Featured Article from Software Licensing

How often are your organization’s network and applications targeted by malicious hackers? Unless you’re an IT security specialist, you’re probably vastly underestimating how often in happens. Research by the University of Maryland found that there are near-constant attacks on computers with Internet access: approximately once every 39 seconds. Another study by the U.S. National Cyber Security Alliance determined that 60 percent of small companies go out of business six months after a cyber-attack. The Ponemon Institute (News - Alert) determined that the average price for small businesses to clean up after an attack stands at $690,000. For larger, it’s over $1 million. Still, many companies make risky mistakes and devote too few resources to cybersecurity.

According to software licensing and vulnerability management solutions provider Flexera Software, the best defense against cyber-attack requires a holistic approach and collaboration of different teams across the enterprise, in a concerted effort to reduce the attack surface for hackers. Keeping applications safe is not, and never will be, a one-person job. Many roles have a responsibility to identify, prioritize and remediate software vulnerabilities and cybersecurity risks.

“IT security teams must enlist the help of others that play key roles in the enterprise software asset lifecycle,” said the company in a recent blog post. “Asset managers, desktop managers, and data center managers are all involved in the daily management of applications and these important roles can help to reduce software vulnerability and the attack surface for potential hackers.”

Software managers need to have a good plan that accomplishes the following:

• Understanding of how each role can improve the organization’s security posture;
• Collaboration to achieve results and demonstrate the impact of software cybersecurity efforts; and
• Understanding of how a unified approach will effectively keep hackers away.

On March 30^th, April 4^th and April 5^th, Flexera will hold a Webinar entitled, “Do You Manage Software? Understanding Your Role in Cybersecurity Defense.” During the course of the Webinar, experts at Flexera will discuss the roles and the impact that activities not always associated with security have in reducing risk and protecting their companies from the near-constant threat of attack.

For more information or to register for the Webinar, visit Flexera’s Web site.