When it comes to security, there are a lot of unknowns out there. Every day can bring a new and unexpected threat, and it’s generally best to be on your guard at all times. In a way, it’s similar to deep-sea diving in that every descent is an adventure. Security professionals have worries like: Where are my greatest vulnerabilities? Has anyone already breached my network? Have I recently lost confidential or private data to cybercriminals? Divers have their own worries: How’s the visibility? What path should I follow to see all that I can? Will a shark attack me?

Answering the Major Security Questions

There are many different types of people who dive, from those with simple open water certifications to master divers with hundreds of descents to their credit. And there are a lot of people in charge of securing the network, from those who have years of training to others summarily anointed with the title.

What these two groups share is safety in numbers. It’s best to approach the challenge as a group because most professionals bring insights and unique special talents to the mix. I could be an expert at underwater navigation but I freak whenever I see a bull shark; yet my buddy has swum with them multiple times and reassures me that we’re alright.

Likewise, I might be an expert at security information and event management (SIEM), but others in my industry have written additional correlation rules revealing evidence of a low-and-slow attack that succeeded in compromising their network. There’s nothing like having a team member who can save you from a dangerous situation with special knowledge.

Watch the on-demand security intelligence webinar series to learn more

Improving With Information Sharing

Most of us can benefit from the experience and perspectives of others. We don’t have to go it alone — in IT security or diving — and we could readily leverage credible resources to keep ourselves or our organizations safe. What we need is a forum or a source of validated information that we can trust, and one that will help us address either known or emerging threats.

IBM recently announced the availability of the X-Force Exchange for sharing threat intelligence information. View our on-demand webinar to find out how you can enhance the value of your security intelligence investment using the power of us.