Cybersecurity

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.

Why is cybersecurity important?

In today’s connected world, everyone benefits from advanced cybersecurity solutions. At an individual level, a cybersecurity attack can result in everything from identity theft to extortion attempts, to the loss of important data like family photos. Everyone relies on critical infrastructure like power plants, hospitals, and financial service companies. Securing these and other organizations is essential to keeping our society functioning.

Everyone also benefits from the work of cyberthreat researchers, like the team of 250 threat researchers at Talos, who investigate new and emerging threats and cyberattack strategies. They reveal new vulnerabilities, educate the public on the importance of cybersecurity, and strengthen open-source tools. Their work makes the internet safer for everyone.

Types of Cybersecurity

Cyber security is a wide field covering several disciplines. It can be divided into seven main pillars:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

Advantages of Cyber Security

1. Protection of Sensitive Data

Cyber security actions shield sensitive data from unsanctioned access, aiding in maintaining privacy and averting identity theft. It utilizes data loss prevention (DLP) techniques along with access control methods, firewalls, and web servers to ensure the protection of data against hackers.

2. Business Continuity

Cyber attacks can lead to technological issues, such as computer crashes and freezing screens. This can halt or delay business operations. By preventing cyber attacks, organizations can ensure the availability of their systems and services, minimizing downtime and potential losses. 

3. Compliance with Regulations

Cyber security compliance is a risk management system that comprises predefined security measures and controls data confidentiality. It ensures that devices, systems, and networks follow regulatory compliance requirements. Therefore, adhering to cyber security standards and regulations can protect businesses from legal issues and potential fines. 

4. Enhanced Customer Trust

Implementing strong cyber security measures help organizations build trust with their customers, partners, and stakeholders. These measures foster transparency and significantly reduce the risk of data breaches. This assures different stakeholders of the safety of their data. 

5. Competitive Benefit

Companies with robust cyber security measures in place are less vulnerable to cyber-attacks and can gain a competitive edge over competitors who may not prioritize security. Publicly showcasing the implementation of cyber security measures can help a company distinguish itself as a much more secure option compared to the competitors.

6. Early Detection and Response

Proactive cyber security measures can help organizations detect threats early and respond effectively, minimizing potential damage and disruption. Threat detection activities include monitoring networks, applications, endpoints, user activity, and data to analyze traffic patterns, system logs, access attempts, and distrustful files. These activities highlight suspicious patterns, leading to early threat detection and response accordingly.

7. Intellectual Property Protection

Robust cyber security helps protect intellectual property (IP), such as patents, trade secrets, and copyrighted material, ensuring the organization’s competitive advantage is maintained.

Disadvantages of Cybersecurity

1. High Cost of Implementation

Implementing advanced cyber security measures can be expensive, particularly for small businesses with limited resources. This includes the cost of hardware and software, and hiring skilled professionals to maintain and manage the security infrastructure.

2. Complex Management

As cyber threats continue to evolve, managing the various components of cyber security becomes increasingly complex. This can be particularly challenging for businesses with limited technical expertise.

3. Potential False Sense of Security

Implementing cyber security measures may sometimes lead to a false sense of security, causing organizations to overlook other aspects of risk management, such as employee training and physical security.

4. Compatibility Issues

Cyber security tools and solutions may not always be compatible with existing systems and software, leading to integration challenges and potential security gaps.

5. Inconvenience to Users

Strict security protocols, such as multi-factor authentication and frequent password changes, can sometimes lead to inconvenience and reduced productivity among users.

6. Evolving Threat Landscape

Cyber threats are constantly evolving, making it difficult to keep up with the latest security measures and tools. Organizations must continually invest in research and development to stay ahead of potential attacks.

7. Human Error

Despite the best security measures in place, human error remains a significant risk factor. Users may inadvertently compromise systems through poor password practices, social engineering, or other mistakes.

The Need for a Consolidated Cyber Security Architecture

organizations could get by with an array of standalone security solutions designed to address specific threats and use cases. Malware attacks were less common and less sophisticated, and corporate infrastructures were less complex.

Today, cyber security teams are often overwhelmed while trying to manage these complex cyber security architectures. This is caused by a number of factors, including:

• Sophisticated Attacks: Modern cyberattacks can no longer be detected with legacy approaches to cyber security. More in-depth visibility and investigation is necessary to identify campaigns by advanced persistent threats (APTs) and other sophisticated cyber threat actors.
• Complex Environments: The modern corporate network sprawls over on-prem infrastructure and multiple cloud environments. This makes consistent security monitoring and policy enforcement across an organization’s entire IT infrastructure much more difficult.
• Heterogeneous Endpoints: IT is no longer limited to traditional desktop and laptop computers. Technological evolution and bring your own device (BYOD) policies make it necessary to secure a range of devices, some of which the company does not even own.
• Rise of Remote Work: The response to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that remote and hybrid work models were viable for many companies. Now, organizations need solutions that allow them to effectively protect the remote workforce as well as on-site employees.

Best practices for cybersecurity

Adopting best practices for cybersecurity can significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks. 

Here are three key practices:

1. Regular software and operating system updates
   Updating software and operating systems regularly helps to patch vulnerabilities and enhance security measures against potential threats.
2. Using strong and unique passwords
   Creating strong and unique passwords for each online account can enhance cybersecurity, as cyberattacks often exploit weak or stolen passwords.
3. Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA)
   Multi-factor authentication involves multiple identification forms before account access, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

Achieving Comprehensive Cybersecurity with Check Point

A modern cybersecurity infrastructure is one that is consolidated and built from solutions that are designed to work together. This requires partnering with a security provider with experience in protecting all of an organization’s assets against a range of cyber threats.

Check Point offers solutions for all of an organization’s security needs, including:

• Network Security: Check Point Quantum
• IoT Security: Check Point Quantum IoT Protect
• Cloud Security: Check Point Cloud Guard
• Application Security: Check Point Cloud Guard App Sec
• Endpoint Security: Check Point Harmony Endpoint
• Mobile Security: Check Point Harmony Mobile

To learn more about the threats that Check Point solutions can help to protect against, check out the Check Point cyber security report . You’re also welcome to see Check Point’s solutions in action for yourself with a demo and try them in your own environment with a free trial.

Cyber Security Challenges

cybersecurity is the main component of the country’s overall national security and economic security strategies. In India, there are so many challenges related to cybersecurity. With the increase of the cyber-attacks, every organization needs a security analyst who makes sure that their system is secured.

1. Ransomware Evolution

Ransomware is a type of malware in which the data on a victim’s computer is locked, and payment is demanded before the ransomed data is unlocked. After successful payment, access rights returned to the victim. Ransomware is the bane of cybersecurity, data professionals, IT, and executives.

2. Blockchain Revolution

Blockchain technology is the most important invention in computing era. It is the first time in human history that we have a genuinely native digital medium for peer-to-peer value exchange. The blockchain is a technology that enables cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The blockchain is a vast global platform that allows two or more parties to do a transaction or do business without needing a third party for establishing trust.

3. IoT Threats

IoT stands for Internet of Things. It is a system of interrelated physical devices which can be accessible through the internet. The connected physical devices have a unique identifier (UID) and have the ability to transfer data over a network without any requirements of the human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. The firmware and software which is running on IoT devices make consumer and businesses highly susceptible to cyber-attacks.

4. AI Expansion

AI short form is Artificial intelligence. According to John McCarthy, father of Artificial Intelligence defined AI: “The science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs.”

Insider Attacks

In May of 2022, a security risk that stemmed from within Yahoo was revealed when it was discovered that Qian Sang, a research scientist at the company, had stolen proprietary information. 

Cyber Security Trends

The prevailing trends in  cybersecurity often stem from a combination of reactions to prominent cyber threats, emerging technologies, and enduring security objectives. These represent some of the key trends and technologies that shape the landscape of cybersecurity in 2024:

• AI Security– The ascent of AI profoundly influences cybersecurity, encompassing both offensive and defensive aspects. On the offensive front, cyber threat actors have already employed tools like ChatGPT to enhance and streamline cyberattacks, contributing to a notable year-over-year surge in attacks across the board.
• Hybrid Mesh Firewall Platform– Organizations are progressively adopting hybrid mesh firewall plat from, integrating diverse firewall types into a unified, centrally managed security architecture. This approach allows organizations to implement firewall solutions tailored to specific environments while simultaneously ensuring centralized oversight, administration, and enforcement of policies across their entire infrastructure.
• CNAPP – Gartner has coined the term Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) to characterize security solutions that consolidate the diverse capabilities required for cloud application security into a unified solution.
• Hybrid Data Centers- While certain organizations have fully migrated their data centers to the cloud, others have adopted cloud computing to enhance their on-premises data centers. A hybrid data center employs orchestration, allowing the seamless movement of data and applications between on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure as required over the network.

The scale of the cyber threat

The global cyber threat continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with a rising number of data breaches each year. A report by Risk Based Security revealed that a shocking 7.9 billion records have been exposed by data breaches in the first nine months of 2019 alone. This figure is more than double (112%) the number of records exposed in the same period in 2018.

Medical services, retailers and public entities experienced the most breaches, with malicious criminals responsible for most incidents. Some of these sectors are more appealing to cybercriminals because they collect financial and medical data, but all businesses that use networks can be targeted for customer data, corporate espionage, or customer attacks.

With the scale of the cyber threat set to continue to rise, global spending on cybersecurity solutions is naturally increasing. Gartner predicts cybersecurity spending will reach $188.3 billion in 2023 and surpass $260 billion globally by 2026. Governments across the globe have responded to the rising cyber threat with guidance to help organizations implement effective cyber-security practices.

The Evolution of the Cyber Security Threat Landscape

The cyber threats of today are not the same as even a few years ago. As the cyber threat landscape changes, organizations need protection against cybercriminals’ current and future tools and techniques.

Gen V Attacks

The cyber security threat landscape is continually evolving, and, occasionally, these advancements represent a new generation of cyber threats. To date, we have experienced five generations of cyber threats and solutions designed to mitigate them, including:

• Gen I (Virus): In the late 1980s, virus attacks against standalone computers inspired the creation of the first antivirus solutions.
• Gen II (Network): As cyberattacks began to come over the Internet, the firewall was developed to identify and block them.
• Gen III (Applications): Exploitation of vulnerabilities within applications caused the mass adoption of intrusion prevention systems (IPS)
• Gen IV (Payload): As malware became more targeted and able to evade signature-based defenses, anti-bot and sandboxing solutions were necessary to detect novel threats.
• Gen V (Mega): The latest generation of cyber threats uses large-scale, multi-vectors attacks, making advanced threat prevention solutions a priority.

Why get a Cyber Security job?

Here are three reasons we think you should get a job in cyber security:

1)  Demand for cyber security professionals is growing.

If you are looking at a potential career in cyber security, you made the right choice. Experis have reported there has been an increasing demand for permanent and contract cyber security professionals, as much as a 46% rise. This has been primarily driven by demand spurred on by the need to build strong defences against cybercrime in the wake of high profile hacks.

2)  Cyber security job salaries are increasing.

The average cyber security salary in the USA is $117,010 per year – up from $94,984 in 2019. Many Entry level positions now start at an average of $87,988 per year while highly experienced and credentialed professionals can earn in excess of $165k per year.

This reflects cyber security becoming a higher priority within organizations and the increasing demand for talent in the market. Over the next 10 years (2019 to 2029), the estimated job growth for these roles is 31% (much higher than the average of 4%).

3) Career options in Cyber Security are vast.

If you are a technical person and perhaps working in IT Support and want to get into the cyber security sector, there is nothing stopping you. Consider training and taking some cyber security courses to gain some basic or more advanced certifications from the get go. There are many entry level and senior job positions available on this website, all with different skill requirements.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving landscape. As technology advances, so do the threats. It’s a dynamic field requiring constant vigilance, adaptation, and innovation.

While there’s no guaranteed foolproof solution, a multi-layered approach involving technology, processes, and people is essential. This includes:

• Robust technology: Implementing a combination of firewalls, antivirus software, intrusion detection systems, and other tools.
• Strong security practices: Following best practices for data protection, access control, and incident response.
• Employee awareness: Educating staff about cyber threats and how to prevent them.

Collaboration between individuals, businesses, and governments is crucial to effectively combat cybercrime. Sharing information about threats and best practices can strengthen overall cybersecurity posture.

Ultimately, cybersecurity is not just about protecting systems and data; it’s about safeguarding our digital way of life. It’s a shared responsibility that demands continuous attention and investment.

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