Getting through the aftermath of a security incident can be challenging even for the largest organizations. However, while it can be easy to focus on the negatives when trying to recover systems or navigating various compliance regulations, there is a lot of valuable information that can be gained from going through this challenging process.
By having the right incident investigation processes in place, a company can transform a negative situation into something that ultimately strengthens the business in the long run.
Common reasons businesses experience security breaches
-Human error
It's very common for employees to accidentally expose their business to potential security issues. This can happen simply by using the wrong permission settings for different applications, not setting up firewalls correctly, or even leaving passwords visible on sticky notes in open areas.
-Weak entry points
If system entry points aren't adequately secured, one compromised credential can lead to a variety of issues. This could all stem from not using multi-factor authentication (MFA) protocols in key applications or services, and employees not following strict password management policies.
-Outdated software
When programs, applications, or website plugins aren't kept up to date, they can leave a backdoor open to business networks. Attackers often focus their attention on these unpatched systems because they're able to leverage malicious scripts to bypass basic defenses.
-Phishing Schemes
Many times, the path of least resistance for attackers when trying to gain entry into a business network is to target employees. Phishing schemes and other forms of social engineering attacks focus on manipulating a person to provide their login credentials to make it easier to carry out different cybersecurity attacks.
The importance of investigating after a major security incident
Understanding all the events that took place before and during a major data breach is key to avoiding them in the future. This all starts with a comprehensive post-incident analysis, which includes:
● Timeline discovery – When investigating a past incident, have a clear timeline of all events that occurred, including when the breach was first noticed, its origin, and the duration of the incident.
● Assessing damage – You'll need to have a clear picture of the extent of damage caused during an attack. This includes locating misconfigured systems, damaged security controls, compromised data, and quantifying financial losses due to downtime.
● Identify root cause – Not all attacks are easy to diagnose. Often, they stem from deep-seated issues within your systems or processes. Conduct thorough research to identify each of these, which will help close critical security gaps. It's also essential to
● Documenting evidence and insights – Document all your findings and take a close look at how effective your response initiatives were and where they can improve.
Tips for increasing cyber resilience
Based on your findings when carrying out post-incident analysis, here are some common tips that could further strengthen security resilience:
- Keep everything updated – Prioritize installing the latest available security updates for all applications and services. This makes it much more difficult for attackers to exploit known holes in security.
- Segment networks – Segmenting networks can help isolate attacks to smaller areas. Even if an attacker were to complete a successful breach attempt in one area, segmentation makes it so the attack can't easily spread to other areas.
- Monitor consistently – To
stop potential threats earlier in their development, it's important to set up security monitoring across business networks. Implement tools to track network log activity and alert teams if suspicious behavior is detected. This is also a critical step to take when the business is subject to regulatory compliance standards, as most regulatory bodies will require a minimum level of monitoring to be in place to protect user data. - Strengthen endpoint detection – When managing a network with multiple connection points from both inside and outside the company, it's important to track user activities. Advanced Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions can help track access from various laptops and mobile devices, regardless of where they connect from, while actively
hunting for potential threats and mitigating them as they appear.
Keep systems more secure
While dealing with a major security incident can cause a lot of internal chaos when trying to manage the aftermath, it's essential to use these situations as an opportunity to learn about what areas of your business need strengthening. By following the tips outlined, you'll be able to minimize your security risks moving forward and
