Cyber security refers to every aspect of protecting an organization and its employees and assets against cyber threats. As cyberattacks become more common and sophisticated and corporate networks grow more complex, a variety of cyber security solutions are required to mitigate corporate cyber risk.
Industrial control systems (ICS), such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, which are used to automate industrial operations in critical infrastructure industries, are frequently included in critical infrastructure. SCADA and other industrial control system attacks are very concerning. They have the capacity to seriously undermine critical infrastructure, including transportation, the supply of oil and gas, electrical grids, water distribution, and wastewater collection.
Critical Infrastructure Security
All of the physical and virtual resources, systems, and networks that are necessary for a society’s economics, security, or any combination of the above to run smoothly are referred to as critical infrastructure. Food and agricultural industries, as well as transportation systems, comprise critical infrastructure.
The infrastructure that is considered important might vary depending on a country’s particular demands, resources, and level of development, even though crucial infrastructure is comparable across all nations due to basic living requirements.
Due to the links and interdependence between infrastructure systems and sectors, the failure or blackout of one or more functions could have an immediate, detrimental effect on a number of sectors.
Network Security
Most attacks occur over the network, and network security solutions are designed to identify and block these attacks. These solutions include data and access controls such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP), IAM (Identity Access Management), NAC (Network Access Control), and NGFW (Next-Generation Firewall) application controls to enforce safe web use policies.
Advanced and multi-layered network threat prevention technologies include IPS (Intrusion Prevention System), NGAV (Next-Gen Antivirus), Sandboxing, and CDR (Content Disarm and Reconstruction). Also important are network analytics, threat hunting, and automated SOAR (Security Orchestration and Response) technologies.
Cloud Security
As organizations increasingly adopt cloud computing, securing the cloud becomes a major priority. A cloud security strategy includes cyber security solutions, controls, policies, and services that help to protect an organization’s entire cloud deployment (applications, data, infrastructure, etc.) against attack.
While many cloud providers offer security solutions, these are often inadequate to the task of achieving enterprise-grade security in the cloud. Supplementary third-party solutions are necessary to protect against data breaches and targeted attacks in cloud environments.
Endpoint Security
The zero-trust security model prescribes creating micro-segments around data wherever it may be. One way to do that with a mobile workforce is using endpoint security. With endpoint security, companies can secure end-user devices such as desktops and laptops with data and network security controls, advanced threat prevention such as anti-phishing and anti-ransomware, and technologies that provide forensics such as endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.
Phishing
Phishing is a fraudulent attempt to send emails claiming to be from reputable sources to obtain sensitive data such as credit card numbers, usernames, passwords, etc. Phishing is the most common type of cyberattack. It can be prevented if the public is educated on it and if the latest technology solutions screen such malicious emails.
Ransomware
Ransomware is malicious software designed as a means to extort money. Attackers block access to files or systems until a demanded ransom is paid by the victim. However, paying the ransom does not necessarily guarantee file recovery or system restoration, which can again be a huge setback.
Malware
Malware is a software that is designed to attain unauthorized access to systems or cause damage. These types of malicious software include viruses, worms, ransomware, and spyware. Clicking on malicious links or attachments installs the software that activates the malware. Once activated, it can:
Stealthily acquire data by transmitting it from the hard drive (spyware)
Block users from accessing key network components (ransomware)
Make systems inoperable by disrupting individual components
Install malicious software that can cause harmful effects
Zero Trust
The traditional security model is perimeter-focused, building walls around an organization’s valuable assets like a castle. However, this approach has several issues, such as the potential for insider threats and the rapid dissolution of the network perimeter.
As corporate assets move off-premises as part of cloud adoption and remote work, a new approach to security is needed. Zero trust takes a more granular approach to security, protecting individual resources through a combination of micro-segmentation, monitoring, and enforcement of role-based access controls.
Mobile Security
Often overlooked, mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones have access to corporate data, exposing businesses to threats from malicious apps, zero-day, phishing, and IM (Instant Messaging) attacks. Mobile security prevents these attacks and secures the operating systems and devices from rooting and jailbreaking. When included with an MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution, this enables enterprises to ensure only compliant mobile devices have access to corporate assets.
IoT Security
While using Internet of Things (IoT) devices certainly delivers productivity benefits, it also exposes organizations to new cyber threats. Threat actors seek out vulnerable devices inadvertently connected to the Internet for nefarious uses such as a pathway into a corporate network or for another bot in a global bot network.
IoT security protects these devices with discovery and classification of the connected devices, auto-segmentation to control network activities, and using IPS as a virtual patch to prevent exploits against vulnerable IoT devices. In some cases, the firmware of the device can also be augmented with small agents to prevent exploits and runtime attacks.
Application Security
Web applications, like anything else directly connected to the Internet, are targets for threat actors. Since 2007, OWASP has tracked the top 10 threats to critical web application security flaws such as injection, broken authentication, misconfiguration, and cross-site scripting to name a few.
With application security, the OWASP Top 10 attacks can be stopped. Application security also prevents bot attacks and stops any malicious interaction with applications and APIs. With continuous learning, apps will remain protected even as DevOps releases new content.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is a tactic to manipulate people into giving up confidential information, including bank information, passwords, or access to their computer to covertly install malicious software that can steal such information from the system.
Social engineering may also work in conjunction with other cyber threats to make it more likely for users to click on malicious links, sources, or malware download links.
SQL Injection
SQL injection involves inserting a malicious code into a server that uses SQL and allows the attacker to intervene with queries. This web security vulnerability can be as simple as entering the code into an unprotected website search box. The infection causes the server to release sensitive information.
Man in the Middle (MITM)
MITM attacks, self-evidently, occur when hackers alter a two-party transaction and steal data. Any unsecured public Wi-Fi network is prone to such kinds of attacks. The attackers who resort to such tactics insert themselves between the visitor and the network and, with the help of malware, carry out malicious activities.
Denial of Service (DoS)
A Denial of Service (DoS) is intended to shut down a machine or network so that it cannot respond to any requests and to make it inaccessible for users. This type of attack is carried out by flooding the target with traffic and triggering a crash.
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
APT happens when someone unauthorized gains access to a system or network and stays there undetected for a long time. These threats generally do not harm the network or machines and are more focused on data theft. APTs are known to go unnoticed and undetected by traditional security systems, but they are notorious to be the reason for a number of large, costly data breaches.