If your organization wants to stay ahead of new threats and keep up with the latest cybersecurity technologies, watching what’s happening in the global cybersecurity landscape is essential.This post will help you to understand what to expect in 2024 and learn about five cybersecurity best practices that can help protect your organization’s sensitive assets.
Here’s our checklist of new and time-proven cybersecurity principles and best practices for your organization to prevent cyber attacks in 2023:
- Establish A Robust Cybersecurity Policy
- Secure Your Perimeter and Lot Connections
- Employ A People-Centric Security Policy
- Control Access To Sensitive Data Approach
- Manage Passwords Wisely
1. Establish A Robust Cybersecurity Policy
A cybersecurity policy serves as a comprehensive framework outlining the measures employed by your company to enhance cybersecurity effectiveness. This policy ensures alignment between security specialists and employees while defining crucial company-wide information security practices.
Consider implementing a hierarchical cybersecurity policy comprising a centralized approach alongside additional policies tailored for each department in your organization.
By adopting a hierarchical cybersecurity policy, you can address the distinct requirements of each department, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of your cybersecurity policies while minimizing disruptions to departmental workflows.
Similarly, you can structure your security policies to align with various aspects of your organization’s cybersecurity. For instance, you might establish an access control policy, a remote access policy, a vendor management policy, an insider threat program and other relevant policies.
2. Secure Your Perimeter and Lot Connections
Modern-day organizations’ perimeters extend well beyond firewalls and DMZs, given the widespread adoption of remote work, cloud environments and IoT devices—this substantial expansion of the attack surface calls for heightened vigilance. Notably, the IoT market is projected to reach approximately $567 billion in 2027, up from around $384 billion in 2021.
Security cameras, doorbells, smart door locks, heating systems and office equipment are interconnected with the internet, presenting potential attack vectors. For example, a compromised printer can grant malicious actors access to all printed or scanned documents.
Ensure the security of your perimeter by safeguarding your border routers and implementing screened subnets. Additionally, mitigate data security risks by segregating sensitive data from your corporate network and enforcing restricted access to such information.
To enhance your security, you can complement traditional protection measures, like firewalls and VPNs, by implementing the zero-trust model. Built on the principle of never trust, always verify, zero trust mandates continuous validation of users and devices within your organization, preventing unauthorized access.
3. Employ A People-Centric Security Policy
There must be more than a technology-centric approach to cybersecurity to ensure all-around protection since hackers often use people as entry points. According to Verizon’s 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report, 82% of breaches involve a human element.
A people-centric approach can help you reduce the chance of human-connected risks. In people-centric security, a vital perimeter is the workers themselves. Educating and monitoring employees are the main things to consider for a secure, people-centric environment.
To make your organization’s cybersecurity people-centric, consider the following measures:
How to Implement a People-Centric Security Approach:
- Regularly provide comprehensive cybersecurity training to employees
- Effectively communicate significant cybersecurity risks and threats to your staff
- Ensure that your employees are aware of and adhere to your cybersecurity policies
- Promote a strong cybersecurity culture among your personnel
- Implement robust security measures to control and restrict employees’ access to sensitive resources
- Continuously monitor employees’ activities involving critical data
- Conduct thorough background checks and establish a proper termination procedure
4. Control Access To Sensitive Data Approach
Granting employees extensive privileges by default enables access to sensitive information, even when unnecessary. This approach elevates the risk of insider threats, security breaches and provides hackers immediate access to valuable information upon compromising an employee’s account.
Implementing the principle of least privilege is a superior approach and increases security awareness. It entails granting users minimal access rights and elevating them solely when necessary. If there is no requirement to gain access to sensitive data, the corresponding privileges should be revoked. This promotes effective data protection.
In addition to the principle of least privilege and the zero trust model, implementing a just-in-time approach to access management offers enhanced control over user privileges. This approach entails granting employees access upon request, for a specific duration and with a valid justification.
Your organization can also leverage these access management techniques.
Three strategies for achieving a balance between user needs and privileges.
Technique
- Zero trust model
- Principle of least privilege
- Just-in-time approach
Privileged access
- Granted exclusively to authenticated and verified users.
- Access is provided solely to the information and resources required for a legitimate purpose.
- Allocated strictly to suitable users, specific systems and designated resources based on a valid reason and for a particular duration.
Please ensure that you give special consideration to remote access to your infrastructure. Effectively securing your remote workforce entails implementing a range of measures, including enhancing visibility into the actions of remote employees and appropriately configuring your networks.
5. Manage Passwords Wisely
Employee credentials provide cybercriminals direct access to sensitive data and valuable business information. Various methods, including brute force attacks and social engineering, can be employed to compromise employee credentials without their knowledge.
Organizations frequently employ dedicated password management [PDF] tools to mitigate such attacks. These solutions allow you to manage employee credentials, thereby reducing the likelihood of account compromise.
It is recommended to prioritize password management tools that offer passwordless authentication, one-time passwords and password encryption capabilities.
If you rely on employees to handle their passwords, it may be worth incorporating the following recommendations into your cybersecurity policy:
- Utilize unique passwords for each account
- Maintain separate accounts for personal and business purposes
- Construct lengthy passwords containing special symbols, numbers and capital letters
- Employ mnemonics or other strategies to remember complex or strong passwords
- Leverage password managers and generators
- Refrain from sharing credentials with colleagues
- Regularly update passwords at least once every three months.
Conclusion
In 2024, prepare for the exciting advancements in cloud security, the widespread adoption of the zero trust model and the increasing demands for cybersecurity compliance. Brace yourself for cutting-edge threat detection and response solutions!
To tackle these emerging risks associated with supply chains, OT and IoT, remote work and the cloud, it’s crucial to incorporate the recommended cybersecurity best practices outlined in this article.
Alternatively, you can contact Sea Change Systems for top-notch cybersecurity services tailored to your organization’s needs. Our comprehensive risk assessment, proactive cyber threat detection and rapid response capabilities have you covered against evolving cyber threats.
Remember, cybersecurity is an ongoing process that requires constant vigilance and adaptation to outsmart malicious actors. Don’t wait until it’s too late – take action now to safeguard your organization and its valuable data. Together, let’s create a more secure digital world for everyone.
Stay safe out there and let’s make cyber threats a thing of the past!
