Senthil Palaniappan, Sennovate: "any company in cyberspace is vulnerable to cyberattacks no matter their size"

Despite the fact that companies of all sizes are hit with cyberattacks every day, many are still under the illusion that their locks are unbreakable.

While it might seem that the recent rise in ransomware attacks would have pushed companies to upgrade their cybersecurity, unfortunately, the reality is a bit different. Whether it’s due to a lack of funds or prevalent misconceptions, plenty of organizations only start taking action after an incident occurs.

For this reason, to avoid the major consequences of a cyberattack, it’s crucial to spread awareness about cybersecurity measures, such as VPNs or multi-factor authentication, for businesses.

So today, we are discussing cyberthreats and their prevention methods with Senthil Palaniappan, the Founder and CEO of Sennovate – Identity and Access Management and SOC service provider. Senthil believes that these days, a proactive approach to cybersecurity is the only way forward.

How did the idea of Sennovate originate?

It all started with a vision to provide services and innovate with speed and minimum time. The first steps of the adventure began with becoming an IT consultant, followed by providing training services, and finally, database administration. With all of this in mind, we began developing AI and automation-based tools and products. We became an MSP and subsequently an MSSP while doing all of this in 2007.

Can you tell us a little bit about what you do? How is Artificial Intelligence incorporated into your services?

Sennovate is a 14-year-old company that specializes in providing security services to organizations of all sizes. From Identity and Access Management (IAM) to Security Operations Center (SOC). We’re always innovating and implementing new strategies to protect our clients’ businesses from cyberattacks. The development of AI and automation technologies to assist IT security solutions is our main emphasis. For our clients, we’ve created AI Security Assistants to provide a seamless and secure experience based on the insights generated by our AI Tools.

Besides providing protection solutions, you also offer security assessment services. What are the key methods used to determine one’s state of security?

Our assessment process involves three key steps:

• Audit: Sennovate audits the company’s IAM architecture to determine current weaknesses and vulnerabilities. This helps the company avoid future attacks.
• Assess: Sennovate assesses the company’s infrastructure to determine the best solutions for their security needs and current vulnerabilities. This helps the company understand investment costs and outlays.
• Analyze: Sennovate analyzes the recommended solutions to determine the real ROI that security upgrades present in the company. This is the fastest route to simple decision-making.

We primarily examine an organization's pain areas, do extensive research, and provide an analysis report comparing its current state to its ideal state. We then strive to fill the loopholes of the company which eventually improves their security. Along with this we also provide a full, powerful security solution as well as end-to-end UX.

Do you think the pandemic altered the cybersecurity industry in any way?

Yes, because the importance of technology has increased during the pandemic, cybersecurity dangers have developed as well. To meet the ever-increasing demands for security, the sector has adapted and developed. Occurrences like data breaches, ransomware attacks, or organizations being hacked are all over the news, and we believe it is critical for businesses to evaluate and prioritize security with a focus on the development of a strong security architecture.

The belief that only large and well-known companies are prone to cyberattacks is only one of many misconceptions still prevalent today. What cybersecurity myths do you come across most often?

To begin with, the most prevalent misconception we see is that only large corporations are vulnerable to cyberattacks, which is untrue. Companies of all sizes are in danger of being targeted; if you are digitally linked, you are vulnerable to cyberattacks, which is why a solid security setup is necessary. Second, those who have never been exposed to a cyberattack believe that their security is up to date and that they will not be susceptible to one in the future. As technology advances, all systems must be updated in order to reduce the danger of being attacked. It’s important to maintain vigilance and keep up with technological advancements. Third, simply having a strong password doesn’t make you secure. Companies should at least have two-factor authentication and data access monitoring to stay safe. To summarize, there are many myths related to cybersecurity, and that’s why we need to make sure that we stay up to date with the relevant news and technologies and keep upgrading from time to time.

What are some of the biggest mistakes organizations tend to make when it comes to identity management?

• Finding the right balance between security and convenience. Because some businesses fail to strike such balance, they do not develop a competent security system.
• Failing to maintain and upgrade obsolete technologies. This is a typical error that businesses make these days. As technology progresses, so should you and your tactics. With new technology, one cannot continue to use the same old routines. Experiment, learn, and develop together with technology.
• Not investing in a strong security architecture (IAM and MFA tech). Companies nowadays don't realize the importance of having a strong security architecture because they presume their business is safe. They don't see the need to establish a security framework until something happens.
• Lack of knowledge. Most businesses are unaware of the need to deploy security solutions, leading them to believe that they do not require it. Every organization should work on this, be proactive, work on their bases, and make their employees aware of the need for security.

Since many businesses have adopted the work from home policy, security risks have increased. Which online behaviors are often overlooked but can cause a lot of damage to companies?

While working from home is a benefit, it may also be a liability for some businesses. Companies should understand the need of putting in place a solid security infrastructure. When it comes to BYOD policies, they are frequently disregarded and poorly handled, resulting in enterprises having their data stored on untrustworthy machines, posing a risk of data leakage. Every company and every individual should be educated and trained in cybersecurity as a lack of awareness might have terrible consequences.

What do you think the future of identity verification methods is going to be like? Do you think the use of biometrics is going to become widespread soon?

Yes, biometrics is the new frontier in terms of improving identity verification techniques since all identities have unique biometrics, which decreases the possibility of credential stuffing and spoofing. Biometrics offers an additional layer of security to existing authentication procedures, guaranteeing that the right individual logs in.Biometrics-based authentication will undoubtedly become increasingly popular in the future.

What’s next for Sennovate?

Our mission is to provide security for all enterprises. For this reason, we have recently launched a platform known as ‘Sennovate+’ to make IAM accessible and hassle-free. We are always focused on developing, adapting, and implementing new ways to automate our services. Our primary goal is to enhance, optimize, and innovate our services as well as to show our audience how we manage IAM and SOC solutions in order to foster transparency and trust. Sennovate will continue providing a 360° insight and evaluation for organizations to help them with their IAM and security setups and innovating new products to aid in improving the security posture of organizations.