The complexity of cybersecurity threats has increased over the years. Additionally, the number of attack surfaces that can be used by cybercriminals has expanded phenomenally with the rise in remote and hybrid workplace models. With such a wide scope of possible cyberthreats, there’s no single solution that can counter them all.
A multi-layered approach to cybersecurity is needed for multiple reasons. One, there are too many plausible threats with widely different characteristics. It’s impossible for any one security solution to defend against all these attacks. For example, a firewall may monitor and authenticate access to networks and applications but it can do absolutely nothing to prevent a spear phishing attack. Two, even a single cyberattack can comprise of multiple threats that together form a cyber kill chain. In most cases, different security controls can detect only parts of that attack; to deflect the entire attempt, multiple security factors need to work coherently. Three, even when one security layer fails, the next one can step up to prevent further spread of the attack, reducing the impact and containing the data breach to a large extent. Furthermore, a multi-layered approach provides flexibility to examine and manage the different layers of security independently.
An ideal cybersecurity strategy should comprise of cohesive security practices led by multi-faceted security solutions. The following are a few of those security layers:
1. Firewall
A firewall acts like a gatekeeper for networks by protecting them from unauthorized access. It’s essentially a security system for networks that uses a predefined set of rules to analyze the network traffic. When any request for access to data or an application is generated, it must pass through the firewall verification. The firewall analyzes the requests and grants or denies access based on the provided rules. If any incoming traffic is flagged by the firewall, the access request is denied and blocked. Applications, networks, and resources are all secured behind the firewall.
2. VPN
A VPN is a security device that virtually establishes a private communication channel by connecting the user device to a secure server. When users access any network through a VPN, the data is encrypted and shared through a secure route. This hides the user’s private information, like their IP address and location. VPNs are an effective solution not only in securing data from cybercriminals but also in protecting users from websites and search engines that track and collect user data.
3. Email security
As emails have become the central mode of communication in organizations, it’s crucial to protect email accounts and the data being shared from possible cyberthreats. Emails are vulnerable to multiple threats, including phishing attacks, spam emails, and malware attacks. Invest in a cloud-based email gateway, which secures the email server by monitoring the email traffic to block malicious attachments like phishing links and spam emails.
4. MFA and password security
Multi-factor authentication, or MFA, is a security practice in which multiple authentication methods like user credentials, physical tokens, and access codes are deployed for the verification of the user identity before accessing an application, account, or device. MFA is central to the process of identity and access management and acts as the first level of security. Passphrases that are difficult for the hackers to crack but easy for the user to remember can be used for additional password security in MFA.
5. Privileged access management
Privileged access management (PAM) is based on the principle of least privilege, where organizations grant employees only the minimum level of access required to perform their job responsibilities. The idea of least privilege is to provide only restricted access to highly valued data and resources. This aids in reducing the scale of cyber risks that may arise from insider threats or external attacks by protecting the most valuable data at all costs. With PAM, every action a privileged user performs is monitored, recorded, and reported on to create a tamperproof audit trail of those activities.
6. AI and ML
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are data-driven technologies that can be used to detect and prevent cybercrimes. With its capability to mimic human intelligence without making errors at operational level, AI can be used to automate routine security tasks, detect any suspicious activity, and stop a full-fledged cyberattack. ML can be deployed to analyze historical data and use the findings to identify possible cybercrimes and take proactive steps to prevent them in advance. For example, identity analytics tools employ user behavior analytics to detect unusual user behavior. Behavioral biometrics, a real-time application of AI and ML, can differentiate legitimate users from possible scammers by detecting unusual changes in the user behavior.
Besides these security measures, organizations are leaning towards deploying Zero Trust – a cybersecurity framework based on the principle that no network, device, or user should be trusted by default, even within the perimeter of a firewall. While each security measure protects individual potential targets from cyberattacks, Zero Trust functions as a whole to protect the entire attack surface, granting visibility into user activity irrespective of its location or network. When no network or location is deemed to be safe by default and authentication is required continually for access, the possibility of a cyberattack is largely reduced. Even if an attack does occur, Zero Trust limits its surface spread and protects the entire security system from instantly failing.
