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Practical risk mitigation baffles SA

By Tracy Burrows, ITWeb contributor.
Johannesburg, 26 Mar 2014
In many cases, organisations lack an understanding of practical steps to mitigate risk, says Guy Golan, CEO of the Performanta Group.
In many cases, organisations lack an understanding of practical steps to mitigate risk, says Guy Golan, CEO of the Performanta Group.

South African enterprises are taking information security increasingly seriously, but in many cases they lack an understanding of practical steps to mitigate risk, says Guy Golan, CEO of the Performanta Group.

"Recent high-profile international events and actual breaches with associated financial losses have renewed the focus on information security. For years, the information security industry has been warning of the risk of industrial espionage and hacking, but only now that we see actual incidents resulting in substantial financial losses, are companies taking the risk seriously."

Golan says these losses, combined with new legislation that makes the board accountable for data security, is driving greater interest in information security from business management too.

"We see today that business not only needs to get involved, but it wants to get involved," he says.

However, Golan believes there is a shortage of practical information available to guide local enterprises on the tools and strategies needed to mitigate risk.

"Business management, in particular, tends to be faced with a great deal of highly technical information. What they need is an overview that speaks to business language. CISOs and CIOs, on the other hand, need to be empowered to communicate effectively with business management on information security issues," he says.

Now in its ninth year, the ITWeb Security Summit is southern Africa's premier information security event for IT and business professionals. It is presented by ITWeb, South Africa's leading technology-focused publisher, with media products and services that span online, print and events. The ITWeb Security Summit 2014 is endorsed by ISACA and (ISC)^2 Gauteng Chapter, and will be staged at the Sandton Convention Centre from 27-29 May. For more information, go to www.securitysummit.co.za. Join the conversation on Twitter at #itwebsec.

Performanta aims to address these shortfalls in a track at the upcoming ITWeb Security Summit to be held in Sandton in May. Sponsoring the event for the third year running, Performanta has previously focused on the key themes "understanding the security problem" and "the elements of a security strategy".

"This year, we will focus on the 'how'," says Golan. "Our experts will give practical insights on getting back to basics, gaining a holistic view of the security challenges, and understanding where the enemies are - which is both outside and inside the enterprise."

In addition, Performanta will fly John McCormack, CEO of Websense, to SA to deliver a keynote on the global information security landscape. He will also hold one-on-one meetings with stakeholders during the three-day event.

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