DARKTRACE
Often the fi rst that a business will hear about a cyber security breach is when it gets a knock at the door from someone saying: ‘Do you want to buy your data back?’ That state of affairs is unforgivable. Leaders have a duty to understand their networks and be able to identify the worst-case scenario.”
What can smaller firms do to protect themselves when a substantial investment in sophisticated cyber security tools is beyond them? PG: “I would challenge the idea that an SME wouldn’t be able to use the latest technology to protect itself.” DP: “If I had to pick a single cyber security ethos for an SME, it wouldn’t be: ‘Build the strongest possible wall around your business.’ It would be: ‘Enable your business to modernise as quickly as possible.’ Giving everyone in the
‘LEADERS HAVE A DUTY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NETWORKS AND BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO’
organisation up-to-date hardware with up-to-date operating systems will do more than any fi rewall or £50,000 worth of consultancy. You can look to those organisations that spend a crushing amount of money on cyber security, such as JPMorgan and its £230 million yearly budget, but you’ll fi nd that they’ve still ended up with legacy IT systems that are
diffi cult to defend. The rest of us should not be aiming to be like those banks.”
What are your views on data privacy? DP: “There are many grey areas that are set to go greyer as AI becomes more prevalent. It’s not just about Facebook and the mega-tech corps versus consumers. It will increasingly be about the employer- employee relationship too. Right now, Poppy can fi nd out where my phone is [using GPS technology], which is great because I can easily recover it if it’s lost. But, if she calls me and says: ‘Dave, your lunch break was 10 minutes longer than it should have been,’ that’s getting creepy. We’re in a data explosion – soon employers will be able to get answers to questions they probably shouldn’t be asking.” PG: “If employees think that they’re being policed too heavily and feel security isn’t operating in their best interests, they’ll fi nd a way to evade policy. That’s one of the ways you’re going to introduce risk. Cyber security needs to be something that employees feel they are part of.”
DAVE PALMER
is a founder of Darktrace and its director of technology.
He oversees the mathematics and engineering teams and is
responsible for overall project strategy. The former civil
servant worked with MI5 and GCHQ on infrastructure and network services, including
anti-terrorist operations at the 2012 Olympics in London. Palmer holds a degree in computer science and
software engineering from the University of Birmingham.
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director.co.uk
Cyber security presents many obligations for business, but are there opportunities too? PG: “Often cyber security is all doom and gloom – this horrible thing to be afraid of, but for me it’s a positive new thing that is enabling businesses to get on the front foot when it comes to technological innovation. Whether that means moving your day-to-day processes to the cloud or using smart TVs to videoconference with your colleagues all over the world, we want businesses to be embracing all of this but doing it in the comfort of knowing that they’re protected.” DP: “I have an Apple Watch and I’ve got smart light switches in my house. The worst thing that people can do is start retreating from the modern world.” PG: “AI is exciting and the UK is up there as a global leader. We’re very well placed as a nation to adapt our businesses and continue to innovate.”
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