What are the most important security metrics for monitoring your network?

1 Attack surface

Your attack surface is the total amount of exposure your network has to potential attackers. It includes all the devices, ports, services, protocols, and vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors. The larger your attack surface, the higher the risk of a breach. Therefore, you should aim to reduce your attack surface as much as possible by applying security best practices, such as patching, hardening, segmenting, and encrypting your network assets.

2 Threat detection

Threat detection is the ability to identify and respond to suspicious or malicious activities on your network. It involves collecting and analyzing data from various sources, such as logs, alerts, events, and indicators of compromise (IOCs). The faster you can detect a threat, the more likely you can contain it and minimize the damage. Therefore, you should use security tools, such as firewalls, antivirus, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and security information and event management (SIEM) systems, to monitor your network for signs of compromise.

3 Incident response

Incident response is the process of managing and resolving a security incident on your network. It involves four main phases: preparation, identification, containment, and recovery. Each phase requires specific actions, such as gathering evidence, isolating affected systems, restoring normal operations, and reporting the incident. Therefore, you should have a clear and updated incident response plan that defines the roles, responsibilities, procedures, and tools for handling a security incident.

6 Security awareness

Security awareness is the level of knowledge and behavior that your network users have regarding security issues and best practices. It includes the training, education, and communication that you provide to your staff, partners, and customers to raise their awareness of the security threats and risks that they face. The more aware your network users are, the less likely they are to fall victim to phishing, malware, or social engineering attacks. Therefore, you should foster a culture of security awareness across your network and measure its effectiveness.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?