Chennai: Enterprises are being encouraged to integrate both digital and physical security data into a central monitoring platform to mitigate the risks of data breaches, according to IT management software provider ManageEngine.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, ManageEngine's chief IT security evangelist, Subhalakshmi Ganapathy, highlighted the necessity of this integration, emphasizing that many enterprises have already invested in cybersecurity tools and services, including analytics platforms, management tools, and outsourced security operations through third-party vendors. Despite these investments, the management and monitoring of an organization's own data remain within its control.

Subhalakshmi explained that while a new system like a firewall is automatically integrated into monitoring and security operations, biometric systems and changes in physical access methods are often left out. She stressed the importance of integrating both digital and physical security data into monitoring systems during a question-and-answer session at ManageEngine Day 2026.

Recent reports by Kaspersky indicate an increasing adoption of biometric technologies in Malaysia across sectors such as public services, financial institutions, transportation, healthcare, and energy. Nevertheless, Southeast Asia remains a high-risk area for cyberattacks involving biometric systems, with a notable exposure rate of 23.7 per cent across various threat vectors.

Subhalakshmi also noted that companies are gradually enhancing security awareness through training and expanding standard operating procedures at security operations centres to incorporate more data sources. She emphasized that the focus should not only be on adopting new technologies but also on effectively integrating them with an organization's cybersecurity monitoring systems.

ManageEngine, the IT division of Zoho Corporation, offers over 60 products and tools, including identity and access management, enterprise service management, and IT operations management. The ManageEngine Day 2026 event, held over four days at the company's headquarters in Chennai, India, provided media insights into the company and was attended by 23 journalists from the Middle East and ASEAN countries.