Today, effective cybersecurity is a key consideration for any business. Breaches and attacks are on the rise – across all industries – and no organisation can stop 100% of them. However, there are steps companies can take to protect their people, data and systems. But what framework should they use to guide their policies? And what are the cybersecurity essentials in 2022?
The CIA Triad is a three-part model. The triad complement each other and cover the fundamentals of cybersecurity. Organisations should use them to guide their security policies and the framework should be referred to as new products and technologies emerge. CIA is an acronym for:
Confidentiality is about restricting access to information. Rules are set so that only the right people or departments are authorised to view sensitive information. Confidentiality measures organisations can use are: passwords, multi-factor or two-step authentication, encryption and biometrics. These methods limit the risk of hackers illegally accessing information.
Integrity is about making sure data is correct, consistent and trustworthy. Rules must be put in place so data cannot be changed, deleted or accessed by unauthorised parties. Integrity measures organisations can use are: setting file permissions, dictating user access, using tools to detect breaches and regular back-ups. These methods ensure the safety of data and back-ups remedy any loss or deletion.
Availability is about ensuring information is always available for authorised users without disruption. Availability measures organisations should take include: maintaining and upgrading networks, equipment, software and hardware, giving enough bandwidth, installing firewalls, having disaster plans and proxy servers. These methods reduce the risk of downtime and provide back up solutions in the event of attack.
Hackers, the methods and malware they use are becoming more sophisticated. As this happens, businesses need to leverage advanced, sophisticated technology to fight back. A perfect example is incorporating artificial intelligence into your cybersecurity package. AI tools and machine learning technologies can sift through enormous amounts of data quickly. These tools are more autonomous, learning and getting smarter the more information they analyse.
Training your employees on the cybersecurity basics – what to look out for, your organisation’s policies, government legislation and best practice – is one of the best ways to protect your systems. Technology and security may be rapidly advancing, but human error still accounts for the majority of breaches. Consider regular training and assessments to check comprehension. If employees fail to attend or don’t reach the pass grade, restrict their access until they do. Phishing tests are another way to keep staff vigilant and help you monitor responses.
The term supply chain refers to any of the systems needed to create and distribute a product. This can include physical manufacturing and logistics but in cybersecurity this covers hardware, software and cloud storage. For example, supply chains involve hospitals transporting medicines and also the cybersecurity in healthcare like using a third party data processing service.The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity predicted that attacks on supply chains would multiply by four between 2020 and 2021 and Gartner forecast that 45% of organisations will experience a supply chain attack. Businesses need to be prepared with best practices like: risk assessing potential suppliers (checking for gaps and vulnerabilities), collaborating to create strict security criteria and operating a ‘one strike’ policy.