How to avoid accumulating technical debt in cybersecurity

Ivo Rusev is actively involved in the pre-sales and sales processes at "Telelink Business Services" (TBS), being responsible for the company's relations with its clients from the private and public sectors He started working at TBS in 2018 after seven years of experience at Microsoft Bulgaria, where he gained significant experience in building the company's strategy for the commercial and public sectors, as well as in the field of organizational leadership.

He also worked at IBM as Integrated Technology Service Manager and Technical Support Sales Ivo Rusev focuses on motivating people and establishing a customer-oriented, responsible and collaborative culture.

He has a strong interest in project management in the field of digital transformation and believes in the importance of technical sales for business growth and increasing added value for customers Technical debt can be applied to any part of the IT infrastructure.

The same term is increasingly entering the field of cyber security What does it really mean? How can it be avoided and what do you risk if you do not take adequate, timely measures? Cybersecurity is a topic with confusing dynamics.

The multitude of recommendations, legal frameworks and current issues create a dissonance in which, however, one trend is clearly visible - cyber security is of utmost importance and should not be neglected If we don't take care of our virtual security, we accumulate technical debt, which at some point, just like financial debt, must be paid off.

Technical debt is a liability that arises from the lack of adequate cyber defense in an organization What is the main problem? In Bulgaria, unlike Western Europe, there is no risk assessment for cybersecurity needs, and the topic is often discussed behind closed doors.

A breach in digital security is seen as something to be ashamed of, rather than a reality worth discussing and learning from Ignoring the need for cyber security is due to various factors, the main one being a belief that can be defined in different ways: Illusion that cyber attacks will most likely pass you by Illusion that fixing a possible cyber attack is cheaper than investing in permanent cyber security Delusion that investment in cyber security has no return.

These illusions are fueled by the lack of awareness about the importance of virtual protection, as well as about its possible structures Investments presuppose awareness of the problem, good knowledge of technology and adequate risk assessment.

Prevention as a key element Can we avoid technical debt? How? Most important is the realization that cyber security cannot be ignored or sidelined It is and will remain one of the fundamental factors for the success of any organization regardless of the industry.

The misconception that preventing a cyberattack that is already happening is cheaper than total protection must be completely eliminated as a way of thinking How to avoid accumulating technical debt? Through prevention.

It is the main element in cyber defense Prevention itself is made up of different parts.

To begin with, it is necessary to assess the risk for the company itself The question that needs to be answered is what the company would lose in a large-scale cyber attack due to lack of adequate protection.

Can he sustain those losses and what would they look like? It should be noted here that the losses are not always purely financial In some cases, it may be a question of loss of trust on the part of partners or customers.

Solutions taken for comprehensive cyber defense can be reasonably priced It is not necessary to make too large and overwhelming investments.

The most sensible approach is to look at the specific needs of the organization and make a professional judgement/assessment of the necessary solutions and measures This analysis may indicate the need for a mandatory investment, but it may also lead to the conclusion, that the organization has a fully adequate digital security system.

The selection of a professional team to perform risk analysis and assessment plays a major role here Choose wisely and work with a partner who has earned your trust.

The foundation for cyber security is not to buy extremely expensive solutions, but to arrive at the best quality and best performing approach for an organization The big benefits Cyber security maintenance is not recommended, but mandatory.

The benefits of adequate virtual security vary depending on the organization and its operations Some positives apply to all: Smaller and rare bugs with the IT infrastructure Stability in operational processes Comprehensive and high-quality technical security Predictable maintenance costs Higher overall evaluation of the company and its activity.

Digitalization brings enormous benefits to the development of all areas of business Along with them, unfortunately, there are also serious risks.

Technical debt is a measurable concept It can be removed with an adequate risk assessment.

The most important thing is to try to escape the illusion that cyber security and attacks do not affect us and can pass us by With a proper analysis of specific needs, investments in cyber security will not only have a return, but will also be seen as a logical and financially sound step towards a more secure future.

as well as attacks do not affect us and can pass us by With a proper analysis of specific needs, investments in cyber security will not only have a return, but will also be seen as a logical and financially sound step towards a more secure future.