RSA: IT sec experts facing unprecedented complexity

IT security experts are facing increasing complexity year by year and businesses need better systems to cope.

So says Art Coviello Jr, president of RSA and executive vice president of EMC, who claimed the environment has become increasingly complicated in line with the rising number of threats emanating from both cyber criminals and nation states.

"Every year I ask, could our jobs get any more complicated?' Every year I say yes'," he told delegates at the RSA Europe Conference taking place in London today.

He offered a range of solutions for firms to deal with the rising complexity in IT security, placing them under the umbrella of a holistic "security management system."

Companies will need to cover a variety of areas with such a system, including the establishment of an enterprise controls framework, streamlining and automation of compliance processes as well as the unification of compliance and business agendas, according to Coviello.

He also stressed the need for firms to educate and influence regulators and standards bodies to ensure best practice is more widespread.

Tom Heiser, chief operating office at RSA, noted IT departments are also having to cope with an "overabundance" of products from varying vendors, again making matters more complicated.

"That's the situation and it's not pretty," he said.

"There is a dangerous lack of visibility leaving organisations open to attacks."

The overarching concept in a management system should ensure "the right people have access to the right information over a trusted infrastructure," he explained.

"The challenge remains the same. Our current approaches are flawed at best, but there is a better way."

Heiser called for companies to adopt a system that enables them to close gaps, while centralising management to cover products from all vendors.