Security Best Practices for an Organization.
Introduction
In an era where cyber threats are ever evolving and increasingly sophisticated, the role of a Cyber Security Analyst is of paramount importance. As a professional I am in the frontline to defend an organization’s digital assets, that I have been entrusted with safeguarding sensitive data and preventing security breaches. As an aspiring Cyber Security Analyst, I am mastering a range of best security practices in order to ensure I can effectively protect an organization from cyber threats. In this post, I will exploring the top security practices that every aspiring Cyber Security Analyst like me should consider. If you would like to learn with me lets dive into it.
Some of these best security practices and guidelines are found in organizational repositories such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Computer Security Resource Center.
- Preforming risk assessment plans
Knowing and understanding the value of what you are protecting will help to justify security expenditures. This includes understanding the organization’s assets, developing incident response playbooks, and conducting periodic drills to test the effectiveness of the plan.
2. Create a security policy.
Creating a policy that clearly outlines the organization’s rules, job roles, and responsibilities and expectations for employees. This will help every employee in the organization know what is supposes to be done.
3. Physical security measures.
This involves restricting access to networking closets and server locations, as well as fire suppression. This practice basically involves controlling who has access to information assets and what they can do with the information or data.
4. Practice human security measures.
Doing background checks for all your employees. This can help avoid hiring or bringing in an employee whose values are not compliant with company's values.
5. Perform test backups.
Backing up information regularly and test data recovery from backups. Regularly backing up critical information is essential for disaster recovery and business continuity. However, I have realized just simply having backups is not enough, I also must validate the integrity and reliability of those backups through testing. Perform periodic test data recovery drills to ensure that the backup process is functioning correctly and that the restored data is complete and usable.
6. Maintain security patches and updates
Preforming regular update to server, client and network device operating systems and programs. I realized that keeping software and systems up-to-date with the latest security patches is essential for safeguarding against known vulnerabilities and exploits. Regularly updating operating systems, applications, and security software maintains a robust defense against emerging threats.
7. Implementing a network monitoring, analytics and management tool.
Choosing a security monitoring solution that integrates with other technologies and systems. Integration plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall effectiveness and efficiency of cybersecurity infrastructure of an organization. There are so many tools to use and google is your best friend to find one but if you have no idea, you can try SIEM tool. I talk more about it here Security Information and Event Management. This will give you an understanding of how to monitor, aalyse and respond to security threats in your network in real time.
8. Implement Network security devices.
Using next generation routers, firewalls and other security appliances. This concept is very important understand the principles of firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and virtual private networks (VPNs). If you have no idea about this, you can read my article here on Intrusion Prevention Systems(IPS). This help to regularly audit network configurations, perform vulnerability assessments, and conduct penetration testing to identify and address potential weaknesses.
9. Encrypt your data.
Encrypt all sensitive organizational data, including email. Data encryption is a cornerstone of data protection. Ensure sensitive information, both at rest and in transit, is encrypted using strong cryptographic algorithms. There are various cryptographic algorithms used for encryption, each with its strengths and weaknesses, and google will always help you find the best to use, an example is Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) known for its speed and security it’s used in in a wide range of applications and systems. Understanding and implementing encryption best practices, such as using unique encryption keys, employing hardware-based encryption where possible, and regularly rotating encryption keys for added security.
Last but not least.
10. Understand the Attacker’s Perspective
To effectively defend against cyber threats, it is essential to think like an attacker. By understanding their techniques, motivations, and strategies, you can better anticipate and mitigate potential attacks. This involves learning about common attack vectors, such as phishing, malware, ransomware, and social engineering, among others.
11. Continuous Learning.
The world of cybersecurity is dynamic, and to stay ahead of cybercriminals, you must be committed to continuous learning. Learn how the how different attack vectors I talked about above and how to combat them. Attending workshops, webinars, and conferences, and pursue industry-recognized certifications to enhance your skills and knowledge. Staying up-to-date with the latest threats, vulnerabilities, and security technologies is vital in this rapidly changing landscape.
Thanks to CISCO skills for all platform i was able to learn all the best security practices. I know there are more. I Hope you learned athing or 2 in this article. Together we can do so much with this knowledge. If you would like to connect with me you can do so on LikneIn Myra Jarenga. If you would like for us to chat even more on this topic you can send me a DM on Twitter @myrajarenga. You can also support me by following me on this blog, to learn more on cyber security practices. Thank You for reading.
