Your business is at risk of a security breach. What can you do to protect it?

One thing I have found helpful is understanding the organisation’s threat profile and ultimately determining high risk areas that if exploited could have severe consquences for the organisation.This often provides quick wins in terms of risk reduction and demostrates tangible progress in a relatively short period, boosting confidence and support from stakeholders including management,customers and employees.

The most difficult thing about assessing your risks is to understand key elements of the analysis: - Profile of the company/institution - Profile of its employees - Exposure to risks Before even start talking about technology to detect risks, it's mandatory to understand the company, the people and the environment. Only then you may be able to determine what type of risks are you vulnerable of, either internal or external and the tools and technologies to defend against them.

Identifying the risks is the biggest challenge, since we always struggle to get all the information due to the nature of Business and it’s dependent tools & technology. It is very crucial to identify where to assess, what to assess and when to assess. Once you have all the answers, then the opportunity of identifying the risks is greater. It is always advisable to follow a well-known security framework and map risks accordingly, which will give a better enterprise risks view to business which will help to bring new protection layers and controls.

1. Keep up With the Latest Cybersecurity Strategies and Threats: The world of cybercrime constantly evolves, and so must your defenses. Stay informed about the latest threats and how to prevent them. 2. PEN Testing: Frequently conduct PEN testing to identify vulnerabilities in your systems. 3.Conduct Regular Security Audits: Regular audits can help you identify potential weaknesses in your system and help you understand where improvements can be made 4.Employee Training: Train your employees to identify phishing scams, to use strong and unique passwords, and to understand the importance of network security.

The first step in life (not protecting a business) is understanding where you stand. Identifying and assessing your risks can only come from good inventory and management of tangible and intangible assets. The easiest threat surface to manage is the smallest or non-existent one. All threats are pertinent; however, leveraging threat intelligence for your industry is a much more efficient tactic to ensure resources are not wasted.

To avoid being hit by any vulnerability, it is a good idea to keep your software and systems up-to-date. It has always been a challenge in every organization to be on the latest version due to non-availability of downtime by businesses. However, it is expected to build a strong policy to keep systems updated to the latest versions or at least N-1 or to a stable & secure version. If there are still challenged by businesses, then compensatory controls should be implemented to protect those systems.

Software updates are one of the most ignored section in a production scenario. Log4j is a classic example of the fact that no systems whether modern or legacy is safe. No amount of protection is good enough untill and unless all systems have the latest version of the software running. Though this needs downtime yet it is equally important if not more. Trying to fix something after the attack only brings more loss. Along with patching, a good and tested backup configuration is important. Even patched systems are susceptible to attack and a backup is the last fallback method.

Software updates correct problems, patch vulnerabilities, and enhance efficiency, they are essential for company security. Ensure operating systems, apps, firmware, and drivers are up to date on all network equipment, such as servers, routers, switches, firewalls, and endpoints. To maintain software upgrades without the need for human interaction, turn on automatic updates when feasible. Make sure all devices receive the necessary upgrades by effectively deploying updates if your network has a centralized management system. To avoid data loss or corruption, always make a backup of your configurations and data before and after upgrading. Keeping up with software upgrades is an investment in the lifespan and security of your company.

Not all endpoints can be patched, or can only be patched during infrequent downtime. Some systems require patch testing before roll out to verify stability as well as to confirm interoperability. A rule of thumb for these scenarios is to only update when there is a known vulnerability, or a new feature becomes available that is needed.

A maioria dos ataques utilizam-se de brechas de sistemas operacionais dos quais os fabricantes já lançaram os paths de correção. Manter-se atualizado é primordial na segurança.

Acessos a dispositivos devem ser controlados, auditados e monitorados sempre. Utilizar-se de MFA é algo hoje em dia que se tornou básico.

Device security is essential to network security. It aids in thwarting malware infection, illegal access, data theft, and network interruption. Encryption, authentication, authorization, and strong passwords should be implemented to safeguard devices. Robust passwords are important for devices and accounts. Only those with permission can access data that has been encrypted and transformed into an unreadable format. Before allowing access, authentication uses a variety of techniques, such as passwords, PINs, biometrics, or tokens, to confirm the identity of the user or device. Authorization regulates the usage of particular resources or activities according to the identification of the user or device.

A defence in depth approach has to be taken when securing a company’s assets to ensure that if one line of defence fails there is always another line of defence.

Device security is the most obvious yet less taken into account step into protecting business or institutions. Governance best practices, strong password and least access policies, tightened security access to physical devices and a zero trust approach are mandatory. Internally, organizations should also take into consideration other means to access the devices. Disabling unused network outlets, protecting IoT devices, requiring MFA for every user are just a few to mention. Organizations must implement procedures to control everyone of these aspects and make sure they're executed based on industry standards and best practices.

Prioritize strategic updates for systems, applications, firmware, and drivers, steering clear of a uniform approach. Employ risk assessment to balance protection and operational needs. Emphasize stability amid security enhancements. Navigate resource constraints judiciously, especially in limited environments. Approach legacy systems with caution, exploring alternatives or long-term plans for security. Mitigate user impact by scheduling updates during low-traffic periods. In summary, advocate for a tailored, risk-aware update strategy to maximize benefits with minimal disruptions.

Educating users is key, the more they can spot a potential security issue, the quicker ICT teams can resolve, educating users how to report faults as soon as spotted is essential for a smooth working system. User training including management and support staff is a priority for most businesses

One thing I find helpful is to advice users not to always open suspicious attachments sent from their emails..That would eliminate the spread of viruses across the network

Treinamento contínuo. Propostas de incentivo à avaliações periódicas e abertura de canais de comunicação com colaboradores remotos e clientes chaves do negócio.

Filtering most social media platforms on organization network to avoid or minimizing phishing. The access exposes the entire network to global cyber attack.

User education is crucial for network security, teaching users how to protect themselves and the network from cyberattacks. It involves raising awareness, providing guidance, and conducting training sessions on various security topics. It helps users recognize and avoid common threats, such as phishing emails, malicious links, and fake websites. It also helps users follow security best practices, such as using strong passwords, locking devices, and reporting suspicious activities.

There is a plethora of tools to help detect, enforce and prevent security breaches. Firewalls, Network Analyzers, SIEMs, etc. should always be implemented and monitored; alarms should be set and an escalation order should be defined to treat any security risk so the effectiveness of the tools is not tampered by human error.

Though firewalls are the first line of defense yet it is equally important to deploy other mechanisms like honeypot, Monitoring systems and SOC teams. These facilitate in creating a robust detection and prevention system. Also the advantage is since these get updated periodically by the vendor, there is an added assurance.

Firewall Implementation: Implement and configure firewalls to control incoming and outgoing network traffic, blocking unauthorized access. Strong Authentication Implementation: Enforce strong password policies and implement multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security.

24h por dia, 7 dias por semana, 365 dias por ano. Log, auditoria, testes de Penetração controlados, consultoria e desenvolvimento de equipes de segurança em todos os níveis e camadas de negócio.

In safeguarding your business from security breaches, it’s crucial to establish robust backup and recovery plans. Regular, secure backups and a well-defined recovery process ensure minimal downtime and data loss in the event of an attack. Equally important is a comprehensive incident response plan that outlines immediate actions, communication protocols, and containment strategies, enabling swift and effective response to breaches. Additionally, assessing the security measures of third-party vendors is vital, as their vulnerabilities can directly impact your network’s security. This integrated approach fortifies your business’s defense against the evolving cybersecurity threats.

Engaging with customers, MSSPs and business partners for feedback is also Important. The fresh eyes here can reveal blind spots and areas for enhancement that internal teams might overlook. Also learning from past security incidents (the lessons learned phase), both successes and failures, and adjusting strategies accordingly, is essential for a resilient security program.

Putting an effective cybersecurity strategy in place can help you better protect yourself in the future. The strategy changes and must adapt to the changing challenges. We must therefore invest in time and continuous research.

Leverage the MITRE frameworks available, look at the 11 strategies outlined by their freely available 'world-class' SOC publication and follow the tried and true guidance.

- Develop incident response plans outlining procedures for identifying, containing, and remediating security breaches - Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all critical systems and accounts - Enforce the principle of least privilege, granting users only the minimum access needed to perform their jobs - Monitor user activity and implement anomaly detection to identify suspicious behavior - Secure remote access through VPNs or dedicated gateways with strong authentication and encryption

Knowing the compliance ordinances and laws that apply locally, federally and internationally when it comes to cybersecurity and data protection is absolutely essential. In the event of a data breach if a business is found to not be in compliance with laws fines can be levied against the business.

- Revue urgente des habilitations. - Renforcer le mécanisme de gestion des vulnérabilités, - Un système de gestion ,de monitoring des indicateurs de compromission.. - S'assurer du bon fonctionnement des solutions de sécurité (antitrust, firewall,etc..) - Mettre en place un SIEM, s'assurer de son bon fonctionnement et y intégrer les sources critiques. Se faire assister au besoin par un Soc pour l'analyse des logs, - Sensibiliser les utilisateurs sur les bonnes pratiques,.. - Tester le PSI surtout les aspects de sauvegarde et restauration