The security thread landscape is shifting.
Protecting infrastructure, information assets and customer experience is no longer enough. Security has become a more challenging issue as it now involves protecting mobile devices, cloud and machine-to-machine (M2M).
This is apparent in our findings from the latest issue of Internet Security Threat Report:
- 91% increase in targeted attacks campaigns in 2013
- 62% increase in the number of breaches in 2013
- Over 552M identities were exposed via breaches in 2013
- 23 zero-day vulnerabilities discovered
- 38% of mobile users have experienced mobile cybercrime in past 12 months
- Spam volume dropped to 66% of all email traffic
- 1 in 392 emails contain phishing attacks
- Web-based attacks are up 23%
- 1 in 8 legitimate websites have a critical vulnerability
Source: Symantec Internet Security Threat Report 19, 2014
With this, enterprises, SMBs and consumers are expecting CSPs to tackle the challenges of information protection.
This challenge presents a huge opportunity for CSPs to offer new services to their customer base and target markets—focusing on services that CSPs can upsell, build and extend on while gaining benefits that are beyond revenue, like customer loyalty.
CSPs should exploit the market trends and profit from new revenue opportunities riding on their two main assets.
These valuable assets are:
- Providers’ core network competency
- Providers’ existing relationships with large customer base, from consumers, to SMBs and enterprises
Here are 5 ways how CSPs can address the changing security threat landscape.
- Plan ahead and start early on new technology with trusted partners
Good planning is vital when offering new services. CSPs need to identify a trusted partner to work together in addressing any imminent changes in technology, for instance the SDN/NFV development. A partner with global reach and proven success with other CSPs globally is a good example of who CSPs could work with.
- Develop a straightforward information protection and management roadmap that offers huge upsell opportunities.
Focus on the core network competencies, leveraging all other differentiating assets, and also the rest of the service stack.To drive upsell opportunities, CSPs should create innovative business model riding on market changes, such as monetization opportunity with OTT players.
- Adopt cloud and mobile business models to build trust and confidence in the cloud.
CSPs need to deliver superior cloud services that are more trusted and available. CSPs should explore these possible business models for the cloud service offerings, depending on the requirements.
- Resell existing services from trusted cloud partners—for CSPs without extensive IT and cloud services experiences, or when time-to-market is critical.
- Build cloud services—for CSPs with advanced IT services skills that can build customizable cloud services.
- Extend on-premise customer environment via cloud—use as migration steps for customers that are moving to cloud gradually.
- Optimize the networks before adding services using a ‘Clean Pipe’ strategy.
Resilient existing network is imperative to expansion and in maintaining customer trust and loyalty. Proper traffic management can reduce malicious and unsolicited traffic.
- Exploit and optimize existing infrastructures.
By doing so, CSPs can utilise an IT foundation that is not hardware or software specific. This offers an increase agility and flexibility in designing the services and seamless migration from one system to another, which in turn save up on existing investment.
Through these steps, CSPs can profit from new revenue opportunities by addressing the changing landscape. Hence, CSPs must note that the key to success is to differentiate within the marketplace by:
- Engaging with trusted partners
- Optimizing and leveraging existing network and infrastructure
- Developing a straight forward service roadmap
- Building trust and confidence
- Adapting to cloud and mobile business models
- Leveraging existing experience through providers’ core network competency
Apart from adapting to a changing landscape, CSPs could also focus on addressing the SMB market, a market “that has been left somewhat untouched”, according to Frank Bunn, Senior Manager, Communication Service Provider Strategy, Symantec EMEA. Read “How can Communication Service Providers (CSPs) address the SMB market?” for more tips on tapping this market.