The technology industry is learning how to collaborate more effectively in an effort to combat cybersecurity attacks at a time when the threat environment is becoming more dangerous.

In late October, three government agencies, including the FBI, issued an alert warning of increased ransomware attacks on hospitals. “Trickbot” malware has been used as a primary hacking tool that can result in data theft and disruption of hospital services through a ransomware exploit.

Only a few weeks before, Citrix Systems Inc. announced that it would join Google’s BeyondCorp Alliance, a partner network designed to promote and democratize zero-trust technology. The group includes CrowdStrike Inc., VMware Inc., Symantec Inc. and Palo Alto Networks Inc. Applications delivered through Citrix Workspace can take advantage of BeyondCorp’s access controls and policy enforcement.

Cisco and Google Cloud have also partnered on a Workspace Security Program to share data and insights, along with Microsoft and Okta Inc.

“The Alliance is an indication that Citrix gets it,” said Kevin L. Jackson (pictured), chief executive officer of GC GlobalNet. “It’s been highlighted by the ‘Trickbot’ activity, this persistent malware that is attacking healthcare facilities. This is a threat to the entire ecosystem, so everyone has to work together to protect everyone’s data.”

Jackson spoke with Jeff Frick, host of SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming video studio theCUBE, during a post-show analysis for the Citrix Security Summit. They discussed the need for increased focus on data security, Citrix’s partnership with Google, and cultural change as an integral part of digital transformation. (* Disclosure below.)

Increased security investment

The ability to protect everyone’s data has grown more complicated as a global pandemic forced employees from a wide range of industries to work remotely. A newly released Gartner survey of 2,000 chief information officers found that 61% planned to increase investment in cybersecurity.

“With COVID-19, we just burst out of any datacenter, we have to rely on cloud,” Jackson said. “This concept of just bolting on security just doesn’t work. It has to go from being infrastructure centric to data centric. That’s the only way you’re going to provide security of your data to those remote employees.”

For many people today, work is no longer a place but rather a set of connected devices and tools. Citrix’s partnership with Google is designed to offer protection for the virtual workspace, with integrated access security and application control.

In this model, a zero-trust approach continually evaluates the trustworthiness of a device or user to provide access. This is the intent-driven solution that is applied across all devices and enforcement points while using analytics.

“Citrix and Google have worked together to drive an agentless experience in order to enhance security,” Jackson said. “So instead of making everything location specific or organizational specific, they set a standard and they support this intent-driven security model.”

Citrix’s collaborative approach and adoption of a zero-trust model represent the kind of change necessary for dealing with the reality of a COVID world. Indications are that remote work will become the new normal for many employees and organizations, as evidenced by the number of high-profile companies that have made it a permanent option.

Digital transformation is more than just a technological shift; it is a cultural change as well.

“An aspect of this culture is learning to be adaptable and to accept change, because it’s going to come whether you want it or not,” Jackson said. “The organizations that recognize that and teach their workers, their entire ecosystem to operate together in a rapidly changing world with agility will be successful.”

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s CUBE Conversations. (* Disclosure: Citrix Systems Inc. sponsored this segment of theCUBE. Neither Citrix nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE