Over the years, we’ve seen many encryption algorithms (MD5, DES, 3DES, RC4, etc.) become deprecated as computing power advances and these algorithms become easier to crack. Most recently, Google announced that they successfully submitted the first ever collision attack for SHA-1 while significantly reducing the previously estimated cost for this attack. The announcement also stated their intention of publicly releasing the proof-of-concept code after 90 days, which could put many companies still using SHA-1 encryption at risk.

Since 2010, researchers and federal agencies have been publicly speaking out against and banning the use of SHA-1. The push by Certificate Authorities and web browser vendors in the last few years has had a positive impact for migrating websites to SHA-2 or other secure algorithms. Even though the cost of replicating Google’s attack is still expensive for attackers, it is not out of reach for highly-motivated threat actors such as cyber criminal organizations and nation states that are well-funded.

Despite every security team’s best efforts and with a multitude of tools in our arsenal, the threat to our systems and data is relentless. And, with the growing dependence on distributed cloud architecture, the battle is waged daily on a multitude of fronts. Security, it seems, will always be a moving target.

That’s why, when building any technology, security must always be incorporated into the design, rather than as a wrap-around solution after the fact. Companies that take the “build first, secure later” approach will always struggle to keep pace, while those that build upon an integrated security philosophy can be more Agile at preventing and responding to potential threats.

This is one of the primary impetuses behind the emergence of the role of Chief Trust Officer (“CTrO”) at leading cloud service providers. Liaison Technologies became one of the first companies in the cloud industry to establish the role of CTrO, setting a precedent by combining executive oversight for both information security, compliance, and risk management. Staying one step ahead of those intent on doing harm is the top priority for the CTrO, and that requires a more strategic approach to platform security than identifying and patching holes. For any new offering, the CTrO must be at the table playing an integral role in the design and execution from the very beginning.

The need for an Agile security foundation is also a key tenant of any robust managed services offering, like the Liaison ALLOY™ Platform. By partnering with a managed services provider that certifies security and compliance as an inherent part of the platform offering, companies can conduct business more confidently, knowing that their vital data is always protected at every stage of its lifecycle.

While it’s nearly impossible to foresee every single threat before it happens, you CAN take proactive measures to ensure that your data is safeguarded.