"Many organisations, especially smaller ones, fail to allocate the necessary resources to implement robust cybersecurity measures, seeing a significant lack of incident response plans in place to take swift action if or when a breach occurs. However, if it does happen, it can be devastating for a business.
Managing security requires a robust plan to maximise a company's security posture in an ever-changing threat landscape. Here are my top tips for keeping on top of your business's cyber security:
- Incorporate security by design: Integrate security practices into every phase of the software development lifecycle, from design and development to testing and deployment.
- Implement robust authentication and authorisation: Use MFA to add an extra layer of security beyond just passwords. Implement RBAC to ensure that users only have access to the information and resources necessary for their roles.
- Utilise encryption and data protection mechanisms: Encrypt data at rest and in transit to protect sensitive information from unauthorised access. Ensure that data is stored securely.
- Regularly update and patch software: Establish a regular patch management process to keep all software, including custom applications, up to date with the latest security patches. Consider using a trusted partner to manage and deploy updates and patches efficiently.
- Implement advanced monitoring and logging: Set up real-time monitoring to detect suspicious activities and potential security breaches quickly. Ensure that all critical events are logged and that logs are reviewed regularly for any signs of malicious activity.
- Develop and test incident response plans: Create a detailed incident response plan outlining the steps to take in the event of a security breach. Conduct regular incident response drills to ensure that the team is prepared to handle actual security incidents.
- Leverage AI and machine learning: Use AI and machine learning to detect anomalies and unusual patterns that may indicate a security threat. Implement AI-driven automated responses to quickly mitigate detected threats.
- Educate and train employees: Regularly conduct security awareness training to educate employees about the latest threats and best practices. Run simulated phishing attacks to test and improve employees’ ability to recognise and respond to phishing attempts.
- Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing: Engage third-party security experts to conduct regular audits and penetration tests to uncover vulnerabilities that internal teams might miss. Use the findings from audits and tests to continuously improve security posture.
- Maintain compliance with regulations: Ensure that your custom software solutions comply with relevant industry regulations and standards, like GDPR.?
- Adopt a zero-trust architecture: Implement a zero-trust architecture where no one inside or outside the network is trusted by default. Verify and validate every access request."
Propel Tech specialises in delivering secure custom software solutions to clients across multiple sectors, putting security and efficiency at the heart of every single project - be it a software system built from the ground up, to modernising existing systems. Discover more or talk to Propel Tech about your custom software requirements.
