Understanding Cybersecurity Posture

The frequency and severity of cyber threats are increasing every year. In 2020, cyber attacks were ranked as the 5th top risk, and today they have become the new norm across public and private sectors. The World Economic Forum’s 2020 Global Risk Report highlights the gravity of the situation, revealing that the rate of detection of cyber crimes is as low as 0.05% in the U.S.

But the financial cost of cyber attacks is staggering as well. On average, a single ransomware attack costs $1.85 million, and by 2025, it is estimated that cybercrime will cost companies worldwide $10.5 trillion annually, representing the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history.

An organization's security posture is critical to its ability to protect its valuable information and assets from potential cyber threats.

What is a Cybersecurity Posture?

The overall status of all security-related elements, including software, hardware, networks, information, and service providers, is referred to as an organization's security posture. It comprises a range of security measures, including vendor risk management, vulnerability management, information security, data security, network security and more. In order to safeguard against security threats, malware, cybercrime and intellectual property theft, these cybersecurity techniques are put into place. To know more checkout ZERON .

Why is your Cybersecurity Posture important?

One of the most critical components of any organization's overall security strategy is its cybersecurity posture, because it,

1. Help the organization to recognize where they stand in terms of online security threats such as data breaches and intrusions.
2. Safeguards sensitive data and systems from unauthorised access and threats.
3. Preserves the organization’s reputation and clients' trust.
4. Helps in meeting regulatory requirements and avoiding legal and financial consequences.
5. Reduces the possibility of financial loss as a result of data breaches and cyberattacks.
6. Minimises downtime and productivity losses as a result of cyberattacks and data breaches.
7. Improves employee knowledge and education on cybersecurity best practises, which can lead to an organisation with a more security-conscious culture.
8. Lastly, not to forget Covid-19 situation, a cybersecurity posture would enable secure remote work and collaboration, particularly in emergency situations or when unforeseen occurrences occur.

An organisation that maintains a strong cybersecurity posture is better able to avoid, identify, and react to possible security risks.

Types of Cybersecurity Posture

1. Risk-based posture: In a risk-based posture, companies evaluate the particular risks they face and create a security plan that takes those risks into account. By focusing resources and efforts on the areas that pose the greatest risk, rather than trying to address all possible risks, this strategy reduces risk.
2. Reactive Posture: When an organisation adopts a reactive posture, an attack has already occurred before any action is taken. Companies might rely on incident response plans to act swiftly in the event of any security incidents rather than having robust prevention measures in place.
3. Proactive Posture: Taking a proactive posture entails putting security measures in place before an attack takes place with the goal of preventing incidents altogether. This could involve regular vulnerability assessments, penetration testing and employee security awareness training.
4. Resilient posture: A resilient posture is defined by an organization's capacity to promptly identify and address security problems as well as quickly bounce back from them. In order to reduce the effect of security incidents, this strategy calls for the implementation of strong incident response plans, backups and disaster recovery plans, among other steps.
5. Compliance-based posture: In a compliance-based posture, organizations concentrate on adhering to security regulations or standards, such as those established in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Many organisations will choose a combination of these postures, depending on their unique requirements and the kind of threats they are facing.

Determine your Cybersecurity Posture

Security threats are more prevalent than ever before, and they can impact every aspect of your organization. It's crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of your digital infrastructure and the potential impact successful attacks may have on your business. To achieve this, you need to answer the four key questions listed below,

1. Do you have a comprehensive understanding of every system and application that your organization currently utilizes?
2. Are you aware of your IT ecosystem's vulnerabilities and the risks it faces?
3. Do you use automated detection and mitigation procedures and tools?
4. Could you continue going if your organization was compromised?

Security assessments are an essential part of understanding your organization's cybersecurity posture. They allow you to identify potential vulnerabilities and develop effective cybersecurity strategies. During the assessment, you should ask,

1. What data do you collect?
2. How and where do you store this data?
3. Is the place where you are storing the data properly secured?
4. How do you protect and document the data?
5. How long do you keep data?
6. Who has access internally and externally to the data?

Determine your Vendor's Cybersecurity Posture

No organisation is an island in the connected world we live in today. Organizations are becoming more and more dependent on outside vendors to perform vital operations. As a result, not only does the cybersecurity posture of your organization matter, but also that of your vendors. A single vulnerability in a vendor's system might have huge repercussions and put your organization at risk for cybersecurity attacks. In order to be sure that your vendor is not endangering your business, it is crucial that you assess their cybersecurity posture.

There are 4 key indicators to look out for when assessing your vendor's cybersecurity posture,

1. Due diligence: This will show whether or not the vendor has effective risk management procedures and a cybersecurity policy in place.
2. User behaviour: Employees who share files or act in ways that could expose sensitive information can increase the risk of a breach for an organisation.
3. Compromised systems: Existing compromised systems, such as exploited devices and malware servers, indicate that the company is vulnerable to future attacks.
4. Security breaches: Check the organization's history of data breaches. This is a crucial sign of its cybersecurity posture and how likely company is to suffer a compromise in the future.

How to improve your Cybersecurity Posture?

Implementing a thorough cybersecurity strategy that encompasses policies, processes, and technology is necessary to improve security posture. These are some crucial actions to take to strengthen security posture:

1. Inventory all of your IT assets: The first step towards protecting all digital assets is to identify and track them all. This includes conducting a full accounting of all computing assets, both currently in use and older systems with components that may still be in operation. The audit must include all assets that connect to the network, as well as shadow IT or digital assets used without the approval or knowledge of digital leaders.
2. Conduct a security assessment: To enhance the security of an organization, a security assessment should be conducted to measure the risk each digital asset poses, including third-party vendors, suppliers, and contractors that have access to internal systems and data.
3. Prioritize risks to business resiliency: The most critical assets to business operations should be prioritized, and more resources should be devoted to them. A risk/benefit assessment should be conducted to determine how much of the security budget should be allocated to the most important assets. Examples of high-priority assets include electronic medical record systems for healthcare organizations, customer databases for e-commerce sites, and user authentication systems for financial services firms.
4. Establish a consistent patching schedule: Enterprises must establish a consistent patching schedule for their software to minimize the amount of time a flaw is exposed to attack. Even though software vendors are regularly identifying and patching security flaws, it takes enterprises weeks or months to implement them, and attackers usually exploit these vulnerabilities within two weeks. Hence, a consistent and frequent update schedule must be followed to mitigate the risks.
5. Automate threat detection, remediation, and mitigation: Enterprises should automate their threat detection, remediation, and mitigation using a suite of cybersecurity tools that include firewalls, anti-malware software, and AI-powered surveillance tools to create a more proactive cybersecurity posture. It emphasizes that automation can offer some relief for understaffed security teams and can help in isolating potentially serious attacks for further investigation.
6. Monitor critical security vulnerabilities: To protect against evolving threats, organizations need to continuously monitor their IT systems for critical security vulnerabilities. Threat intelligence feeds can help security teams to identify and proactively protect against active exploits and cybergangs.
7. Adopt a zero-trust framework: The zero-trust framework requires continuous authentication and access to only necessary resources, making it harder for attackers to move laterally in the network.
8. Transition to a DevSecOps approach: Transitioning to a DevSecOps approach involves integrating security into the process of software development and deployment, enabling security personnel to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities before code is shipped, avoiding expensive and time-consuming rework. A key element of this approach is red teaming to isolate code strengths and weaknesses.
9. Implement cybersecurity training for all employees: Cybersecurity training for all employees can help reduce an organization's exposure to social engineering attacks and malware infestations, which are the cause of more than 80% of security breaches. By educating employees on cybersecurity fundamentals, organizations can identify and train those who are most susceptible to phishing attacks and teach them how to recognize and report attacks, reducing response times and enhancing overall security posture.
10. Develop and practice an incident management plan: To manage security incidents effectively, enterprises should develop and practice an incident management plan. The plan should detail procedures and roles of each department, identify, analyze, and resolve critical incidents, and be regularly updated. The plan should be practiced through tabletop exercises or simulated attacks to ensure preparedness, and it should include appropriate responses for each department head.

A weak cybersecurity posture can have disastrous effects, whereas a robust cybersecurity posture can fend off attacks and safeguard sensitive information. Organizations may strengthen their cybersecurity posture and fend off possible cyberattacks by investing in cutting-edge security technologies, carrying out regular assessments and personnel training, and putting in place thorough cybersecurity policies. And when implemented properly, a strong cybersecurity posture can give your organization a competitive edge. ZERON can assist you if you're prepared to advance the cybersecurity posture of your business.

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