Your colleague values speed over security protocols. How do you ensure your network remains protected?

In a previous role, a colleague often prioritized speed over security protocols. To address this, I shared my experience with a data breach caused by neglecting security measures, which resulted in extensive downtime and resource allocation to resolve. I used relatable examples, like how the breach required weeks of investigation, far exceeding the time saved by skipping protocols. I organized short training sessions and discussions to highlight the impact of security lapses. By educating them on potential risks and using real-life examples, I gradually shifted their perspective, fostering a culture of security awareness and ensuring our network remained protected.

When a colleague prioritizes speed over security, it's vital to emphasize the long-term benefits of robust protocols. Highlight how consistent security measures protect not only the company's data but also its reputation and client trust. Use examples of companies that faced severe repercussions due to lax security. By fostering a team mindset where everyone values security, you create a resilient work environment. Encouraging accountability and demonstrating the efficiency of secure practices can help integrate these protocols into daily routines seamlessly.

Speed is no longer a problem. Modern systems no longer have appreciable delay. Other areas are the desire to intercept internal traffic for analysis and amazingly in this modern world internal billing.

Rarely effective unless there is some overwhelming legal or regulatory pressure together with intrusive so expensive monitoring. Let’s look at use of strong passwords. Define strong. All that 8-1-1 stuff does not produce strong passwords. You’d need to know peoples passwords in order to test them. This generates a very big hole in security and is hard to justify. Look at the password reset policy/process. The strong password policy can cause more password resets. So the attack will come from that direction instead. Same thing for failures in 2FA such as lost Authenticator.

In the event of a security incident, having a well-defined incident response plan is crucial. I ensure that our plan is easily accessible and understood by all team members. The plan includes clear steps to contain the breach, assess the damage, and restore systems to normal operations. To support the argument that security protocols don't necessarily mean slower performance, I emphasize that an efficient response plan can significantly reduce downtime caused by security issues. Regular training and drills help the team stay prepared and familiar with the procedures, ensuring swift and effective action when incidents occur. This approach underscores the value of adhering to security protocols while maintaining operational efficiency.