The Importance of Cybersecurity Monitoring
As we know, cybercriminals are out there, lurking in the virtual shadows, ready to exploit any vulnerabilities they can find. Some common threats attempted include malware, phishing attacks, and unauthorized access. These cunning tactics can result in stolen data, compromised systems, or even complete network shutdowns, costing millions of dollars, not to mention the negative impact on a company’s image and damage control that consumes valuable time. However, with the right preparation, organizations can better protect themselves by implementing robust cybersecurity monitoring measures.
The landscape of cyber-attacks is in a constant state of flux, and hackers are always devising new methods to infiltrate systems, such as leveraging artificial intelligence or targeting internet of things (IoT) devices. It's akin to an endless game of cat and mouse, except the mouse is an exceptionally intelligent hacker, armed with the latest technology at their fingertips. To defend against and combat these bad actors, organizations must stay informed about emerging trends and adapt accordingly. Neglecting to invest in cybersecurity monitoring is an open invitation for trouble. When a breach occurs, organizations often face significant financial costs in terms of incident response, recovery, and potential legal fees. And customers are less likely to trust a business that can't protect their data.
Effective cybersecurity requires continuous monitoring of your organization’s laptops, PCs, servers, e-mail and cloud applications. This means keeping a watchful eye on all the devices, applications, and data flowing through your network. By continuously checking for any signs of vulnerabilities or unauthorized access attempts, potential security issues can be identified and addressed before they escalate or begin to move laterally throughout your various platforms. Bear in mind, cybersecurity is not a “set-it-and-forget-it” type of thing; it requires constant vigilance and monitoring, 24/7/365.
Once such Cybersecurity Monitoring has been established, the process should continue by implementing things such as policies, procedures, risk assessments, security awareness training, pen testing and more. But these are all one-time engagements and do not stop cybercriminals once they get a foothold. Though each play a key part of reducing risk, they are just a snapshot in time and don’t pro-actively avoid malicious activity in themselves.
With effective monitoring in place, determining where additional risk resides is critical in increasing the cybersecurity maturity level. Obtaining a Risk Assessment will identify key areas within the company that need to be addressed and mapped out, including, but not limited to, policies, procedures and other IT related items. Additionally, Security Awareness Training is key as we educate staff members regarding red flags and what not to click. Lastly, a test by an ethical hacker known as a Penetration Test, should be executed to demonstrate how access might be gained to company data, because it’s not a matter of if an organization will face a security incident, but when, and what measures are in place to adequately address them.
It helps to think about the security measures we take with our homes in the physical world where all doors and windows typically have locks and in some cases, are made of materials that are hard to break. It should be no different in the virtual world and considered just as crucial to have multiple layers in place that safeguard our digital assets. By implementing these various levels, we can create numerous obstacles for cybercriminals to overcome, making it significantly more difficult to gain unauthorized access or exploit vulnerabilities.
Contact GCG today to find out more!