We are entering a period of time when we are going to see an uptick in the number of security threats, both physical and in cyberspace. There is an increasing global unrest. Over the past few months what we’ve seen electorally, in the U.S., but also in Europe and in other parts of the world, has been a manifestation of that. This has also been reflected in physical violence and inspired acts of terrorism, as we have tragically seen in Charlottesville and Barcelona. We will see this manifest online, too. For those of us in the security space, we have to raise our game to meet the growing demand for innovative security tools and strategies. As I learned during my time as Homeland Security Secretary, planning, equipping, training and exercising are what will prepare you to face unexpected threats.
In today’s business world, IT has become more ubiquitous than ever; much sensitive data is now online. Cyber connections are pervasive in every aspect of commercial activity. We use the internet to execute financial transactions, maintain customer and business data, manage financial and Human Resources functions and to direct operational activities, including industrial control systems. The new age of innovation is profoundly changing the economy through technology-driven tectonic shifts including social media, big data analytics, cloud mobility and the Internet of Things. Unfortunately, this golden age has enabled a new class of bad actors to take advantage of security vulnerabilities in these platforms, creating new risk in the form of cyber threat.