Most Common Cybersecurity Measures to Take In 2023

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Cybersecurity or Information Technology security protects cyber networks, computers, and confidential data from potential digital threats. Cybersecurity experts design measures capable of taking down attacks on the networked applications from attackers inside and outside the organization.

The average annual cost of data breaches is millions of US dollars which can be saved by implementing adequate cybersecurity measures. Information Technology firms constantly strive to improve their cybersecurity frameworks. Some of the most effective measures include micro-segmentation, Zero Trust policy, and firewall protection. Understanding the rest of the measures will be very easy once you understand what is micro-segmentation.


Common Cybersecurity Measures

Common Cybersecurity Measures

The most popular IT security measures are:

  1. Zero Trust Strategy
  2. The Zero Trust framework allows the minimum required access to all roles in the company. The access can be limited or increased if needed for a certain task. Zero-trust strategy minimizes the chance of a potential inbound threat.
  3. Principle of Least Privilege
  4. It is never a good idea to give data access to many users. New members or employees should not be granted complete access to every information file unless their role requires that access. In short, a new employee account should have the least privilege possible.
  5. Identity Verification
  6. A good identity verification system can protect the organization from outsiders trying to access the functional parts of the Information Technology firm. Multi-Factor Authentication systems and Biometric security are the two best methods to verify identity when someone tries to access organizational data.
  7. Network segmentation
  8. When a cyber-attack occurs, the chances of the hacker getting to the required database instantly are very thin. Attackers have to propagate through all sections to find their required information. Network segmentation allows the organization to spread its confidential data in fragments. This makes it hard for the attackers to move through and get to the required segment.

A much more advanced form of network segmentation has been introduced recently, known as micro-segmentation.


Micro-Segmentation

The theme behind micro-segmentation is similar to network segmentation. However, SDN (Software Defined Network) controllers are integrated into micro-segmentation instead of subnets.

Micro-segmentation controls east-west and north-south traffic and restricts excessive access from users. This technique allows the organization to implement lockdowns on each device, segment, or application.

Types of Micro-Segmentation

Micro-segmentation has three basic types with their respective roles.

  • Host Agent micro-segmentation
  • In this setting, the SDN agents provide feedback and access to management tools at the device level. Hosts need an agent to guarantee full security, and having an agent allows the managers to specify access to employees.
  • Network micro-segmentation
  • This type is the most basic and close to previous segmentation techniques. User access is determined by segmenting data center resources into VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks) and Internet Protocol constructs or ACLs (Access Control Lists). Network micro-segmentation is not considered the perfect solution as it is very expensive to maintain ACL and IP constructs.
  • Hypervisor micro-segmentation
  • Hypervisor is software that generates and runs virtual machines on its own. This enables a host system to provide support to various guest virtual machines. In this configuration of micro-segmentation, all existing and new data goes through the hypervisor, a virtual security environment that covers the security architecture.

Working of Micro-Segmentation

The micro-segmentation process is conducted at the workload level. The security layers can tackle any cyber attack quickly and efficiently. This restricts the possible harm to a minimum. Micro-segmentation allows managers to protect data resources and workstations from anywhere directly. It relies on segmenting crucial business data into different micro-segments that each have added security and cannot easily be accessed by threat actors.

It offers software-based security that allows managers to reset controls in case of a change in the network architecture. The requirement for hardware-based firewalls is waived, and a flexible security perimeter is in place. Additional lockdown cloud resources can be added for complete edge protection. VLAN and firewall-based options are replaced by software agents. These agents are distributed to all endpoints as well as data centers.

Pros and Cons of Micro-Segmentation

Pros and Cons of Micro-Segmentation

Every security protocol has some benefits and costs to its use. It is not always possible that if a security option is a good fit for the industry, it must be viable for another business. Micro-segmentation, with all its features, is an excellent security strategy but not a good fit for every business. Here are some positive and negative aspects that need to be considered before opting for micro-segmentation.

Benefits of micro-segmentation:

  1. Flexibility of use.
  2. Organizations working with cloud environments and/or remotely can easily scale their networks per their requirements.
  3. Little attack zone.
  4. Chances of possible threats are kept minimum by reducing the threat surfaces. This can ultimately deter threat actors from launching malicious attacks.
  5. Breach containment.
  6. Propagation through the data files is made harder for potential attackers. Managers are provided with enough time to relocate resources or strengthen the security parameters in case of a data breach.
  7. Robust traffic control.
  8. The movements inside the network are controlled from all directions, north-south, and east-west. Network managers have the ability to scope the privileges associated with roles in the organization.
  9. Systematic Compliance.
  10. Compliance with ISO, PCI-DSS, or HIPAA standards and risk management is possible with micro-segmentation.

Drawbacks of micro-segmentation:

  1. Low compatibility.
  2. Some systems that are not compatible with micro-segmentation can cause damage to the organization. Incompatibility issues will lead to unplanned downtime and reduced performance. It is recommended to consider application compatibility before opting for micro-segmentation.
  3. Additional workload.
  4. A separate micro-segmentation policy will be required for each device and user. Making these detailed policies can be very time-consuming, and there will always be a chance of disputes regarding the permission levels.

Conclusion

Impeccable cybersecurity is crucial for a business to flourish and generate revenue. Every year a massive chunk of potential revenue is lost due to digital attacks. Stringent security policies and practices are the keys to making your organization cyber-secure. By integrating the above-mentioned best practices, you can ensure that you are safe from cyber threats at all times.

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