The “unified platform”- a new CMS security paradigm

The high-profile hacking exploits that have seriously damaged private firms and government organizations on both sides of the Atlantic have been a wake-up call that was long overdue: the standard software stacks being used by today’s organizations are difficult, perhaps impossible, to secure properly.

If that wasn’t enough, the public health crisis, in moving millions of users out of the office into ‘smart working’ and tele-commuting modes, has expanded the system perimeter and made the task of securing it even harder.

The multiplication of third-party integrations, plug-ins and extensions to standard software applications has exacerbated the issue, in spite of the best intentions and practices of system administrators.

The price of flexibility

‘Flexibility’ was the main benefit of the loose federations of applications that have come to dominate corporate IT systems. But it’s now clear that flexibility comes at a price: that of an intrinsic lack of protection against the increasingly sophisticated attacks of private and state-sponsored malefactors.

The importance of “intrinsic security”

It’s against the background of a generalized crisis in corporate security that specialized software like the editorial platforms used by media companies and financial firms has begun to reveal unexpected advantages. Eidosmedia platforms are a case in point.

These platforms, in addition to the active security features required by their mission-critical roles, also possess an ‘intrinsic security’ by virtue of their basic design. In many cases it’s a question of what they don’t have, rather than what they do:

• Beyond email: users have no need of email (a prime source of hacks and breaches) because a rich selection of collaboration features from messaging and chat to tasks and notifications allow them to work together securely at multiple locations.
• Beyond the PC: all local hardware installation, with its multiple vulnerabilities, can be replaced by cloud deployments accessed with mobile workspaces and ‘virtual desktop’ applications.

The result is a working environment, accessible from any location, in which most of the weak points of conventional solutions have been eliminated.

Recovery in the cloud

As well as improving the robustness of the platform, cloud deployment offers fast and effective remedies should the unthinkable happen and the system is breached. The cloud can provide cost-effective automatic backup of data and production content, allowing rapid restoration of operations.

Even in the case of a ‘ransomeware’ attack, locking users’ PC software and servers, Swing mobile apps or virtual desktops can be rolled out quickly to allow users to resume editorial work.

Multi-location flexibility

As data breaches and hacking of vulnerable private and public sector organizations continue, unified content services platforms offer a secure alternative to collections of linked conventional applications, while preserving the flexibility of a multi-location orchestrated workflow.

Eidosmedia platforms are among the the most secure CMSs for governments, CMSs for banks & financial services and enterprises.

To find out how an Eidosmedia solution can secure your operations, download the e-book.