Are your digital doors wide open? Here's how to lock them!
Digital processes, software, applications, the Internet, integrations, data exchange. For many people, cybersecurity is—and remains—a black box. Just because things have gone well so far is by no means a guarantee that they’ll continue to do so. You wouldn’t leave your front door unlocked when you go out, so why would you do that when it comes to access to valuable digital business information? In this blog, we’ll give you a few examples of digital doors and what you can do to lock them securely against unwanted visitors.
Eliminate digital vulnerabilities?
If you compare vulnerabilities in your digital infrastructure to open doors in your home, you don’t have to be a tech expert to realize that this isn’t an ideal situation. But what are these potentially insecure digital doors, and why do they serve as open invitations to hackers? In practice, we often encounter these examples:
In management systems
Misconfigurations
Active Directory is a widely used solution for the centralized management of systems and users. However, this directory service is so extensive that misconfigurations are almost inevitable. Insecure settings can unintentionally grant access to data or features, sometimes even with elevated privileges.
IT Architecture
Outdated facilities
An architecture designed years ago no longer offers protection against current threats. In addition, IT environments become “cluttered” over the years—for example, with temporary additional user permissions that are never rolled back. This gives hackers even more opportunities to exploit sensitive data or hold your systems hostage.
Human Risk Management
One obvious vulnerability you might not immediately think of is the exploitation of unaware and poorly trained employees. Did you know that 90% of all successful cyberattacks are caused by phishing? On average, 30% of phishing emails are opened, and 12% of those recipients then click on a malicious link or open a malicious attachment.
What are your organization's open doors?
Before you can close any doors, you first need to know where they are. There are several ways to do this—from vulnerability scans and penetration tests to mystery guests and red teaming. They all fall under the umbrella of “ethical hacking,” which involves asking a trusted third party to see if they can break into your digital or physical infrastructure.
In addition to identifying gaps in your security, you’ll assess the potential risk and impact of each vulnerability. Based on that, you’ll then determine the priority with which you’ll address the vulnerabilities you’ve found.
His own castle
Just as you wouldn’t secure a garden gate with an iris scan, the locks on your digital doors should also be commensurate with the risk and the potential impact of possible misuse. In many cases, it’s enough to simply close open doors. This can be done by keeping software up to date, using strong passwords or a passphrase, or adding an extra layer of security in the form of multi-factor authentication.
More complex risks with greater impact require an additional layer of security. This means adapting or rewriting specific processes; developing action plans so that everyone knows what to do if an incident does occur; and awareness training, which provides an additional line of defense and is an indispensable component of a strong digital defense. After all, despite all the technology, in many cases it is still people who make the mistakes. But those same people can also strengthen your defenses. Alert and well-trained employees who know how to respond have made all the difference for many companies in the face of cyberattacks.
On demand
Once you know which doors are open at your organization, what risks that entails, and what needs to be done to close the gaps, you can get started. However, your security and IT manager probably isn’t looking for more work and can’t delegate these tasks to anyone.
That’s why, in addition to on-site specialists, we also provide “virtual locksmiths.” In other words, (C)ISOs whom you can call upon at any time, for periods of varying lengths. They offer strategic support, independent advice, or assistance with the strategic development and operational implementation of your plans.