In the digital age, when data breaches and cyberattacks are nothing new, cybersecurity has already become an extremely relevant topic. The growing interest in this field, however, does not change the fact that there are a few significant areas of cybersecurity that people and businesses tend to neglect. Adam McManus, a cybersecurity expert, emphasizes that knowledge about those areas could possibly help us do better in the time of looming cyber threats. Here are some of these areas that people typically overlook in cybersecurity.
Regular Software Updates and Patch Management Maintenance of software and systems is more or less an overlooked issue when it comes to cyber security. Routine updating brings along with them not only additional features but also added security patches that avert any potential attacks on the system from hackers. When this gets little attention, it actually presents the best avenue for cyber attacks. It is important that a routine be put into practice when implementing software patches and upgrades as soon as they are released.
Employee Training and Awareness because human error remains one of the biggest sources of security breaches for any organization. Even though employees are the weakest link in the security system, there is a lack of systematic and organization-wide training on cyber security for the employees. Training needs to be imparted from the basics of cyber security, right from how to identify phishing attempts, the importance of using strong passwords, to the safe handling of sensitive information. The chances of breach due to employee mistakes really fall as the training keeps on updating.
Secure Configuration of Devices and Services Most devices and software have default configurations, which most of the time focus on ease of use and not particularly on being secure. The default configurations often leave ports wide open or switch on services when they do not necessarily need to be activated. The time spent setting up such configurations securely will save from unauthorized access and exploitation.
Back-up and Recovery Plan Backups, if maintained regularly, will prove to be your safety net in case of a data breach or a ransomware attack. A resilient, tested recovery plan must be in place. Most organizations forget to test their backups with time to make sure they are working and free of the malware that is likely to seep in from other places.
Physical Security
Cybersecurity does not only happen in the cyber world but as well in the physical world. Physical security is important because it protects a lot of sensitive information. Failure to secure the physical access to systems can result in unauthorized access that might be as devastating as any cyber intrusion. Simple measures, like locking the rooms where servers are located and the use of security cameras, would significantly enhance security.
Third-Party Vendor Management
Your cyber security is as strong as the weakest link in your vendor chain in the highly networked business environment of today. Most organizations don’t make a tremendous investment in validating the security protocols established by third-party vendors. Ensuring there are stringent security measures in place with any new vendor and maintaining that strategy are the highest priorities.
Multi-Factor Authentication ( However, even though its effectiveness has been proved, only a few have implemented multi-factor authentication. In essence, MFA demands much more than one kind of verification factor to be met. Therefore, it takes away a lot of risk because an extra layer of security is placed over critical assets. Implementation is easy, and security gets highly enhanced with very minimal inconvenience.
Cybersecurity is a complex and dynamic field that requires the highest level of meticulousness and a proactive approach. Addressing these common areas of neglect goes a long way in improving the posture of any person or organization and protects from emerging threats. Bear in mind, it is not the technology in cybersecurity that is effective; it is the knowledge of the human factors and how to address them, the managing of relationships with external parties, and the implementation of best practice cybersecurity by experts like Adam McManus.
