Best practices you should implement to minimize cybersecurity threats
While it is impossible to prevent all cyber attacks, organizations can significantly reduce the impact and recover quickly by implementing robust cybersecurity resilience practices. First, I would suggest you review my first column in the series.
Today, we will dive into the practical aspects of implementing these key elements of cybersecurity resilience. We’ll start by exploring network segmentation, a critical practice for limiting the spread of security incidents within a network. We’ll then discuss the importance of security awareness and training to empower employees as a frontline defence. Next, we’ll examine the need to secure vendor and supply chain relationships, which are often overlooked but are crucial areas of vulnerability. We’ll also cover the development of clear security policies and procedures to ensure consistent and effective responses to incidents. Regular security testing and auditing will be highlighted as proactive measures to identify and fix vulnerabilities. Finally, we’ll emphasize the value of post-incident reviews and lessons learned to continuously improve an organization’s resilience to cyber threats.
Network segmentation
Operating a single or flat network is the simplest but far less secure.
Implement network segmentation, using bridges and routers to divide a network into smaller, isolated segments. The significant benefits include the ability to:
- Limit the spread of potential security incidents.
- Simplify isolating incidents and quickly identifying threats.
- Limit third-party access.
- Improve performance and decrease congestion.
- Minimize the impact of network component failures.
Best practices for secure and resilient network operation include:
- Audit and monitor your network to identify subnetwork gaps that intruders can exploit.
- Configure legitimate network paths to simplify access to resources while making use of illegitimate paths easier to recognize.
- Don’t over-segment because it adds unnecessary complexity and makes it more challenging to manage the network.
- Visualize your network to understand traffic better and anticipate issues.
- Combine similar network resources.
Security awareness and training
Simple human errors, negligence and occasional malicious actions significantly contribute to cybersecurity incidents.
Organizations must invest in comprehensive security awareness and training programs to educate employees about common threats, phishing attacks, social engineering techniques, and best practices for safe online behaviour. By promoting a security-conscious culture, organizations can empower employees to become a resilient line of defence against cyber threats.
Vendor and supply chain security
Almost all organizations rely on third-party vendors for various products and services. These vendors are a cybersecurity risk, especially when using electronic data exchange.
Ensuring the security of these external partners is crucial for overall cybersecurity resilience. Organizations should conduct due diligence to assess the security posture of vendors, establish contractual obligations for security requirements, and regularly monitor their compliance.
Security policies and procedures
Vague or non-existent cybersecurity policies cause inadequate responses to inevitable incidents.
Clear and well-defined security policies and procedures lay the foundation for a resilient cybersecurity posture. These policies should describe the following topics:
- Access controls that define multiple roles for networks, systems and data.
- Data classification for multiple restriction levels.
- Incident response procedure.
- Employee awareness training content and frequency.
- Secure software development practices.
By establishing guidelines and best practices, organizations promote a security-aware culture and improve adherence to cybersecurity policies.
Regular security testing and auditing
Regular security assessments, penetration testing, and vulnerability scanning identify weaknesses and gaps in an organization’s defences. These proactive measures enable organizations to remediate vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them. Additionally, regular security audits help ensure compliance with relevant industry standards and regulations.
Incident review and lessons learned
After experiencing a security incident, organizations should conduct a thorough post-incident analysis to understand the root causes, the effectiveness of response measures, and areas for improvement. Incorporating lessons learned from previous incidents strengthens an organization’s resilience and helps prevent similar incidents in the future.
In conclusion, cybersecurity resilience requires a holistic approach that combines risk assessment, robust security policies, effective incident response planning, continuous monitoring, access controls, data backup and recovery, network segmentation, security awareness, and vendor management. By incorporating these key elements, organizations can enhance their ability to withstand cyber threats, minimize the impact of incidents, and quickly recover from potential breaches.
Yogi Schulz has over 40 years of information technology experience in various industries. Yogi works extensively in the petroleum industry. He manages projects that arise from changes in business requirements, the need to leverage technology opportunities, and mergers. His specialties include IT strategy, web strategy and project management.
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