The trend of automation has skyrocketed in recent years and shows no signs of stopping soon. Automation has become integral to many enterprise businesses’ success through task completion, data collection, and security measures. With global cybercrime costs growing 15% year over year, according to Cisco’s 2022 Cybersecurity Almanac, there is no time to waste when it comes to investing in security. Today, our enterprise logistics software experts at SCLogic discuss how automation can improve business security, the benefits and cost savings of proper security measures, and how our software, Intra, places security at the forefront of development and implementation.

How Has Automation for Security Expanded?

As we stated earlier, the demand for automation increases significantly each year. Unfortunately, most cyberattacks bring noticeable and even irreparable damage to businesses, which is why being proactive in your security measures is so important. Last year, 45% of data breaches involved personal data, and the average cost per data breach was $4.24 million. As a result, automation has grown from primarily assisting with task completion to expanding security efforts for enterprise businesses. Currently, there are three main automation tools that help with security threats at all levels, as seen below. 

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, refers to “a form of business process automation that allows anyone to define a set of instructions for a robot or ‘bot’ to perform,” according to Nintex. Generally, RPA uses a set of keyboard commands to automate operations on a computer system, including scanning for vulnerabilities, running monitoring tools and saving results, and basic threat mitigation such as a firewall. RPA can also be used in industry-specific areas such as fraudulent or non-secure account closing for financial services.

Security Orchestration, Automation & Response (SOAR)

SOAR, according to Gartner, refers to technologies that enable organizations to collect inputs monitored by the security operations team. Essentially, SOAR tools provide digital input through machine learning to help organizations identify, strategize, and handle security incident response through a mix of human interaction and technology. SOAR tools can also organize security incidents by order of importance and provide guidance on standard protocol to handle these situations. Ultimately, SOAR tools provide the resources for companies to manage any potential threats in a digital workflow format.

Extended Detection & Response (XDR)

The last of the major automation tools are extended detection and response, XDR. TrendMicro states that XDR “collects and automatically correlates data across multiple security layers – email, endpoint, server, cloud workload, and network. This allows for faster detection of threats and improved investigation and response times through security analysis”. In layman’s terms, XDR takes a holistic approach to business security by breaking down the silos of the enterprise workforce and using AI to detect patterns that may be a threat. 

What are the Benefits of Security Automation for Enterprises?

Now that we’ve broken down the primary tools used in security automation, it’s time to talk about the benefits. When it comes to enterprise security, investing in modern and comprehensive solutions is a must. Working proactively to minimize the chances of security or data breaches will save you thousands, and even millions of dollars in the long run, while ensuring company data remains secure. Below are some of the most considerable benefits that security automation provides.

Minimizes Risk & Downtime

This is a given, but we can’t stress risk mitigation enough. With the average time to contain a breach reaching 80 days and an average of just 5% of company files protected, there is truly no time to waste. Failing to prioritize security efforts will likely lead to significantly increased risk. For companies that do fall victim to breaches, the potential of a complete company shutdown is due to financial and legal repercussions. By implementing security automation tools, your team can work proactively to identify threats and potential security threats before they harm your business.

Reduced Manual Operations 

Outside of risk mitigation, one of the most significant benefits of security automation is the reduction of manual operations for teams. Researchers from Stanford University, along with a cybersecurity partner, found that 88% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error. This can come from a variety of mistakes, with the five most common being: 

• Weak passwords or incorrect password storage
• Staff members or employees using outdated software
• Employees carelessly handling sensitive data or sending personal information via email
• Employees working with low-security awareness
• Employees letting unauthorized individuals use company devices

 By investing in automation tools, the need for human interaction on company devices is minimized, and other security tools can be implemented within company technology to identify threats quickly. 

Creation of Standardized Processes

Another area that we cannot stress enough in the enterprise industry is the employee experience and user adoption of new technologies. For many medium-to-large enterprise facilities, especially those experiencing growth, ensuring that all employees are properly trained on security protocols can be a difficult task. With the development of the hybrid workforce and utilization of digital tools, it is vital that companies identify a standard security process and include detailed and continued training for all employees. 

Rather than having endless rules and regulations across various devices, implementing automation tools can streamline the security process, creating a set standard for each digital tool used and automating access to sensitive files within your organization.

Improvement of Compliance Protocol

Last but certainly not least, security automation is a savior for compliance. Regulatory compliance is unique for each industry, but one thing remains the same, protecting employee, company, and consumer data. You may not even know what compliance standards you have to meet for enterprises using outdated technology and feeling stagnant in their digital transformation process. Furthermore, you may not have the technology to meet them adequately. Outside of the financial cost of security breaches, if it is discovered that an underlying cause was noncompliance, significant legal repercussions can arise. Security automation minimizes risk and provides a safety net for your business to protect data vital to success. 

Invest in Automation with SCLogic’s Logistics Software

Automation tools can be found throughout your entire business, and it’s essential not to overlook facilities management. While the first tools that come to your mind may be client-facing or employee-centered, FM automation tools are just as necessary. Think about your FM employees working with multiple point solutions, with different points of contact, various passwords, and a heavy emphasis on manual processes. All these areas increase the risk of cyberattacks on your enterprise organization. With our in-building logistics software, Intra, we provide a comprehensive platform to solve your most strenuous pain points while providing a secure hub of workgroups and data analytics tools to serve your needs. To learn more about our workgroups, email [email protected] or schedule a demo with one of our team members today.