Intelligent CISO Issue 46 | Page 76

a DDoS attack . Network performance testing should be executed daily because a DDoS attack isn ’ t always a full-bore assault . It can also be a low-volume attack designed to reduce , but not remove , connectivity .
6 . Secure all inbound and outbound network traffic using SSL / TLS encryption
When users ’ computers connect to resources over the Internet , SSL / TLS creates a secure channel using encryption , authentication and integrity verification . Encryption hides data communications from thirdparties trying to eavesdrop , while authentication ensures the parties exchanging information are who they claim to be . The combination ensures the data has not been compromised .
Any unsecured traffic must be constrained to specific secured network segments and monitored closely .
7 . Establish and test Disaster Recovery plans
A key part of a Disaster Recovery plan involves backups . However , it is surprising how often restoring from backup systems in real-world situations doesn ’ t perform as expected . without the network knowing exactly who or what is gaining access .
4 . Implement SSL visibility – ‘ break and inspect ’
TLS / SSL inspection solutions that decrypt and analyse encrypted network traffic are key to ensuring policy compliance and privacy standards in the Zero Trust model .
Also called ‘ break and inspect ’, TLS / SSL inspection bolsters Zero Trust in three major ways : it allows for the detection and removal of malware payloads and suspicious network communications ; prevents the exfiltration of sensitive data ; and enables the Zero Trust model to do what it ’ s supposed to do – provide in-depth and rigorous protection for networks from internal and external threats . For any organisation that hasn ’ t adopted a Zero Trust strategy combined with deep TLS / SSL traffic inspection , now is the time to start rethinking your cybersecurity posture .
5 . Review and test DDoS defences regularly
Routine testing against a checklist of expected configurations and performance standards , as well as random tests of security integrity , is crucial to detecting
It ’ s important to know which digital assets are and aren ’ t included in backups and how long it will take to restore content .
CSOs should plan the order in which backed-up resources will be recovered , know what the startup window will be and test backups as a routine task with specific validation checks to ensure that a recovery is possible .
Staying secure
The CSO ’ s job isn ’ t getting any easier , but solid planning using the seven strategies will help ensure an organisation ’ s digital safety . In addition , partnering with toplevel enterprise cybersecurity vendors will ensure that critical security technology and best practices are central to the organisation ’ s cybersecurity strategy . u
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