In today’s’ rapidly evolving technological landscape, Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) have a seemingly unending list of roles and responsibilities. As such, it can be difficult to dedicate time to staying up to date with the latest news and developments in the world of network security. But there’s more to being in the know than impressing colleagues over the watercooler.

Here are a few great reasons why CTOs should be up to date with the latest information on network security threats.

It keeps your network safe.

When you make a habit of learning about the latest security threats facing your company network, you’re simply better equipped to handle them should any of them rear their ugly head. Furthermore, if you make a habit of sharing your findings with people in your company, they will be more aware of how their actions on the network might expose vulnerabilities. For instance, if you learn of new malware masquerading as an email attachment from someone on your contacts list, having an educated workforce decreases the likelihood of it making its way into your network.

It helps you pick the right security tool.

You need to ensure that your network security tool can protect your network from any threats – and for that you need to be on top of everything and understand how any given network security tool directly applies to your network’s size and vulnerabilities. There are many tools on the market, each with their own approach and functionality. As such, just because a security tool is expensive and has great marketing, it’s no guarantee that it protects you from the latest threats affecting your network.

It develops your network security knowledge.

In addition to keeping your network safe and helping to pick the right security tool, staying up to date with the latest news and threats is a fantastic way to develop your own skillset and knowledge base. The nature of a CTO’s profession means that technical knowledge is invaluable. And because technology develops as quickly as it does, being informed and in-the-know is a core part of staying relevant and increasing your professional value.

Resources to keep up to date with security threats

Here are a few great network security resources from around the web:

Trend Micro Security Intelligence blog – A highly informative blog with regular updates and a deep level of technical expertise.

Troy Hunt – A fantastic and entertaining blog run by acclaimed polymath and Microsoft Regional Director, Troy Hunt.

Wired Threat Level – A popular blog from Wired.com that focuses on network security news and insights.

An effective Network Monitoring System is crucial for handling threats.

With so many new network security threats out there, one thing is certain – the visibility and security offered by a high-quality Network Monitoring System (NMS) is invaluable. Comprehensive Network Reporting gives you the actionable insight you need to take a hardline approach to maintaining a healthy company network. This is especially the case in corporate environments that are open to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, as networks gain any number of new and potentially volatile endpoints. We’ve written before about our approach to Network Reporting, which you can read about here.

Iris can keep your network safe from the latest and most trying network security threats. Sign up for our blog alerts to stay up to date with the latest industry news and information. Click here to download our guide to capacity management.

Image Credit: www.stoptheft.com