Page 45 - Cyber Warnings

Educate your users on the ill-effects of instantly opening an email attachment or clicking “OK” to
run unknown executables.

Look for file integrity changes

Subtle changes to files, registries and data can be hard to detect, and most zero-day threats
use this to their advantage. File integrity monitoring is an important tool to identify stealthy
changes to files and registries, and will prevent data loss and business downtime.

Enable threat intelligence

Most common attacks are spread by corrupt hosts on the Internet. Collective intelligence on
these bad actors can be utilized to proactively pinpoint security concerns like potential phishing
attempts and infections. By closely monitoring suspicious traffic going to known command and
control servers, there’s a greater chance you’ll be able to catch a threat before it infiltrates
critical infrastructure.

Practice knowledge sharing

Knowledge sharing among your peers and educating users on common attack types, phishing
sites and malware infections can fortify your security framework to a much greater extent than
you might think. The threat landscape is constantly evolving, and collective knowledge helps in
proactively avoiding common threats.

In short, 2016, with an ever increasing number of users, data and network connections, is going
to be more challenging than ever from a cybersecurity perspective. However, with the right
security strategy and tools, you can rest easier knowing you’ve taken the proper steps toward
being better prepared to combat threats.

About the Author

Narendran Vaideeswaran, Product Marketing Manager, SolarWinds

Naren Vaideeswaran is a product marketing manager at SolarWinds for the
company’s security portfolio. A technology enthusiast, he has worked in the
IT and security industries for over a decade in both technical and marketing
roles.

45 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – March 2016 Edition
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