Addressing Insider Threats and Data Security With Automation Technology

by Richard Milam | 3/9/16

Today’s IT professionals are faced with numerous challenges and data maintenance tasks from managing multiple, diverse applications, to downloading and uploading FTP files, to onboarding new hires. Despite the complex environment they are to sustain, they still must face the ultimate threat of system-hacking and data breaches.

The consumerization of technology has reached a global level and continues to improve business process management in every industry today. As society adopts new gadgets and devices, the threat of hackers accessing customer, proprietary, and classified information intensifies. However, at this same moment in time, IT have an assortment of new toys to play with and new weapons to fight data destruction.

Using tools to automate business processes is becoming an almost standard in both large and small businesses. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology is the application of technology enabling humans to configure computerized resources — robots — to perform repetitive data- and business-related processes. Not only does RPA allow for a host of money-saving and time-saving benefits to entire enterprises, but it also supports secure information processing and both internal and external data integrity and security.

Automation technology offers IT staff the ability to manage multiple platforms and departments simultaneously. As automation enables workflows and data processes to become more streamlined and transparent, IT Individuals are able to keep a close eye on their entire information database and systems and are more alert of breaches or process errors, plus, are armed with a quick remedy if the situation did occur.

For instance, by simply scripting an email or SMS message alert at the endpoint of data processes or testing, IT is able to ensure their entire IT infrastructure is functioning correctly or receive immediate notice of emergencies or downed systems. The advanced alert mechanism of RPA aids in continuous operational functioning and permits errors to be resolved as soon as possible. While IT may be reviving their data systems and processes on the backend, it is frontline staff who also feel the benefit of RPA’s secure data processing as they are able to ensure customers’ information is protected and that they have non-stop access to their accounts.

Although customer-facing services may not directly utilize RPA in their daily tasks, the trickle-down impact of using automation to integrate diverse applications and data systems, as well as the data security role RPA plays within the organization, is experienced by all staff and service levels.

Furthermore, despite the prominent focus on external cyber hacking, internal data security is also a top priority in organizations today due to rapid staff turnover and new hirers with limited training entering positions. With Robotic Process Automation tools, IT has the highest level of command over their system infrastructure through the Admin control center. They can regulate the permissions and rights of their frontline and back office staff, thereby limiting certain employees to certain actions and processes and enabling more experienced workers the ability to execute tasks with greater complexity. Assuming the system of record has audit trails, Robotic process tools also automatically generate a record trail of the actions or changes completed during a process. This not only enables IT to monitor individual employees’ actions and easily provide Auditors their required documentation, but it also allows changes to be easily reversed.

In fact, one Foxtrot customer remarked how the automatic reversal of processes has been invaluable for situations where an incorrect change was made on multiple records. By having a log of all the actions taken, IT can easily pinpoint errors or inconsistence in the process and actions, enabling quick data fixes by running the reverse process.

Lastly, a common fear that CIOs, operations staff, and IT managers have when adopting new technologies is their ability to encrypt messages that will guard against malicious programs and hackers from corruption. This concern is understandable; however, unneeded with using RPA tools that are equipped with the highest Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). In fact, this strong encryption has even been adopted by the U.S. Government and is now a federal standard. Thus, both small and large businesses can function as securely as the government when using RPA software, like Foxtrot, to perform their data- and business-related processes.

Robotic Process Automation technology is not only a tool to be used by organizations for multiple operational processes, such as application and data system integration and transactions, but it also serves a data security and integrity role within organizations. While all personnel experience the time-saving and money-saving benefits of RPA technology, it is the IT staff who truly comprehend the robust and scalable tool that RPA is. Like a universal remote, IT staff leverage automation technology for broad-scale organizational secure and accurate performance.

Richard Milam is the Founder and CEO of EnableSoft. Milam is an expert in productivity and Robotic Software Automation (RPA) technology. EnableSoft is the leading provider of Robotic Process Automation software and serves over 500 corporate clients worldwide with the RPA solution, Foxtrot. With over 20 years of continuous technological and functional advancements, Foxtrot has become a permanent resident in organizational workflows and IT infrastructures around the world.