Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Much like our own blood, data is the lifeblood that flows through the arteries of business today. Organizations must ensure that data is protected appropriately based on that data’s sensitivity, criticality, and regulatory or contractual requirements. These protections are provided through administrative, technical, and physical controls. The primary goal of these controls is to provide preventative, detective, or corrective capabilities.

Earlier this week, we debuted our mini-series on the SEC’s new cybersecurity rules. In case you missed it — and, understandably, don’t have the bandwidth to backtrack — Part I explored how the (seemingly perpetual) explosion in data creation, data value, and IT complexity since the dawn of the digital age has come to shape our society. In particular, we note why these trends are responsible for our current IT predicament, namely, the rise in threats, risks, and regulations.

Prior to Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware at the end of 2023, there were more than 4,500 VMware cloud service providers worldwide. Today, that number has narrowed significantly, introducing seismic changes to the technology solution marketplace.

As the digital age unfolds, we continue to see seismic increases — decade-to-decade, year-to-year, and even month-to-month — in the amount of data we create as well as its value to us, both individually and collectively. From medical records, financial statements, and classified government documents to transactional processing systems, customer information, social media engagements, pictures of our pets, and so much more, data is the lifeblood of modern society.

The Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” In Vegas, when you are on a roll, you are on a roll. To beat the odds, you must be smart and disciplined. Whether winning big at the tables or championships on the basketball court, there is no better feeling. Often athletes are asked what it means to win and they often don’t have the words to describe it. Winning, regardless of the endeavor, almost always is a team effort.

Have you ever been locked out of the house? Maybe you forgot your keys on the kitchen table, lost them running errands, or unknowingly dropped them while attempting the It doesn’t matter how you got locked out, or how you got back in. What’s more important, for the purposes of this thought exercise, at least, is how you responded.

Modern technology environments have become increasingly complex. This, as you might imagine, has had a wide-ranging impact on our organizations, IT teams, and priorities, especially when it comes to security.

Humans don’t like change. Whether it’s saying goodbye to your favorite pair of jeans, moving to a new house, or trying a new kind of coffee, we often resist change. But sometimes change is forced on us. For example: Over the past month or so, Broadcom rolled out tremendous changes to VMware licensing. This is why many of our customers and partners are wondering what the changes will mean to them.

These days, data breaches are as common as morning coffee — but far more bitter. According to Sophos’ State of Ransomware 2023 report, 66% of respondents revealed their organization was hit by ransomware in the last year. SonicWall’s mid-year update to its latest Cyber Threat Report found that internet of things (IoT) malware is up 37% globally from 2021, there’s been a 399% surge in cryptojacking, and encrypted threat attacks have jumped 22% globally.

We spend a lot of time focusing on simplifying cloud management and many of the most difficult IT challenges for our customers that we sometimes forget how unique this is. Which is why we were pleasantly surprised when CRN told us they were naming 11:11 Systems to its Stellar Cloud Startup list.