Page 236 - Cyber Defense eMagazine August 2024

Secure remote connections and hardware

All hardware and connection points among collaborators must be secure. If you use networked storage,
configure your device to use an HTTPS connection, ensure you have a valid SSL/TSL certificate installed,
and get your data backed up.

You should also ensure you and your collaborators keep all hardware and software up to date and fully
patched, along with securing WiFi networks by logging into your router and disabling WPS and remote
access, enabling HTTPS logins and WpA2 encryption, and updating the firmware.

Other best practices for keeping hardware and remote connections secure include using a virtual private
network (VPN) or desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) platform, ensuring all endpoints have anti-virus and anti-
malware protection, and educating stakeholders on the risks of human engineering attacks.

Identity access management (IAM)

Speaking of educating stakeholders, we all know that humans are the weakest link in any cybersecurity
posture.

And while security awareness training can help a ton, you also need to protect people from themselves
with strong password enforcement and access management controls such as multi-factor authentication
(MFA) or two-factor authentication (2FA). Enforcing the principle of least privilege—where stakeholders
only have access to the data they need to do their jobs, and nothing more—is also highly encouraged.

Once you’ve developed a list of role-based access policies, enforce it with automated IAM software to
keep your rules effective and enforced at scale.

Strong encryption

Strong encryption such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a must when working remotely and
transferring data to other remote workers and locations. That’s because even if your other measures fail
and your system is breached, strong encryption ensures hackers won’t be able to read the data.

And although hackers can (and do) break cryptography using various methods such as cypher-text
attacks, cracking those codes takes a lot of work and know-how. Unless the hacker is coming after you
and your work specifically, it’s likely they’ll just move on to a softer target.

Always keep your files encrypted while at rest (and in flight during data transfers). Most data breaches
come down to human error, not Enigma-style code breaking.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – August 2024 Edition 236
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