Today there are more and more connected devices, both at a business and personal level, which creates more attack vectors that must be protected and monitored through cybersecurity. Any user is exposed to daily attacks, and these are occurring more and more frequently.
Hence the question: what is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting devices, networks, systems, and data from cyberattacks. In other words, it is about managing computer security or information technology security.
What threats or attacks are companies exposed to?
Today, companies are immersed in a constantly changing technological environment where technology-based information systems are present in some way in most of their processes.
In addition, the use of mobile devices and cloud services to carry out activities is increasingly common, which offers new opportunities but is not free of risks. This is why cybersecurity in companies is increasingly important, and all necessary measures must be applied to be protected against the various existing malicious attacks.
Malicious attacks have various objectives related to confidential information, such as accessing, modifying, or destroying that information, or extorting users; and other objectives, such as causing business continuity disruptions.
These attackers take advantage of known software vulnerabilities, or those they manage to detect, to exploit them and perform some action not desired by the legitimate user and therefore the company. They also take advantage of misconfigurations or a lack of user awareness that provide an initial route of access to information systems.
Most common cybersecurity attack methods
- Phishing -> Also known as identity spoofing, these are attacks carried out through fraudulent emails that try to impersonate emails from trustworthy sources. Their goal is to steal sensitive data such as credit card numbers, as well as login information for computer systems.
- Malware -> This is a type of software designed to gain unauthorized access or cause damage to computer equipment. There are many types of malware, and each one pursues its objectives in a different way, including the following: viruses, Trojans, spyware, ransomware, adware, botnets, etc.
- Ransomware -> In recent times, this is the best-known malware due to the impact of its attacks and their frequency. Its goal is to demand money by locking the computer system or access to files until payment is made. Such payment does not guarantee that the files will be recovered or the system restored.
- Social engineering -> This is a tactic that attackers use to trick a legitimate user into revealing their confidential information, with the aim of extorting them or obtaining valuable data to carry out a subsequent attack. This tactic can be combined with any of the previous threats.
- Denial of service -> An attack that consists of preventing a computer system from fulfilling legitimate requests by overloading networks and servers with unwanted traffic. This situation renders the system unusable and prevents an organization from performing vital functions.
- “Man-in-the-middle” attack -> An attack where the cybercriminal intercepts the communication between two individuals to steal data. For example, an attacker could intercept messages transmitted over an unsecured Wi-Fi network.
How can we prevent these threats or attacks from materializing?
Companies must have a cybersecurity strategy to identify the risks the company is exposed to, locate weak points, and have processes and tools to detect and mitigate possible attacks or threats.
First, an up-to-date inventory of assets and software must be maintained in order to have knowledge of the potential risks to which it is exposed. Afterwards, it is recommended to carry out an audit to determine its cybersecurity status and define the next steps.
Regardless of the outcome of the audit, at least the following controls should be established:
- Have security policies and regulations.
- Have a logical access control system.
- Set up a backup system.
- Have anti-malware software on the equipment.
- Have a policy in place for software updates.
- Have tools to apply network security, both internal and external.
- Control information media throughout their useful life.
- Establish an activity log to be able to monitor all actions.
- Implement a business continuity plan.
- Have a cybersecurity awareness plan for all employees.
On the other hand, applying security standards such as ISO 27001 and establishing an Information Security Management System (ISMS) based on that standard makes it possible to manage and implement the appropriate measures to protect information and therefore limit the threats arising from malicious attacks.
Cybersecurity Solutions
Likewise, technology is essential to provide companies with the cybersecurity solutions they need to protect themselves from cyberattacks and to be able to apply the controls necessary to protect their assets.
Both end devices and the networks that enable their connectivity, as well as the cloud or servers used to store information, must be protected. For this, cybersecurity systems are available, such as:
- Firewalls.
- Intrusion prevention and detection (IDS/IPS).
- Malware protection.
- Encryption of communications.
- DNS filtering.
- Antivirus software.
- Email security solutions.
- Web security solutions or SIEM solutions for monitoring.
- Etc.
Awareness
It should be borne in mind that end users are the first line of defense against cybercrime; therefore, it is vital that they are equipped with all the knowledge and skills necessary to protect the company and remain alert to any possible attack that may occur. For this reason, developing a cybersecurity awareness program is the best way to educate staff and create a security culture.
At GlobalSuite Solutions we have the GlobalSuite® software, which facilitates the automation and management of the ISO 27001 standard to optimize an Information Security Management System (ISMS). The versatility of the software means it meets the most complex requirements in an affordable and intuitive way, helping to obtain ISO 27001 certification and therefore improving the company’s cybersecurity. Our specialized consulting teams provide the advice and support needed to help companies achieve the ISO 27001 standard.
