Ron Fellows – global subject matter expert on law enforcement with IBM spoke at the Global Security Summit.
Fellows reviewed the use of analytics and ‘big data’ as a route towards smarter public safety.
In addition, he examined how new technologies are deployed to both predict and solve criminality and co-ordinate emergency response mechanisms/processes by way of bespoke data/intelligence capture, processing and information disseminating procedures.
To set matters in context, IBM’s security portfolio provides the security intelligence to help organisations holistically protect their people, data, applications and infrastructures. The organisation devises solutions for identity and access management, security information and event management, database security, application development, risk management, endpoint management, network security and much more besides.
Indeed, it’s fair to say that IBM operates the world’s broadest security research and development and delivery organisation. The operation comprises no less than nine security centres (and the same number of research centres), 11 software security development labs and an Institute for Advanced Security with chapters in the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific.
For all you fact fans, IBM monitors a mammoth 13 billion security events every day in more than 130 countries and holds over 3,000 security patents.
The need for security intelligence
“Enterprises are now producing more data than ever before,” said Fellows (a member of IBM’s Smart Public Safety Team) in an exclusive pre-show interview with Info4Security. “That data’s being shared faster and more widely than in the past. Additionally, those who are looking to steal that data are becoming more sophisticated and stealthy. Clearly, a more responsive, more integrated and analytics-driven approach to security is needed.”
As an organisation, IBM is working on an overarching Smart Cities project and, in alignment with that initiative, believes not only in building security into all of its customers’ businesses and IT processes but also in assembling a complete view of the ‘overall security posture’.
“We’re always aiming to pull in data from across the operational pillars of an organisation so that its security professionals can focus on those threats that matter most to the business,” asserted Fellows. It’s a sound philosophy.
Of course, the explosion of data in today’s world realises inevitable challenges for data security and privacy. However, that increasing amount of data also presents organisations like IBM with fantastic opportunities to unearth smarter ways of deriving meaningful – and, importantly, actionable – insights from that data. Hence the focus of Fellows’ forthcoming presentation at the Global Security Summit.
“Our intelligence approach can help organisations assemble a more complete picture of their security regime,” he commented. “By collecting large volumes of data and events, and synthesising that into a smaller number of priority events to be investigated, the end user can not only understand more but also be more effective and responsive, in turn reducing risk and costs.”
Thinking about ‘Integrated’
If security is going to be successfully built into any organisation then it absolutely needs to integrate with any existing technology infrastructure and investments (read more in our Safe Cities hub)
Additionally, it must also be said that with integration comes a breaking down of so-called ‘security silos’ which can negatively contribute to increased risk and uncertainty within the corporate environment.
“For example,” explained Fellows, “vulnerability data discovered in a core application should feed into your network protection strategy rather than these tools remaining disparate and disconnected.”
Fellows’ final comment is nothing less than food for thought.
“Remember,” he urged, “that integration isn’t just about technology. It’s about understanding your business processes and how security can ultimately drive and support innovative and transformative initiatives.”
Ron Fellows is global subject matter expert on law enforcement at IBM UK