-fuelled digital infrastructure. Most metro and regional areas already have access to full fibre, making installations straightforward. Streamlined processes ensure that teams can continue their work while experts, like those at Orro, handle the rest of the transition.

While high-speed internet may seem unnecessary to some, businesses of all sizes and industries stand to benefit greatly from all the capabilities of full-fibre broadband. <link to landing page>

For example, full fibre’s symmetric upload and download speeds of up to 10 Gbps, even during peak periods, ensures seamless videoconferencing, file sharing, and real-time collaboration. Its low latency, reduced from 30-60 ms to 5-12 ms, also ensures smooth, real-time data processing. Meanwhile, fibre optics cables are resistant to electrical interference, as well as more secure than copper cables, making full fibre indispensable for businesses.

It’s not just about alleviating day-to-day frustrations; it’s also about future-readiness. It’s unfeasible to adopt technologies, like AI-powered applications, with traditional broadband options.

Real-world applications: Industries feeling the full impact of fibre

Retail

Full fibre can pave the way for transformative changes in retail. With full fibre broadband as the backbone, retailers can harness real-time inventory management systems to optimise their supply chain operations. For example, smart shelves can continuously monitor inventory levels and send instant restocking alerts, ensuring popular items are always available.

But it’s not just behind the scenes where full fibre shines. It can also transform online shopping experiences too. Picture a retailer effortlessly handling massive data sets in real-time, analysing customer behaviour and sales trends to offer personalised experiences. During peak shopping events like Black Friday, the scalability of full fibre broadband becomes crucial, allowing retailers to manage surges in online activity and keep their customers happy.

Meanwhile, in stores, full-fibre broadband can help bring digital and physical shopping together. Interactive digital displays provide detailed product information, reviews, and recommendations. Smart fitting rooms with augmented reality mirrors let customers virtually try on clothes, making shopping more engaging. Even the checkout experience can be better, with cloud-based systems like point-of-sale terminals processing transactions more swiftly.

Healthcare

In healthcare, a significant benefit of full-fibre broadband is the support it can offer for telehealth. With high-speed, low-latency connections, healthcare providers can conduct high-quality video consultations and follow-ups remotely, reaching patients no matter where they are. This is especially valuable for those in rural or underserved areas, ensuring they get timely and effective care.

Full-fibre broadband can also make real-time transmission of health data possible. Wearable devices and sensors can collect vital signs and other health metrics, sending this information instantly to medical professionals. For patients with chronic conditions, remote monitoring can be life-saving, allowing for early detection of potential health issues, leading to timely interventions and better patient outcomes. Patients can also receive personalised care without needing frequent hospital visits, thereby improving their quality of life.

Additionally, the transmission of large medical imaging files such as MRIs and CT scans requires substantial bandwidth. Full fibre can enable these large files to be uploaded and shared quickly and securely among medical professionals, facilitating faster diagnoses and collaborative treatment planning.

Manufacturing

Equipment failures can be both catastrophic and costly. However, with data analytics platforms, underpinned by full-fibre broadband, manufacturers can have the ability to predict equipment malfunctions before they occur. Sensors and IoT devices gather vast amounts of data, which are then analysed using AI-powered platforms to foresee potential issues. This predictive maintenance approach not only minimises downtime but also extends the lifespan of machinery, ultimately saving costs and boosting operational efficiency.

Advanced manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing (3D printing), robotics, and AI, also rely heavily on high-speed broadband to perform optimally. Full fibre can provide the essential bandwidth and low latency required for these technologies. With this robust infrastructure, AI algorithms can analyse large datasets in real-time to optimise production lines, and 3D printers can receive complex design files instantaneously, speeding up both prototyping and production processes.

Another transformative innovation is bandwidth-intensive digital twins. These virtual replicas of manufacturing processes enable real-time adjustments and performance optimisation. Full-fibre networks can enhance the effectiveness of digital twins, providing a clearer path to operational excellence.

Public sector

Intelligent traffic systems and coordinated public transport are vital for reducing congestion and improving urban mobility. Full-fibre broadband can be the backbone of this modernisation, enabling real-time data exchange between traffic lights, sensors, and transport management systems. This connectivity allows for dynamic traffic management, with traffic light sequences adjusting based on current conditions. Full fibre can also support real-time updates on bus and train schedules, ensuring passengers have accurate information to effectively plan their journeys.

Public safety is another top priority for governments. Full-fibre broadband can enhance surveillance systems that depend on high-speed connectivity to transmit live video feeds to control centres, allowing for quicker response times to incidents and better coordination among emergency services. High-speed internet allows for the rapid dissemination of information, such as emergency alerts and weather warnings, to the public.

In addition, full-fibre broadband can allow public sector organisations to deliver services more efficiently and effectively. For example, government agencies can streamline processes such as licensing, permits, and tax submissions through user-friendly online portals, ensuring quicker turnaround times and greater user satisfaction.

Education

Full-fibre broadband can be an essential tool for students to access education from virtually anywhere. The bandwidth provided by full fibre allows students to attend live lectures, complete online assessments, submit assignments, or collaborate on projects seamlessly. This level of accessibility is particularly crucial for those in remote areas or with limited mobility, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to learn and grow.

Full fibre can also support the development of new, innovative learning methods. Emerging technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality have opened up a whole new world for students to explore and experiment with, bringing abstract concepts to life. With high-speed internet, students can access VR and AR applications in real-time without experiencing delays or disruptions, enhancing their immersive learning experience.

For universities and research institutions, full-fibre broadband can facilitate high-speed access to research databases, collaborative tools, and cloud-based applications. This accelerates research activities and fosters greater collaboration among scholars and researchers worldwide. Additionally, it can enhance the ability to conduct virtual conferences and real-time data sharing, further enriching the academic environment.

Finance

 In financial markets, milliseconds can mean the difference between profit and loss. Full-fibre broadband can provide the speed, reliability, and low latency needed for these transactions. The ability to process large volumes of data instantaneously allows traders to react to market changes in real-time, maximising their returns.

 Full-fibre networks can also enable financial institutions to adopt AI to deliver personalised services. For example, robo-advisors, which provide automated financial advice, need real-time data processing capabilities to deliver recommendations that meet individual needs. Financial institutions can harness the full potential of this technology to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.

 Additionally, blockchain technology and distributed ledger systems rely on robust network infrastructure to enable secure, transparent, and efficient financial transactions. By enabling rapid data transfer, full fibre can support blockchain’s decentralised networks, facilitating real-time verification and reducing latency, which ultimately enhances the overall reliability and performance of these systems.

The future is full fibre

Regardless of what industry you operate in, or how big your business is, full-fibre broadband is set to become the standard fixed access technology for at least the next few decades. For businesses hesitant to get on board, there’s no value in waiting.

At Orro, we understand that transitioning to full-fibre broadband can seem complex. That’s why we offer a seamless and hassle-free transition process tailored to meet your specific needs. Our team of experts will guide you through every step, ensuring minimal disruption to your operations. We provide:

• Personalised consultation: Understanding your business requirements and recommending the best solutions.
• Expert installation: Professional installation services to ensure your new connection is set up correctly.
• Ongoing support: Continuous support and maintenance to keep your network running at peak performance.
• Customised solutions: Tailoring our offerings to match the unique demands of your business.

Discover how we can simplify your transition to full fibre broadband and ensure your business is equipped for the future. Get in touch with us and take the first step towards a faster, more reliable internet connection.

The post The gigabit game-changer: How full fibre broadband is catapulting businesses forward appeared first on Orro.

Imagine a network that doesn’t just passively shuttle data back and forth but one that actively makes decisions, anticipates problems, and adapts in real time. Welcome to the world of AI-native networks, where Wi-Fi and LAN technologies are transformed into intelligent systems capable of providing seamless, reliable connectivity across any device, anywhere.

The intrinsic qualities of AI-native networks

AI-native networks are built with artificial intelligence at their core, rather than AI being bolted onto or replacing existing systems. This means that most, if not all, components use AI to perform its tasks.

There are key characteristics that define these networks: perceptive, cognitive, and interactive.

Perceptive networks are aware and attentive

Perceptive networks have an awareness of their environment. They can digitally map the layout of your network, identifying areas of strength and weakness. This heightened awareness allows them to make real-time adjustments, ensuring a consistent experience across locations, devices, and applications. For example, such a network would know exactly where to boost signal strength or reduce interference, providing a seamless experience for every user.

Cognitive networks learn and adapt

Cognitive networks are proactive learners. They continuously gather data and evolve their strategies over time. Essentially, they don’t just follow rules; they create them based on observed patterns and insights. For example, your network can predict a surge in usage and adjust resources accordingly, ensuring everyone remains blissfully unaware of the potential problems averted behind the scenes.

Interactive networks share and collaborate

Interactive networks do not function in isolation. They communicate and collaborate with other networks, sharing data and insights to create a more efficient and robust ecosystem. This collaborative intelligence ensures that AI-native networks can operate effectively within their parameters and contribute to broader network environments. This means your network is not just looking out for itself but is also aware of and responsive to the needs of other networks it interacts with.

The perks of AI in networking

Automated network optimisation

One of the standout perks of AI in networking is real-time optimisation. AI can monitor network data like latency, packet loss, and jitter, pinpointing areas where performance is lagging and taking corrective action. Got a weak signal in some areas? AI boost coverage. Too many devices slowing things down? AI predicts demand and adjusts capacity so everyone stays connected.

Additionally, AI understands the specific needs of different applications, allocating bandwidth where it’s needed most. Whether you’re streaming high-definition video or hosting a large-scale conference, your network runs smoothly and efficiently.

Plus, optimisation isn’t just about easing workloads; it’s about reducing human error, leading to fewer disruptions and more uptime. AI dynamically adjusts resources based on historical trends and current usage patterns. This predictive analysis ensures optimal performance without manual intervention.

Proactive troubleshooting and maintenance

Maintenance and troubleshooting are the bane of many IT teams. But with AI, it’s a whole different ball game. AI can monitor complex networks, rapidly sifting through extensive datasets to forecast potential failures and suggest proactive maintenance. Whether it’s rebooting a malfunctioning device or switching to backup systems, AI can resolve certain issues on its own to ensure your network is always in top shape.

Seamless scalability

As your business grows and evolves, your network infrastructure needs to be able to keep pace with new demands to ensure your business operations remain uninterrupted. Static network infrastructure cannot keep up with your evolving needs. When your business expands or pivots, adapting your network feels like an uphill battle. AI gives your network the ability to scale without the need for constant manual reconfiguration. It seamlessly handles increasing loads and new device types in real time, while maintaining high speed and reliability. This dynamic scalability ensures that network resources always align with your evolving requirements.

Robust security

Legacy networks are prime targets for cyber threats. Without the capability to detect and respond to threats instantly, your business is at high risk of experiencing costly data breaches. AI takes network security to a whole new level, with machine learning algorithms that can sift through vast amounts of data quickly, identifying anomalies and potential threats that might be missed by traditional methods.

AI can automate responses to certain types of cyber incidents — such as network quarantine and password resets — reducing the time between detection and resolution. This rapid response helps avert or limit the damage caused by cyberattacks. Plus, by continuously learning from new data and past incidents, AI systems get increasingly better at detecting and responding to threats over time, ensuring your security measures evolve alongside emerging threats.

Cost-efficiency

Another standout benefit of AI-native networking is the potential for significant cost savings. Automation reduces the need for manual intervention, leading to lower operational expenses. Predictive maintenance prevents costly emergency repairs, while optimised network resources ensure efficient use of bandwidth. Additionally, by removing traditional controller hardware and associated costs, AI-native networks offer a more cost-effective solution.

Innovation

Beyond addressing current challenges, AI-native networks also pave the way for future innovations. These networks break free from the constraints of traditional networking, such as manual processes, allowing you to innovate and experiment with new business models, services, and technologies — think digital twins and augmented reality — that need adaptable and scalable network infrastructure.

Getting started with AI-native networking

As daunting as it may sound, transitioning from legacy to AI-native network infrastructure can actually be a seamless process with expert guidance — and it’s certainly a journey worth embarking on. At Orro, we believe that a systematic process is the backbone of all successful transformation initiatives. This includes careful assessment, thoughtful design, seamless implementation, and continuous optimisation. Our in-house industry-leading expertise ensures a streamlined deployment process, accelerating your time-to-value.

Here’s an overview of how the process goes:

Assessment: Knowing where you stand and where you want to be

As with all technology transformations, the first step to transitioning to AI-native wireless and LAN infrastructure is to take a close look at the current state of your network. Key considerations should include: business requirements, legacy network architectures, performance bottlenecks, virtualisation requirements, applications and services, traffic patterns, vendor solutions, automation opportunities, and security risks.

Design and planning: Crafting a custom blueprint 

Equipped with the insights gained from the assessment, it’s time to custom-design your new network with the right mix of software and hardware, then map out the entire transformation journey.

Selecting the right AI-native solutions is crucial in this phase. Look for platforms that integrate seamlessly with your existing setup while offering robust, scalable capabilities. Consider partnering with Orro, who brings cutting-edge AI-native wireless access technology, sophisticated AIOps platforms, and deep network design expertise to the table.

There are various activities that tend to take place during this phase:

• Creating high-level or low-level network designs
• Validating the network design through testing
• Optimising network designs to meet your needs
• Building plans for implementation, risk mitigation, and network migration
• Identifying the best spots for your wireless access points through proactive site surveys

Implementation: Bringing your new network to life

With a plan in place, your new network is ready to be rolled out. This is when network engineers will install and integrate all essential hardware and software components, such as access points, switches, and platforms, into your existing infrastructure.

Post-deployment site surveys should also be conducted during this phase to ensure maximum signal strength and coverage.

Continuous optimisation: Keeping the engine running smoothly

Once your new AI-native network is up and running, the journey doesn’t end there. In fact, it’s the beginning. Continuous optimisation is crucial for maximising the potential of your network. This involves comprehensive monitoring, analytics, and technical support to make sure everything keeps running like clockwork and that your network is meeting the needs of your business and users.

Future-proof your network with Orro

Imagine IT teams shifting from firefighting to strategising, focusing on initiatives that truly drive the business forward; employees being more productive, efficient, and satisfied than ever; and customers moving through the buying journey with no interruptions.

How do you get here? One way is to partner with Orro. We pride ourselves on setting new standards in enterprise connectivity. Our One Touch Control AIOps platform, combined with AI-native wireless access technology, transforms your network infrastructure into a dynamic, high-performing asset.

Explore the possibilities of AI-native networking and lead your company into a smarter, more connected future.

Find out how we can make it happen together here. Or get in touch for personalised support.

The post Reinventing Wi-Fi and LAN in an AI-mature world appeared first on Orro.

Amidst a surge of cyberattacks on various industries, the financial services sector stands out – not as a cautionary tale, but as a paragon of cyber resilience. Why? Because banks and financial services institutions have been the playground for hackers for decades, long before customer data became the new gold rush.

Their hard-earned wisdom, gained from extensive experience, offers a blueprint for SMEs as they grapple with the reality that attackers often view them as the low-hanging fruit due to their lack of cybersecurity measures.

From past to present: Adapting to new realities

For the financial sector, the early days of cybersecurity were about protecting transactions, but the scope has expanded to secure sensitive personal information. With each year’s technological leaps, the financial services industry has adapted to protect its assets from the evolving tactics of cyber criminals.

Take, for example, the early adoption of multi-factor authentication and malware protection — the financial sector’s pioneering moves are now standard protocols. Or the progressive evolution from mainframe systems focused on transactional security to today’s multifaceted digital battleground demanding data protection, identity verification, and robust response strategies.

The sector is well ahead in using advanced tools and technologies like Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems. By remaining vigilant, financial services organisations are able leap into action at the first sign of trouble, keeping the impact of cyber incidents to a minimum.

Unfortunately, many SMEs are still playing catch-up. The adoption of Essential Eight cyber mitigation strategies are starting to become more commonplace, yet there’s much ground to cover to match the financial sector’s strides. The fundamental difference? Banks and financial services institutions have traditionally had both the capital and the regulatory imperative to shield their domains. By contrast, SMEs have lacked similar mandates or resources, leaving them more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

However, as the landscape changes and regulations tighten, so too must the cybersecurity strategies of SMEs.

 A roadmap drawn from decades of vigilance

Hindsight is indeed 20/20, and the journey of financial institutions provides SMEs with a vital guide to achieving cyber resilience.

The hidden power of regular system patching

One of the most critical but underrated practices in cybersecurity is regular system patching. Financial services organisations have staunch systems in place to keep their software up to date, patching any holes that could leave them vulnerable to hackers. For SMEs, taking a cue from this practice means placing system updates at the heart of their cybersecurity strategy.

Authentication and access: Making sure trust is earned, not given

From multi-factor authentication and biometric validation to role-based access controls, financial services have set the gold standard for data protection.

Nowadays,  the traditional over-the-counter approach to verification is being replaced with zero-trust models, meaning identities are confirmed before doors are unlocked to sensitive information.

For SMEs, adopting the tried-and-tested methods of financial services companies is a smart play. A great place to start is implementing MFA and solid password policies to protect against data breaches that stem from stolen credentials. With special access rules, SMEs can significantly reduce the risks of internal threats.

Encrypt your data like a bank

Data encryption is not just an extra layer of security in the financial sector — it’s the norm. Encrypting data, not just while in transit, but while it’s parked, lays down a fundamental layer of defence against data breaches. That’s why banks and financial services are using the latest encryption technologies like post-quantum cryptography to safeguard sensitive data from being intercepted.

The key takeaway for SMEs is that encryption should be foundational in cybersecurity efforts. Ensure sensitive data is encrypted and secure communication channels are implemented to protect data from ending up in the wrong place.

Spot endpoint weaknesses before troublemakers do with EDR

Staying on top of cybersecurity is a game of speed and smarts. One of the ways financial services businesses stay ahead in the game is with endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions. EDR serves as the ever-present watchful eye over every device that connects to a network. Its purpose is to quickly spot anything out of the ordinary and disarm threats in real time before they can do serious damage.

Endpoint protection is essential, irrespective of company size. By deploying EDR systems, SMEs can create an environment where employees can safely engage with digital assets, knowing that even if a threat bypasses one layer of defence, others are in place to counteract it. It’s important to note that an endpoint protection strategy should include additional protection measures like firewalls, data encryption, and MFA.

Better to outsmart the problem than fix it: Predictive capabilities give you the upper hand

Cybersecurity is by nature, a fast-paced and constantly evolving discipline. The techniques and tools that businesses use have to change in response to emerging threats rapidly.

That’s why financial services companies have invested heavily in AI, allowing them to receive early warning signals of impending cyber threats. AI’s ability to sift through vast amounts of data and flag irregularities significantly outperforms older methods that are less dynamic, enabling businesses to stop threats in their tracks before they lead to catastrophic events.

A vital lesson for SMEs here is that foreseeing an attack can make all the difference. AI-powered cybersecurity solutions are far more financially accessible today, so SMEs don’t have to miss out.

Creating a cyber savvy workforce with regular training

Beyond the technological advances and protocols, there’s a recognition that the human element is both a vulnerability and a frontline defence.

Data breaches are not always a result of sophisticated cyberattacks. They often come about because someone clicked on a malicious link, gave their credentials away to a scammer, misconfigured a system, or failed to patch a system in a timely manner. According to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), human error was the source of one in four data breaches in the first half of 2023.

That’s why financial services companies devote so much effort into cultivating a vigilant workforce through regular training. By teaching their employees to recognise, report, and resist phishing scams, social engineering attempts, and other threats, these organisations seek to maintain an impenetrable culture of security awareness. With human error as a significant threat vector, SMEs should similarly invest in creating a cyber savvy workforce.

Security is only as strong as its weakest link: A lesson in third-party vigilance

Due to the interconnected nature of products and services in a digital world, exposure to third-party risks is something the financial sector knows all too well. Much of the sector’s operations depend on third-party vendors, who might have access to sensitive data. Financial organisations combat these risks with vendor risk management policies and routine security audits.

As SMEs similarly rely on third-party vendors for various services, the takeaway is clear: vet your vendors. Ensure they are transparent about how they adhere to cybersecurity standards and best practices. Your partners need to be equally committed to cybersecurity as you are to safeguard your enterprise.

Incident response plans: Making sure you’re ready for anything

Having experienced their fair share of cyber challenges, the financial sector recognises the importance of having a solid plan for when things go wrong — because they will go wrong. They regularly test and fine-tune their incident response plans, which cover everything from spotting threats and preparing their team for action, to wiping out those threats and bouncing back quickly.

For SMEs, there’s a key takeaway — don’t just rely on prevention tactics. Instead, create a bespoke plan that lays out the specific steps that need to be taken when a data breach happens.

An effective incident response plan should detail the following:

• Preparation: Strategies to assess risks and prepare your team
• Detection: Systems used to quickly spot any threats
• Containment: Solutions to stop threats from spreading
• Eradication: Methods to quickly find and eliminate the threats
• Recovery: Procedures of restoring operations with little disruption
• Post-incident analysis: The process of gathering findings and using them to strengthen security for the future

 Simplifying cybersecurity: The all-in-one solution for SMEs

The financial sector has not only shaped the architecture of modern cybersecurity; it has breathed life into its very essence, moving beyond mere transactions to securing an entire ecosystem. What SMEs should take away from this is that cybersecurity isn’t just a checklist item, it’s about adapting to new challenges as they come.

But adapting doesn’t mean you have to manage everything on your own. The advent of Orro and SentinelOne’s extended detection and response (XDR) managed service marks a significant leap toward levelling the playing field, offering smaller businesses the same cybersecurity assurance as enterprises with deep pockets and expansive IT departments.

At the heart of the XDR managed service is SentinelOne’s Singularity Data Lake, an autonomous security solution that unifies endpoint protection, cloud security, and identity threat detection and response. It’s the first such solution in Australia that keeps all data within national boundaries, ensuring full compliance with stringent cybersecurity regulations.

Complementing SentinelOne’s technology, Orro offers Security Operations Centre capabilities to provide 24/7 monitoring and incident response services, meaning swift action can be taken in case of security incidents, without having to develop these capabilities in-house.

You can enjoy peace of mind knowing your cybersecurity is managed by experts who have decades of experience working with Australia’s biggest financial services companies. Together, we’ve seen it all and we know what’s coming.

Learn more about Orro’s SentinelOne-powered managed XDR service.

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