Innovation vs. security: Can you have them both?

Issue 7 2021 Security Services & Risk Management

It was the motoring celebrity Jeremy Clarkson that once said: “speed doesn’t kill, it’s the coming to a stop that gets you.” The same applies to rapid innovation.

If you roll out the latest and greatest technology too quickly without securing it, you might be vulnerable to halting attacks. Implementing the most market-leading innovations is the name of the game, but at what cost and what risk. Speed and safety are the two sides of the rope pulling at each other, but the real question is if it is possible to have both?


Matthew Gaskell.

There is a perception that it’s one versus the other. That when you create for one, you have to apply the other. It is a push and pull mechanism. The more creative and innovative, the greater the security risk of vulnerability. And that implementing security protection mechanisms can really put the brakes on speedy innovation.

However, successful companies see another way. The true genius is being able to do both. True innovation is being able to deploy at speed while creatively building the guard rails that prevent unwanted threats. It’s about maintaining that balance of speed and safety. Getting it right takes great skill and requires ingenuity.

Below are some of the innovation and security divides to consider.

First to market vs. untested defences

In a desire to be the first to market with your concept and gain first-mover-advantage, often there is an increase in complexity without the technology being tested against known/unknown threats. This creates vulnerabilities and you can leave yourself exposed. Automated testing can help smooth out the process and quickly catch the unknown exposures that could have been overlooked.

New technologies vs. new vulnerabilities

When new technologies are introduced they are often untested or haven’t been tested thoroughly, which means they are not always secure. When this occurs, new weaknesses can be introduced that either exist or haven’t been discovered yet. Small changes can introduce large holes in previously solid defences. New technologies can change an entire industry landscape but at what cost to the security of the customer, consumer or user?

When you’re trying something new, you have to learn how to protect it as well.

New features vs new exposures

As you add game-changing innovations you have to make sure the safety belts work and the tyres are roadworthy. New features impact the integrity of your security posture. This speaks to the way in which the pieces of your system fit together over the strength of the technologies you use.

Leading-edge features such as decoupled architectures can allow you to chop and change at pace, but they need to be securely fastened. Protect the component not the perimeter.

Innovation vs. compliance

In many industries compliance is a must, such as in banking, payments and insurance. You have to maintain compliance to various standards whether they be PCI, PII or PoPIA. Every industry is impacted by these standards to some degree.

When designing and building new systems, architectures or software, you have to be cognisant of the respective compliance requirements that you need to adhere to. The benefit of innovation without compliance can have costly compliance ramifications. For example, exposing customer data such as personal information can violate legislation or standards and lead to heavy penalties. What makes this riskier, ironically, is that compliance standards are not standard. They are constantly in flux, making this knowledge tantamount to success.

Constant automated monitoring of updates or modifications can alleviate the restricting burden of continual compliance. Small systematic increments make it easier to rapidly roll out the latest and greatest creations while maintaining the compliance rubber stamp.




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

SMARTpod talks to The Risk Management Forum
SMART Security Solutions Editor's Choice News & Events Security Services & Risk Management Videos Training & Education
SMART Security Solutions recently released its first SMARTpod podcast, discussing the upcoming Risk Management Forum Conference 2024, which will be held on 26 September 2024 at the Indaba Conference Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg.

Read more...
There is a SaaS for everything, but at what cost, especially to SMEs?
Editor's Choice Information Security Security Services & Risk Management
Relying on SaaS platforms presents significant cybersecurity risks as the number of providers in your landscape increases, expanding your attack surface. It is important to assess the strength of the SaaS providers in your chain.

Read more...
Unlocking new efficiencies in private security
Security Services & Risk Management Transport (Industry) Smart Home Automation Logistics (Industry)
Justin Manson, Sales Director at Webfleet, discusses how the urgent need to protect life, and to do so more efficiently, is driving continuous innovation in holistic home and residential security services in South Africa.

Read more...
Innovation and security go hand in hand
Technews Publishing Facilities & Building Management Security Services & Risk Management
In a world where the demand for tech innovation is matched only by the acceleration of cybersecurity threats, businesses face the challenge of balancing new product development and robust security measures.

Read more...
Bomb threat landscape in South Africa
Editor's Choice Security Services & Risk Management
Over the past 25 years, South Africa has faced thousands of bomb threats and explosive incidents annually, imposing a significant economic burden on the nation, costing billions of rand.

Read more...
Natural catastrophes and fire risks top concerns
Security Services & Risk Management Asset Management Residential Estate (Industry)
Natural disasters are the highest risk in the real estate industry, followed by fire and explosions, and then business interruption. Estates must prioritise risk management and take proactive measures to safeguard their assets, employees, and reputation.

Read more...
Building a solid foundation
Alwinco Security Services & Risk Management Asset Management Residential Estate (Industry)
Understanding the roles of a Risk Assessor and a Risk Manager is like building a solid and secure foundation in the security world. Andre Mundell makes it easy to understand.

Read more...
SA firms take nine months to detect data breaches
Information Security Security Services & Risk Management
A human being can be conceived and brought into the world at roughly the same time a South African small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) becomes aware of and reports a data breach.

Read more...
Be wary of these scams this tax season
News & Events Security Services & Risk Management
As we approach the end of August, millions of South Africans will log onto the SARS eFiling website or visit their closest branch to complete their tax returns, but scammers are also waiting to defraud with tax-related scams.

Read more...
Businesses battle for long-term sustainability
Security Services & Risk Management News & Events
KPMG International’s report reveals the three key risks to growth in 2024 and beyond: geopolitical uncertainty, trade restrictions, and divergence on AI. The energy and natural resources sector is the ‘most exposed’ industry group in 2024.

Read more...