From small businesses to big tech: everyone has a role in ensuring cybersecurity

The recent release of the National Cyber Strategy by the Biden administration marks a significant shift new chapter in how cybersecurity is approached in the United States. The strategy highlights the need to shift the burden of cybersecurity from individuals, small businesses, and local governments, and instead, it puts the responsibility in the hands of software developers and other tech companies. This is a positive move, as it recognizes that cybersecurity is a collective responsibility that requires a coordinated effort, one we at Object First are more than excited to be a part of! 

For people in Information Technology, their role in ensuring cybersecurity is more important than ever. Developers and tech companies must prioritize security in every aspect of their work, from software design and development to hardware ecosystems’ implementation and maintenance. One lousy update, or an unknown hole in security, could spell disaster for the software manufacturer and their customers. They must adopt a proactive approach to security and ensure that security is integrated into every step of the development process and beyond. 

The strategy also calls for focusing on international partnerships to fight threats and create secure global supply chains. This highlights the need for IT professionals to stay up-to-date on the latest security trends and best practices within their organization and in the broader international context. With attacks happening across every technical vector imaginable today, this is not something any individual country can take on alone. Just like the recent worldwide pandemic, all organizations across the globe must work together for the greater good as attackers, just like the virus, don’t respect borders or nations.  

Additionally, the strategy directs IT service providers to inform the government about cyberattacks that could affect national networks. Early detection is vital whether you are a single-person startup or the largest corporation on the planet. Encouraging those that are more likely to be targeted to be proactive and transparent could spell out less risk for us all moving forward.  This is a crucial step in ensuring that the government is aware of potential threats and can take appropriate action to mitigate them. 

Overall, the National Cyber Strategy signals a new era in cybersecurity, where responsibility is shared across the ecosystem, and all stakeholders are held accountable for ensuring security. At Object First, we recently announced the general availability of our ransomware-proof primary backup target Ootbi (Out-of-the-box immutability). Our founder, Ratmir Timashev, explained during the Ootbi launch event just how critical this situation was to him when he and his business partner, Andrei Baranov, founded Object First. Every business that sells software and hardware solutions must think the same way moving forward, as this threat is our responsibility to address. 

Now that we have learned about the Biden Administration’s strategy, the time to act has never been more pertinent. This is an exciting opportunity for IT professionals to play a critical role in safeguarding our digital infrastructure and ensuring a secure future for all.