Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise enhances cybersecurity features
Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise has announced new cybersecurity enhancements to its OmniPCX Enterprise Purple solution to support compliance with the Network and Information Security version 2 (NIS 2) Directive.
The NIS 2 Directive was introduced to establish a consistent and improved level of cybersecurity across European Union countries. It mandates operators of critical infrastructure and essential services to implement adequate security measures and report incidents to the relevant authorities. The directive applies to both private and public organisations operating in critical sectors, including government, transport, energy, health, and banking. The regulation also extends to any company involved in the supply chain for IT, acknowledging the risk of cyber breaches due to vulnerabilities in supply chains.
The directive represents a significant change in the cybersecurity regulatory framework, complementing existing measures under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which primarily focuses on protecting personal data. Together with GDPR, NIS 2 creates a comprehensive framework for data protection and cybersecurity. This alignment is crucial for technology providers such as Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, especially as their customers and partners in the Asia Pacific (APAC) may also operate in EU markets.
According to projections by Forrester, the cost of cybercrime is expected to reach USD $12 trillion by 2025. The increasing diversity of working models, where employees access data and communication services from a variety of devices and potentially unsecured networks, heightens security risks for enterprises.
Vincent Lomba, Chief Technology Security Officer at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, stated, "We are pleased to bring to market this enhanced version of the native encryption feature with the latest OXE Purple release. It offers the highest level of protection to meet the international security agencies' recommendations for an enterprise communications platform. Organisations today face a heightened threat of cyber-attack. Along with running security audits and risk analysis, securing all data flows through encryption technology has become essential, making the data impossible to decrypt even in the event of a data leak. Any organisation (not just essential or important entities) that does not protect all devices and phones carrying confidential data is in danger of becoming a 'weaker link' thereby increasing its risk of attack."
Tee Jyh Chong, Vice President, Sales and Services, APAC at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, added, "While NIS 2 is intended to cover the EU as a region, organisations in Asia Pacific (APAC) that form part of the supply chain for EU-based businesses must take proactive steps to ensure compliance with these new cybersecurity obligations, as well as to set up robust incident reporting mechanisms. ALE is committed to collaborating with our customers and partners to deliver solutions that are compliant with globally recognised cybersecurity standards, including NIS 2, and to ensure that we are fully protecting our customer data. As organisations in APAC align their practices with NIS2, they may find themselves better positioned for success in global markets, while contributing to a more secure digital environment globally."
The OmniPCX Enterprise Purple now features enhanced native encryption, ensuring end-to-end protection for network conversations, both on private and public networks. This enhancement has been extended to include ALE SIP phone protection, providing users with additional confidence in communication confidentiality.
Enterprises are reassured that their communications infrastructure remains secure through regularly updated security measures delivered via software releases under a support contract. Such measures are becoming increasingly necessary to protect against advanced cyberattack attempts aimed at digital asset theft.
The solution's key features include secure connectivity between on-premises communication systems and ALE's cloud infrastructure, ensuring mutual authentication and encryption. It also offers seamless connections for hybrid workers, high availability with robust architectures, and data privacy ensured through role-based access control and encryption of stored data.
The communications confidentiality part of the solution employs strong encryption mechanisms, implemented according to industry standards, without affecting voice quality and performance. This level of security meets the expectations of both customers and employees.
