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Scale Computing Recognized on the Prestigious 2025 MES Midmarket 100 List

Edge Computing Solution Provider Recognized for the Fourth Consecutive Year for its Innovative Technology and Positive Impact on Midsize Business Partners

INDIANAPOLIS — July 14, 2025 — Scale Computing, the market leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions, today announced that MES Computing, a brand of The Channel Company, has highlighted Scale Computing on its 2025 MES Midmarket 100 list. The annual list recognizes technology vendors with deep knowledge of the unique IT needs of midmarket organizations. These solution providers are committed to delivering future-focused products and services that support growth, innovation, and success for their midsize customers.

CRN named Scale Computing to the MES Midmarket 100 list for its forward-thinking IT infrastructure solutions that power the growth and success of its midmarket business partners. Scale Computing Platform (SC//Platform) is a future-ready solution with integrated autonomous management, decentralized AI processing, and AI-driven optimization. The platform’s capabilities simplify the complexities of Edge AI adoption as more businesses move to agentic AI-driven operations. With high availability and built-in self-healing capabilities, SC//Platform significantly reduces downtime.

“We are excited to be named to the distinguished MES Midmarket 100 list, as it reinforces our dedication to our midsize business partners,” said Jeff Ready, CEO and co-founder of Scale Computing. “Scale Computing provides organizations of any size the ability to scale quickly and affordably, and simplify their AI adoption without sacrificing scalability and availability. Our award-winning solutions bridge the gap between advanced AI applications and models and the real-world environments where they need to operate, driving growth and supporting innovation among our partners and customers. Our inclusion on the MES Midmarket 100 list demonstrates our commitment to our mission of providing the most innovative solutions to our partners and end customers.”

MES Computing defines midmarket organizations as those with an annual revenue of $50 million to $2 billion and/or 100 to 2,500 total supported users/seats. Vendors were selected for the MES Midmarket 100 for their go-to-market strategy, how they innovate to serve the midmarket better, and the strength of their midmarket product portfolios.

“The Midmarket 100 showcases the technology vendors that truly understand and actively support the unique needs of midsize organizations,” said Samara Lynn, senior editor, MES Computing, The Channel Company. “These vendors are dedicated partners who empower midmarket organizations to hurdle their toughest IT challenges so they can innovate and achieve their growth goals. We can’t wait to see how these companies continue to evolve to help the midmarket thrive.”

The 2025 MES Computing Midmarket 100 online coverage begins July 14 at www.mescomputing.com/midmarket100. To learn more about the award-winning SC//Platform, please visit scalecomputing.com/sc-platform.

 

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Scale Computing 
Scale Computing is a leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions. Scale Computing HC3 software eliminates the need for traditional virtualization software, disaster recovery software, servers, and shared storage, replacing these with a fully integrated, highly available system for running applications. Using patented HyperCore™ technology, the HC3 self-healing platform automatically identifies, mitigates, and corrects infrastructure problems in real-time, enabling applications to achieve maximum uptime. When ease-of-use, high availability, and TCO matter, Scale Computing HC3 is the ideal infrastructure platform. Read what our customers have to say on Gartner Peer Insights, Spiceworks, TechValidate and TrustRadius.

Anubis – New Ransomware on the Market

“Some ransomware wants you to pay. Anubis wants you to suffer.” That’s not a tagline. It’s the growing sentiment among cybersecurity experts who’ve analyzed this latest digital weapon. Anubis doesn’t just encrypt your files and hold them hostage for ransom. It goes one step further: wiping everything clean, even after demanding payment. No recovery. No negotiation. Just devastation.

Unlike traditional ransomware strains, which typically give you a chance to recover your data post-payment, Anubis offers no real path to redemption. Victims are left not only locked out but burned down. This post explains what Anubis ransomware does, how it gets into systems, and why it’s causing serious concern in 2025. You’ll also find practical tips to stay safe and what to do if you’ve already been hit.

What Is Anubis Ransomware and Why Is It So Dangerous? 

2025 marks the emergence of a new trend in cybercrime: Anubis ransomware. This destructive variant, named after the Egyptian god of death and the afterlife, is living up to its namesake by offering no redemption.

Unlike earlier variants designed primarily for financial extortion, Anubis behaves like a hybrid between ransomware and wiper malware. Its goal is not only to demand payment but to eliminate any hope of recovery, even if the ransom is paid. Victims report total data loss, corrupted boot sectors, and irrecoverable systems. Anubis doesn’t care whether you comply with its demands. Once it strikes, your data is either encrypted, deleted, or both.

How Anubis Ransomware Infects Systems 

Anubis doesn’t use novel tricks to gain access. It thrives because it exploits what still works. Several studies have pointed out that its infection methods include:

  • Phishing Emails 

Emails with hazardous links or attachments often appear to be job offers, invoices, or delivery alerts.

  • Cracked Software and Torrents 

Users who install pirated or unverified programs without knowing it make their computers vulnerable to Anubis.

  • Infected Loaders 

Malware loaders like Phobos spread Anubis as a secondary payload, which enables rapid execution.

  • Exploiting Weaknesses 

Old operating systems or third-party apps that haven’t been fixed are the best targets.

Anubis cunningly remains inactive when it infiltrates a system. This allows it to bypass antivirus programs by masquerading as legitimate processes or by checking if it’s running in a virtual environment. After it determines the timing is appropriate, it releases its payload.

Step-by-Step: What Happens When You’re Infected With Anubis Ransomware 

Here’s how a typical Anubis infection unfolds:

  • Step 1: File Scanning and Targeting 

Anubis swiftly searches for important files, including papers, pictures, videos, backups, and more. It also scans for shadow copies and network-attached storage (NAS) to ensure that no recovery point is missed in its detection.

  • Step 2. Encryption Begins 

Using strong AES or RSA encryption algorithms, Anubis locks your data and renames files with unique extensions. A ransom note is usually dropped in every affected folder.

  • Step 3. Data Wiping Initiated 

Anubis differs from typical ransomware in that it can remove or modify files even after they have been encrypted. It wipes off boot sectors, stops recovery tools from functioning, and occasionally even wipes drives completely, ensuring your data is permanently deleted.

  • Step 4. Corruption and System Failure 

Some victims report that their machines become unbootable. Others face complete file system collapse. Anubis may overwrite data multiple times to prevent forensic recovery tools from accessing it.

  • Step 5. Deception and Silence 

Even if a victim pays the ransom, they often receive no decryptor—or a fake one. It’s a setup for heartbreak, not hope. Anubis operates with no intention of restoring your files.

Why Paying the Ransom Won’t Recover Your Files 

Many ransomware attacks, while destructive, at least offer a sliver of hope in the form of decryption. Anubis does not.

  • Wiping Is Part of the Design 

The malware is coded to wipe data regardless of whether payment is made. It’s not about extortion—it’s about eliminating recovery.

  • Fake Ransom Notes 

Anubis mimics known ransomware interfaces, but there’s no evidence that the attackers provide functional decryptors. Some keys are corrupted; others never arrive.

  • Backup Destruction 

Anubis actively deletes backups, disables Windows recovery, and wipes external drives—leaving victims completely vulnerable.

  • Payment Funds Further Attacks 

Paying not only fails to solve the problem—it encourages more devastating campaigns. Anubis isn’t just malware; it’s a statement of cybercrime.

How to Protect Your System From Anubis Ransomware Attacks 

Protecting yourself from Anubis takes more than just antivirus software. Here’s how to stay ahead:

  • Harden Your Email Security 

Filter out phishing emails using AI-powered spam filters and sandbox attachments—train users to recognize and respond to threats.

  • Patch Regularly 

Outdated systems are easy prey. Enable automatic updates across your OS and applications. Monitor for zero-day exploits.

  • Backup Smarter 

Use offline and immutable backups. Store copies in multiple geographic locations. Finally, test recovery frequently.

  • Use Advanced Endpoint Protection 

Implement EDR solutions that monitor behavior, detect anomalies, and block encryption in real-time.

  • Limit Application Access 

Restrict what can run by using application whitelisting. Separate networks to prevent infections from spreading laterally.

  • Stay Informed 

To stay up-to-date on emerging strategies, follow cybersecurity alerts, threat information streams, and community sites like MISP.

What to Do If Anubis Ransomware hits you 

If you suspect that you’ve fallen victim of an Anubis attack, act fast:

  1. 1. Disconnect Affected Devices Immediately 

Keep infected systems separate from other systems to prevent the spread of infection. Cut off the infected computer from the internet and other networks. Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The idea is to isolate Anubis from moving to other systems or getting to cloud backups.

⛔ Do not reboot the device unless directed to do so by an incident response professional, as it may trigger additional payloads or wiping routines.

  1. 2. Notify Your Cybersecurity Team 

If you work for a corporation, it’s essential to establish your incident response strategy. Inform your legal and cybersecurity departments. If you’re the lone user, contact specialists or NoMoreRansom.org for ransomware support.

  1. 3. Identify the Malware Variant 

Use an appropriate program to upload the ransom note or an encrypted file. If you know it’s Anubis, you can determine what recovery solutions are available and which ones are not.

  1. 4. Preserve Evidence 

Don’t delete encrypted or damaged files yet. Save ransom notes, email headers, system logs, and any suspicious files. These can help investigators trace the source or understand the attack vector.

  1. 5. Avoid Paying the Ransom 

As covered earlier, paying Anubis is extremely unlikely to result in file recovery. Moreover, it finances further attacks and may even invite future targeting. Focus instead on containment, forensics, and safe restoration

  1. 6. Rebuild from Clean Backups 

Wipe and reformat the system, then restore from a checked, offline backup. Recovery may be impossible without backups.

  1. 7. Report the Incident 

If your firm or area has established rules for reporting cybercrime (such as the NCA in the UK, CISA in the US, or CERT in Nigeria), follow them. This helps keep an eye on global trends and informs others.

The Future of Ransomware: Why Anubis Is a Warning Sign 

Anubis is not an isolated case. It’s a sign of where ransomware is headed.

  • Sabotage Over Profit 

We’re seeing a shift toward psychological, destructive attacks that aim to damage reputations, morale, and infrastructure.

  • Rise of Wiper Hybrids 

Like NotPetya before it, Anubis masquerades as ransomware while actually functioning as wiperware. Expect more of these hybrids.

  • Broader Target Range 

While small businesses and individuals are current victims, larger institutions may soon fall prey—especially those lacking resilience.

  • Security Must Evolve into Resilience 

Prevention alone isn’t enough. You need layered defense, tested backups, and response plans. In this age of chaos malware, recovery readiness is everything.

How to Protect Company from Anubis?

To sum up, Anubis is a particularly nasty strain of ransomware that not only encrypts data but also includes a “wiper” module capable of permanently destroying files, making recovery impossible even if a ransom is paid. It operates as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, meaning it’s readily available to various cybercriminals, and targets Windows, Linux, NAS, and ESXi environments. However, Storware Backup and Recovery can significantly protect companies against Anubis ransomware by focusing on core principles of robust data protection:

  • Immutable Backups: Storware supports immutable storage destinations, which means once data is written, it cannot be altered, deleted, or encrypted by ransomware. This is a critical defense against Anubis’s wiper functionality, as even if the active data is destroyed, a clean, unmodifiable copy remains.
  • Air-Gapped Backups: Storware facilitates air-gapped backup strategies. This involves creating a physical or logical separation between primary data and backup systems. By having backups offline or segmented from the network, they become inaccessible to ransomware, even if the primary network is compromised. This is highly effective against Anubis’s ability to spread across domains and target backup systems.
  • Multiple Backup Destinations (3-2-1 Rule): Storware encourages adhering to the 3-2-1 backup rule
  • Agentless Architecture (for certain workloads): For some environments like virtual machines, Storware offers an agentless approach, reducing the attack surface. This means fewer agents on individual machines that could potentially be exploited by ransomware.
  • Granular Recovery: Storware enables granular recovery, allowing companies to restore specific files, folders, or even entire virtual machines from a clean backup point. This minimizes downtime and data loss in the event of an Anubis attack.
  • Snapshot Management: Storware provides stable, agentless snapshot management for virtual machines and other environments. Snapshots can be taken frequently, offering granular recovery points and allowing organizations to revert to a state before an infection occurred.
  • Support for Diverse Environments: Anubis targets various environments (Windows, Linux, NAS, ESXi). Storware’s broad support for virtual machines, containers, cloud instances, applications, and endpoints ensures that a wide range of company data can be protected.

In essence, Storware Backup and Recovery empowers companies to protect against Anubis ransomware by providing a reliable and resilient backup infrastructure that emphasizes immutability, isolation, and multiple recovery points. This significantly reduces the impact of an attack and enables a swift recovery, even in the face of Anubis’s destructive wiper capabilities.

Final Thoughts 

In 2025, ransomware attacks underwent significant changes. It is no longer just a financial burden; it is now a weapon. Anubis indicates that future cyberattacks will combine stealth, accuracy, and damage, targeting not only your data but also your confidence in recovery.

For individuals and organizations, the message is clear: don’t wait for the encryption screen to act. Start treating ransomware defense like disaster planning, because with threats like Anubis on the loose, that’s precisely what it is.

 

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Storware
Storware is a backup software producer with over 10 years of experience in the backup world. Storware Backup and Recovery is an enterprise-grade, agent-less solution that caters to various data environments. It supports virtual machines, containers, storage providers, Microsoft 365, and applications running on-premises or in the cloud. Thanks to its small footprint, seamless integration into your existing IT infrastructure, storage, or enterprise backup providers is effortless.

Penta Security 旗下 Cloudbric 在 AWS Marketplace 上的全球企業客戶突破 1,100 家

旗艦級「託管規則」解決方案推動全球營收年增 156%，印證全球對簡化、高效能網站安全的強勁需求。 

Penta Security 今日宣布，其雲端安全平台 Cloudbric 的全球企業客戶已突破 1,100 家，此增長主要由其 Cloudbric Managed Rules for AWS WAF 在國際市場上取得的卓越成功所推動。這一里程碑突顯了市場對於能簡化雲端環境複雜性的安全解決方案有著急遽增長的需求。

Cloudbric Managed Rules 免除了手動配置 AWS 網站應用程式防火牆（WAF）規則時所需的高階網絡安全知識和專職人員。企業用戶可以直接從 AWS Marketplace 訂閱預先配置的高效能規則集，以最少的人力實現穩健的網站防護。

此方法在全球市場引起了廣泛共鳴，Cloudbric Managed Rules 有 98% 的客戶來自韓國以外的地區。該解決方案的有效性更獲得了著名 IT 基準評測公司 Tolly Group 的驗證，該公司發現其偵測準確率比競爭對手的解決方案高出多達 40 個百分點。

Penta Security 的一位發言人表示：「自 2015 年推出韓國首個安全即服務（SECaaS）平台 Cloudbric 以來，我們的目標始終是讓企業級安全普及化。我們的 AWS 解決方案能突破 1,100 家全球客戶，證明了全球企業都在尋求有效且易於部署的安全方案。我們很自豪能提供這樣的服務。」

作為 AWS 的官方合作夥伴，Penta Security 致力於提供無國界、值得信賴的 SaaS 安全服務，並能擴展至不同市場和行業。

關於 Penta Security

Penta Security 採取全方位的策略來涵蓋資訊安全的每個面向。本公司持續努力，透過廣泛的 IT 安全產品，在幕後確保客戶的安全。因此，Penta Security 總部位於韓國，並已在全球擴展，成為亞太地區的市佔領導者。

作為韓國最早進入資訊安全領域的公司之一，Penta Security 已經開發出廣泛的基礎技術。我們將科學、工程與管理相結合，擴展自身的技術能力，並以此技術視角做出關鍵決策。

關於Version 2

Version 2 Digital 是立足亞洲的增值代理商及IT開發者。公司在網絡安全、雲端、數據保護、終端設備、基礎設施、系統監控、存儲、網絡管理、商業生產力和通信產品等各個領域代理發展各種 IT 產品。透過公司龐大的網絡、通路、銷售點、分銷商及合作夥伴，Version 2 提供廣被市場讚賞的產品及服務。Version 2 的銷售網絡包括台灣、香港、澳門、中國大陸、新加坡、馬來西亞等各亞太地區，客戶來自各行各業，包括全球 1000 大跨國企業、上市公司、公用事業、醫療、金融、教育機構、政府部門、無數成功的中小企及來自亞洲各城市的消費市場客戶。

AI BOM：解構人工智能的「成分標籤」

從黑盒子到物料清單：AI 透明化的新紀元 

我們每天都使用像 ChatGPT 和 Gemini 這樣的人工智能服務，但它們的內部究竟是什麼？隨著 AI 系統變得日益強大並融入我們的生活，一個關鍵問題浮現：當一項技術的內部運作往往是個「黑盒子」，甚至連其創造者都無法完全掌握時，我們該如何信任它？

為應對此挑戰，一場邁向 AI 透明化的全球運動正在形成，其核心概念是人工智能物料清單（Artificial Intelligence Bill of Materials, AI BOM）。AI BOM 的靈感源於網絡安全領域的軟件物料清單（SBOM），它是一份正式記錄，系統性地記載了 AI 系統的每一個組成部分 —— 從訓練數據、演算法到模型和第三方函式庫。

為何是現在？推動 AI 透明化的完美風暴

推動 AI BOM 發展的力量主要來自三個方面：

  • 日益增加的複雜性：現代 AI 是由開源模型和龐大數據集組成的複雜網絡，使其難以追蹤依賴關係和漏洞。
  • 針對 AI 的新型威脅：如惡意資料注入、模型竊取和對抗性攻擊等安全風險，需要對 AI 的構成有更精細的理解。
  • 全球監管浪潮：各國政府不再對 AI 放任不管。歐洲的《人工智能法案》、美國的行政命令以及南韓的國家路線圖，都要求 AI 系統，特別是那些被視為「高風險」的系統，必須具備更高的透明度和問責制。

AI BOM 的核心優勢

透過提供 AI 系統組成的清晰清單，AI BOM 帶來了強大的優勢：

  • 提升透明度與可追溯性：了解 AI 系統如何做出決策，並迅速找出偏見或故障等問題的根本原因。
  • 主動的風險管理：在造成危害前，識別並緩解潛在風險，例如有偏見的訓練數據或存在安全漏洞的過時函式庫。
  • 簡化法規遵循流程：輕鬆生成所需文件，以符合日益嚴格的全球法規，並通過內部或外部稽核。
  • 安全的供應鏈：驗證第三方和開源元件的來源與可靠性，加強對漏洞的防禦。

前行之路：建立值得信賴的 AI 生態系統

AI BOM 的全球採用正在加速，從美國軍方到歐洲的醫療保健和金融等高風險行業皆然。儘管標準化等挑戰依然存在，AI BOM 正成為一項基礎工具，用以建立一個人工智能不僅強大，同時也透明、可究責且安全的未來。

關於 Penta Security

Penta Security 採取全方位的策略來涵蓋資訊安全的每個面向。本公司持續努力，透過廣泛的 IT 安全產品，在幕後確保客戶的安全。因此，Penta Security 總部位於韓國，並已在全球擴展，成為亞太地區的市佔領導者。

作為韓國最早進入資訊安全領域的公司之一，Penta Security 已經開發出廣泛的基礎技術。我們將科學、工程與管理相結合，擴展自身的技術能力，並以此技術視角做出關鍵決策。

關於Version 2

Version 2 Digital 是立足亞洲的增值代理商及IT開發者。公司在網絡安全、雲端、數據保護、終端設備、基礎設施、系統監控、存儲、網絡管理、商業生產力和通信產品等各個領域代理發展各種 IT 產品。透過公司龐大的網絡、通路、銷售點、分銷商及合作夥伴，Version 2 提供廣被市場讚賞的產品及服務。Version 2 的銷售網絡包括台灣、香港、澳門、中國大陸、新加坡、馬來西亞等各亞太地區，客戶來自各行各業，包括全球 1000 大跨國企業、上市公司、公用事業、醫療、金融、教育機構、政府部門、無數成功的中小企及來自亞洲各城市的消費市場客戶。

What is Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), exactly?

changes and business need

The integration of GRC components allows organizations of all sizes to make better decisions, improve their overall security strategy, and ensure they meet regulatory standards, setting a solid groundwork for operational efficiency and sustained growth. Let’s take an in-depth look at all things GRC.

The concept behind Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)

GRC is a strategic framework developed by the Open Compliance and Ethics Group (OCEG) in 2002. Generally speaking, it is designed to help organizations align their IT operations with overall goals, effectively manage risks, and comply with local laws and regulations. You can think of GRC as a holistic approach that improves organizational efficiency, safeguards against financial losses, and even upholds brand image and integrity. Let’s break down GRC letter by letter.

  • Governance involves establishing policies, roles, responsibilities, and procedures to guide and control how an organization’s various departments work together toward achieving business objectives and operational excellence. It ensures that IT decisions are always in line with the organization’s strategic goals.

  • Risk management is about identifying, evaluating, mitigating, and monitoring risks that could affect the organization’s reputation, safety, security, and financial well-being. This includes taking a wide range of risks seriously, from cyber threats to compliance breaches, and implementing strategies to reduce their impact.

  • Compliance is the adherence to relevant laws and regulations affecting the organization’s operations. It includes everything from data protection regulations like GDPR to sector-specific rules, ensuring organizations meet their legal duties and preserve their integrity under external examination.

At its core, GRC aims to enable organizations to foresee and control risks associated with cybersecurity and other threats, operate within legal boundaries, and make strategic decisions promoting long-term success and resilience.

Why is the concept of Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) important?

The significance of GRC for today’s business cannot be overstated because it helps organizations protect themselves and optimize their operations and strategy in a world of ever-evolving regulations, increasing cyber threats, and competitive pressures.

Here’s why the strategy of Governance, Risk, and Compliance is indispensable for modern businesses:

  • Helps ensure regulatory compliance: With the complexity and scope of regulations always expanding, GRC provides organizations with the structure needed to ensure they meet all legal requirements. This is vital for avoiding penalties and fines and maintaining trust with customers and stakeholders.

  • Mitigates risks: Integrating GRC risk management into every aspect of the business helps organizations identify, assess, and mitigate risks before they escalate into organization-wide issues.

  • Aligns IT with business goals: GRC helios organizations ensure that IT strategies and processes align with the organization’s business objectives. This alignment is critical for maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of IT investments, supporting growth, and maintaining a competitive edge.

  • Promotes operational excellence: By establishing clear policies, procedures, and controls, GRC enhances operational processes, improves efficiency, and ensures that all organizational activities are aligned with the overall strategy and values.

Governance, Risk, and Compliance maturity is measured by the GRC maturity model developed by the OCEG . It helps companies gauge the level of GRC management within the organization and identify areas for improvement and growth.

In short, GRC is crucial for organizations seeking to navigate the complexities of the contemporary business world safely and successfully.

How to implement GRC in your business

Effectively and seamlessly integrating a Governance, Risk, and Compliance program across a business requires a thorough roadmap. Here are 7 main key steps, each designed to support a specific aspect of the journey:

Assess the benefits

Begin by evaluating what specific GRC framework benefits can bring to your organization, such as enhancing compliance, improving operational efficiency, and reducing risks. Such benefit assessment will help you to focus on strategic areas, provide a strong foundation for decision-making and community value to the stakeholders, and so not waste time in the process.

Name GRC implementation areas

To ensure a focused and effective GRC program rollout, identify the areas of your organization that will benefit most from it. Begin by assessing the existing processes, departments, and other functions to evaluate where stronger compliance or risk management practices are needed. Such prioritization will help you to create a roadmap to start and ensure that the GRC framework is tailored to address your company’s unique challenges and requirements.

Choose the right GRC solutions

This might sound trivial, but actually choosing the right tool to implement a GRC program is critical as it simplifies the integration process and reduces potential challenges. When selecting the software for your company, evaluate features such as automation, reporting, and adaptability to various compliance requirements.

Create the implementation roadmap

 Once all the preparations are done, you can now turn to creating the GRC implementation roadmap itself. It should be clear, step-by-step, and flexible enough to adapt to changes or challenges. Within it, define a timeline, key milestones, tasks, and responsibilities.

Ensure collaboration

 For successful GRC implementation, continued close communication and cooperation between all stakeholders are vital. Stakeholders such as leadership, heads of departments, and IT and legal teams should be aligned on the objectives, scope, and benefits of the GRC initiative. Consider establishing regular meetings and communication channels so the stakeholders are always informed.

Implement the process

 Now, all it has left is actually to undergo the implementation process. This mainly consists of deploying the selected GRC software, integrating with existing systems, and configuring workflows to align with the organization’s specific requirements and needs.

Monitor, improve, and streamline compliance

 Continuous monitoring is crucial for the GRC framework to remain effective and adaptable. Such monitoring helps to indicate potential gaps and allows proactive action to ensure that your company’s GRC system is involved with regulatory changes and business needs.

Understanding the GRC Framework and its operation

This GRC framework not only supports an organization’s immediate operational needs but also its long-term strategic goals and ambitions.

Here’s how the GRC framework functions to achieve these aims:

  • Setting strategic goals and objectives: The first step in implementing a GRC framework includes defining the organization’s strategic goals and objectives. This ensures that all GRC efforts are directly aligned with the organizational aims.

  • Developing a governance structure: When building up a governance structure it is crucial to have a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities within the organization. This structure provides the foundation for making informed decisions, managing risks, and ensuring compliance.

  • Risk identification and assessment: A key component of the GRC framework is the systematic process of identifying and assessing potential risks that could impact the organization. This, usually, involves analyzing the likelihood of various risk scenarios and their potential impact on the organization’s objectives.

  • Implementing controls and procedures: Based on the risk assessment, the organization activates appropriate controls and procedures to manage and mitigate identified risks. This could include implementing new tools and technologies, revising operational processes, or obtaining various compliance certifications such as SOC 2 Type II Compliance, ISO 27701 Compliance, CPRA Compliance, or ISO 27001 Compliance.

  • Ongoing monitoring and enhancement: The final step in the GRC framework is the continuous monitoring of the framework’s effectiveness and making improvements where necessary, which means regularly reviewing and updating the governance structure, risk management practices, and compliance efforts to ensure they remain effective and aligned with the organization’s goals.

By systematically assessing organizational goals, establishing a governance structure, identifying and mitigating risks, and continuously monitoring and improving the framework, organizations can ensure that they are well-positioned to meet their objectives while maintaining compliance and a strong overall security posture.

Benefits of the GRC Framework

The GRC framework isn’t just a set of guidelines to keep regulators at bay; it’s a comprehensive approach that can streamline processes, safeguard assets, and drive efficiency. Here’s what it brings to the table.

Enhanced decision-making

At the heart of GRC lies the power to make informed decisions. By integrating GRC practices, organizations gain a 360-degree view of their risk perimeter and compliance status. With real-time insights and analytics, decision-makers can pivot precisely, ensuring that every move is aligned with internal goals and external regulations.

Improved efficiency and reduced costs

By GRC activities, companies can eliminate redundant processes and streamline operations. This boosts efficiency and significantly cuts down costs associated with managing risks and ensuring compliance separately.

Risk Mitigation

Today, risks come from every direction—cyber threats, regulatory changes, market volatility, you name it. The GRC framework helps businesses to better identify, assess, and mitigate risks before they escalate into full-brown breaches.

Strengthened regulatory compliance

Navigating the complex web of regulations can feel like walking through a minefield. GRC simplifies this by providing a structured approach to compliance. Whether it’s GDPR, CCPA, SOX, or any other regulatory acronym, GRC helps businesses stay on top of their obligations.

Competitive advantage

In a marketplace where trust and reliability are as valuable as the services or products offered, GRC can be a game-changer. Organizations that proactively manage governance, risk, and compliance project a strong image of reliability and responsibility.

Enhanced organizational reputation

Lastly, a robust GRC framework polishes your organization’s reputation. In an era where news travels faster than light, a single misstep can tarnish your brand. By ensuring that governance, risk management, and compliance are tightly woven into your corporate fabric, you minimize the chances of such mishaps.

Challenges of implementing GRC framework

There’s no doubt that implementation of the Governance, Risk, and Compliance program can bring lots of benefits to your company. Unfortunately, companies often face challenges before, after, and during the implementation. So knowing these possible challenges beforehand can help you to mitigate or overcome them:

Unwillingness to change

In order to successfully implement the GRC program, new processes, tools, and even cultural shifts are required from the employees and leadership. Unfortunately, this can be met with hesitation from them and to overcome it, you’ll need to invest in promotion of department collaboration, provide awareness and training programs. This will ease the transition and mitigate change resistance. Similarly, you should showcase any early successes to build trust and boost the engagement.

Expertise gaps

Lots of companies often struggle with the internal expertise needed to design and implement an effective GRC program. This cap can be addressed by consulting with external experts or providing internal training for your internal teams.

Integrating siloed operations

More often than not, organizations are held back from achieving the integrated approach for a centralized GRC program because of the fragmented systems and processes. Hence, it’s crucial to foster cross-functional communication and collaboration, use all-in-one GRC tools to consolidate data and processes, and align departmental goals with a broader GRC strategy. This can successfully break down existing operational silos.

Resource limitations

Resources, such as personnel, budget, and time, aren’t unlimited. So, it’s critical to prioritize GRC areas that will deliver the most significant impact and measurable results. Then, you can use these successes to advocate for additional support and resources.

GRC software and tools

GRC software is a suite of applications that enable businesses to align IT processes and strategies with business goals while managing the vast spectrum of risks and complying with legal and regulatory obligations. The beauty of these tools lies in their ability to provide a bird’s-eye view of GRC-related activities in real-time.

At their core, GRC solutions are about integration. They break down silos between departments, ensuring that information flows seamlessly across the organization. This integrated approach ensures that everyone is on the same page, making it easier to identify, evaluate, and manage risks across all levels of the organization.

As we mentioned earlier, one of the key benefits of leveraging GRC software is the enhanced efficiency it brings to the table. Automating repetitive and manual tasks frees up valuable resources, allowing teams to focus on strategic objectives. Additionally, these tools come equipped with advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, providing actionable insights that can help and mitigate risks before they escalate.

Yet, choosing the right GRC software is not a one-size-fits-all affair. It requires a deep understanding of your organization’s specific needs and its regulatory landscape. Factors such as scalability, customization, user-friendliness, and integration capabilities with

As the regulatory and risk environment becomes more complex, the role of GRC solutions in ensuring resilience, compliance, and strategic alignment becomes ever more critical.

The key AI technologies in GRC

In a world that’s racing to adapt AI technologies as quickly as possible, GRC software is no stranger. Even more, it’s actually becoming the key element in effective risk management strategies.

AI-powered GRC systems can help companies effectively automate, enhance reporting capabilities, and streamline processes in increasingly complex regulatory requirement environments and cybersecurity challenges. This means that organizations that adopt AI GRC software can more efficiently manage risks, reduce operational costs, improve data-driven decision-making, and strengthen regulatory compliance.

Let’s now look closer at AI technologies that are changing the Governance, Risk, and Compliance landscape:

  • Robotic Process Automation (RPA): RPA and artificial intelligence are related but distinct things. Most importantly, RPA is process-driven, which means it follows the process defined by a user. However, AI is data-driven and uses machine learning to recognize patterns in data to learn over time. So, RPA-driven GRC tools will help automate specific tasks like data collection, report generation, and compliance checks. This reduces manual work and minimizes human error.

  • Machine learning (ML): ML is a branch of AI that allows computers to learn from data patterns and improve their performance on specific tasks without being explicitly programmed. Within Governance, Risk, and Compliance, machine learning can analyze extensive amounts of historical data to predict possible risks and compliance issues, empowering organizations to tackle them proactively.

  • Natural language processing (NLP): NLP is a branch of artificial intelligence that uses machine learning to enable machines to learn, read, and interpret human language. It’s useful for simplifying complex legal texts, compliance regulations and documentation to extract relevant data.

How NordPass helps organizations in their GRC efforts

NordPass stands as a great solution for businesses striving to improve their enterprise Governance, Risk, and Compliance frameworks, with a particular focus on securing and managing information access.

The key to NordPass’s utility is its advanced security features, such as end-to-end encryption and zero-knowledge architecture. These ensure that sensitive information remains accessible only to those with proper authorization, drastically reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

NordPass also improves organizational governance by facilitating controlled access to sensitive data. By implementing IT password management, user groups, and shared folders, businesses can enforce access controls that reflect their internal structures and governance policies, promoting accountability and transparency.

Furthermore, NordPass improves operational efficiency by simplifying login management. This efficiency allows employees to focus more on their primary tasks which is essential for companies looking to streamline their processes and ensure their governance frameworks effectively support their goals.

The IT Governance, Risk, and Compliance landscape is continually evolving, presenting new challenges and regulatory requirements. NordPass’s commitment to ongoing security innovation ensures that businesses can rely on a solution that remains at the forefront of security and compliance standards.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

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