Mastering the fundamentals: Safeguarding organizations in the face of evolving security threats

Enforcing strict configuration standards throughout the entire operation will guarantee the organization a baseline level of security. This means all systems, devices and applications within the company infrastructure are maintained in line with security guidelines and best practices – the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks, for example, have recommended configurations for all major systems and operating systems. Uniformity ensures no leaks can sink your ship. Regular compliance checks are a sure way to consistently maintain this baseline of security.

Outdated applications or software can lead to security vulnerabilities, so it’s always a best practice to regularly patch all systems to prevent possible vulnerabilities. These installs can be pushed out from a centralized point and completed in the background to prevent any disruption to work. For organizations with a remote workforce, patch management and configuration can be a challenge due to traditional management systems requiring devices to be connected to the corporate network. However, organizations can adopt cloud brand asset management solutions to address the modern remote workforce.  

Providing two or more pieces of evidence through Multi-factor authentication (MFA) including passwords, pins, and security questions, to authenticate users within the organization’s digital system is crucial in today’s environment to ensure people are who they say they are. However, modern attackers are nonetheless replicating company login screens, which can cause staff to inadvertently offer up their account details. Considering the threat of these advanced phishing tactics, companies should be employing more advanced MFA methods. For example, FIDO keys are physical devices which can be used to verify a user’s identity. By opting for a physical device rather than purely digital verification, you gain an extra layer of security which is harder for attackers to imitate. 

A system of security monitoring operating 24/7 through a dedicated security operations team. This team relies on monitoring tools and automated detection to find potential threats before they can break through. Although these tools can do the heavy lifting, this team still requires trained professionals who can either act, adjust or redirect.  Not every alarm is a threat, and not every threat will set off an alarm. 

Workers are the soft targets for any cyberattack. One errant click on a malicious link or attachment can spiral into an entire corporate system getting taken down. This is why employees are a necessary part of defense. Security awareness training needs to be  regular and personalized. Threats experienced by the finance team will be different to the threats in the sales team, all of which can have devastating impacts on the business. However, by personalizing and contextualizing the risks for each area of the business, employees are able to develop stronger awareness. It also helps to familiarize the users with the security team, so they know who to contact if there is a concern. 

When incidents do occur despite proactive approaches to cybersecurity, the organization must employ a protocol to protect the system from further infiltration. This should involve immediate account access revocation, a password and MFA reset, and a reimaging of the user’s workstation to eliminate any potential ongoing threats. There is only so much prevention and strategy can do when it comes to security, and ensuring a water-tight protocol to follow post-breach is just as important as all the measures discussed previously.