Security Breeds Innovation
WannaCry, Equifax, Meltdown, Spectre, the march of discovered security vulnerabilities seems relentless. More people are starting to realize the inherent value of good cybersecurity practices, which is excellent. However, this recent string of attacks and vulnerabilities has left us on the defensive when a great opportunity exists in breeding proactive innovation in the cybersecurity sector, an innovation that will pay our society dividends. As a result, it is highly likely that one of the next disruptive technologies will come from the security sector.
The most disruptive technologies come from humble roots. For an interesting example, look at the modern-day skyscraper. Living in a city means that you know that this modern piece of architecture dominates the contemporary skyline and has made cities a better place by making the most of cramped space. But these towers of modernism would be impractical without a critical technology: the elevator.
The most disruptive technologies come from humble roots. For an interesting example, look at the modern day skyscraper. Living in a city means that you know that this modern piece of architecture dominates the contemporary skyline and has made cities a better place by making the most of cramped space. But these towers of modernism would be impractical without a key technology: the elevator.
The elevator is one of those things to be taken for granted. I see this all the time where I live: the 23rd floor of one of the tallest structures on campus. On those mornings when seemingly everyone has decided to leave at the same time, and all the elevators wander only the lower half of the tower, it is almost tempting to take the stairs. Even if I was in shape, walking down more than two dozen flights of stairs sounds exhausting and monotonous, let alone walking up them! It is impossible to imagine living in a skyscraper without an elevator, and I believe such a tower would never be built to begin with. At that point, it would be more productive to build wider instead of taller. As a result, elevators as a technology are a necessity rather than a luxury for modern architecture.
Likewise, security innovations follow a similar pattern: A seemingly superficial technology paves the way to essential future innovations.
History is Pushed Forward by Security Innovation
I recall an excellent argument made by the Youtube archaeologist Lindybeige, where he talked about how locks formed the basis of urban life:
The argument goes that without locks, urban life would be impossible because theft would be unmanageable. This is because when more and more people cram into a single space, it becomes impossible to know everyone around you, and as a result, a thief can steal and enjoy their prize by hiding in the crowd. Thus, locks made it possible for people to live in cities, as it mostly eliminated the risk of losing private property.
We face a similar dilemma in the modern world. More of our lives are moving into the digital domain, and as recent news has shown, we still lack the tools to defend ourselves from threats to our data. However, the few tools that we do have bred significant innovations in the modern world. These technologies form the foundations of modern life as we know it.
For example, much like the physical locks of ancient humanity, RSA encryption forms a foundation of basic safety when navigating the web. Before the implementation of encryption, the internet was merely a public repository for documents and only non-confidential data at that. As a result, public message boards and casual blogs dominated the early web. Then, with the genesis of modern day computational cryptography, innovation on the internet exploded with internet banking, personal messaging, and online shopping, making the web a centerpiece in many of our lives and a major center of innovation. Thus, it is security, above all else, that is the driver for modern innovation.
Invest in Cyber Security
Cyber Security has an image problem. Often times, security is seen with real disdain, where clients will physically evade hired security consultants with the hope of avoiding “extra work”. Even at the best and most innovative businesses, people are only playing catch up. Indeed, many company infrastructures are starting to become more secure. However, security is still treated as a mere requirement to be met when building the “real” features, and many companies are only upgrading their security practices after a major breach.
Security should become a more proactive practice. If it does, then Cybersecurity can become another dimension of competitive advantage, just like speed, quality, and price, that builds the foundation for future innovations.
Sources Cited
Hardy, G. H. A Mathematician’s Apology. Cambridge University Press, 2015.
