October 03, 2023
Six key cyber security protocols for any modern business
The cyber security landscape is shifting rapidly across the globe and South Africa is no exception. From simple hackers to sophisticated technological attacks, cyber threats have evolved exponentially, which has necessitated similar changes in security protocols. Enterprises and companies are often the target of cyber attacks because they hold valuable data and information.
All businesses should assess where their vulnerabilities lie and take steps to improve and upgrade their cyber security measures. Your response to any cyber threats needs to be swift and decisive in order to minimise the fallout and damage caused. Chief information security officers (CISOs) can learn from security incidents, but most importantly, they will ensure that security protocols are adjusted and refined to become more effective.
No matter what industry you’re in or the type of business you work for, there are six key security protocols that you should have in place to protect your digital assets from modern cyber threats. These protocols will improve your security posture and help to minimise risks across your organisation.
Six high-level security protocols for your business
The following security protocols will bolster your defences and help to mitigate attacks, regardless of your business type and industry:
1) Ensure user awareness training at all levels - Nowadays, the biggest weakness in a cyber defence chain is often the employee. Humans are targeted by cybercriminals as they are prone to making mistakes or clicking on malware links. User awareness training is a vital component of cyber defence and should be the first protocol to be set up.
Surprisingly, more senior members of staff are just as susceptible to phishing attacks as junior employees, meaning that user awareness training is necessary across all departments and management structures. IT departments should undergo the most intensive training as the company’s first line of defence.
2) Reduce perimeters and entry points - As with physical security, the fewer entry points there are to exploit, the harder it becomes for criminals to gain access to your business. By reducing your digital perimeters and minimising internet-facing systems, you can limit the attack surface of your company.
Figure out which IT systems are absolutely critical and which can be limited or restricted for the benefit of security. Advanced security software is amazing, but if criminals can hack into and compromise an authenticated computer, then they can bypass these defences easily. Remember to perform regular updates and security checks on all devices.
3) Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) across the board - This is a vital component for enterprises with remote workers or a large network of connected devices. MFA ensures that only authorised users are granted access to networks and digital systems.
It can also be used to track movement across the digital ecosystem and detect intrusion attempts. Suspicious activity can be flagged early, giving your IT team time to respond and initiate the correct procedures.
4) Adopt a zero-trust approach - This goes hand-in-hand with MFA, where no employee or user is assumed to be legitimate. A zero-trust approach is a privilege-based strategy that closely monitors users and only grants access to those who can verify their credentials. It goes beyond granting all employees the same level of access.
IT teams and senior staff members could be granted more privileges and access to deeper parts of the networks. In contrast, junior staff are only allowed to access surface-level software that they need for their daily tasks. This allows you to control and restrict access to any hackers, restricting their movement through the network.
5) Use endpoint protection and response - Every connected digital device (called endpoints) should have protection software enabled and running at all times. These endpoints become a critical part of detection and response mechanisms, looking for anomalies in behaviour.
Automated alerts should be set up to tell cyber security teams when something suspicious happens with any endpoint. This could include malware downloads, suspicious link activity or abnormal user behaviour indicative of an impending cyber attack.
6) Implement a defence-in-depth architecture - This model establishes a three-way relationship between prevention, detection and response. A hacker bypassing a prevention measure does not automatically infer a successful attack as effective detection and a swift response can mitigate the impact.
This approach minimises the potential damage caused and limits the ability of the hacker to compromise further endpoints. Defence-in-depth ensures that at least one defensive measure is at work at all times.
Cyber security is all about risk management and implementing these six foundational protocols will vastly improve a company’s security stance. Further measures and advanced software may be needed, depending on your specific business, the data you work with and how valuable this information is to hackers.
However, these six protocols are an ideal place to start for any business. SEACOM offers several cyber security services to enterprises in South Africa. Our team of experts can help you implement a secure business network and digital ecosystem. For more information about our offerings or to get a quote, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.
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