With the increase in frequency and complexity of cyber incidents in the region and worldwide, organizations cannot afford to be unprepared anymore. Organizations must test their defenses before a breach occurs, and be ready to respond when required. Failing to expect and respond to breaches will come at a high cost as organizations struggle to resume business.

To be prepared, organisations must know what the threats are. Knowing the enemy and assets available is key. Beside keeping abreast of the latest developments, organisations can also get intel from the Dark Web to know where their threats are.

Attackers may have infiltrated an organisation’s network and are just waiting for the right opportunity to strike. It is recommended that organisations conduct active threat hunting to intercept these attempts, and stop attacks before they happen. Active threat hunting can be done if proper monitoring systems are in place, or via searches on the Dark Web to identify any weak links or exploited areas within the organisation.

In order to ensure that threats are identified early on, organisations have to ensure that they have the right monitoring solutions in place. Anomalous behavior on the network and endpoints must be flagged at the onset to minimise the organisation’s vulnerability to attacks or fraud.

Where processes involve human contact, they will be vulnerable to fraud and misuse. Without proper monitoring in place, these business processes may be compromised.

In the modern organisations, employees commonly work on the go, or out of the office. This means that any form of cyber security implemented in the organisation must be extended beyond the perimeters of the office. Mobile devices and laptops must be secured and employees have to be made aware of the risks and response plans.

Beyond the organisations’ systems and employees, it is also vital to ensure that the third parties and vendors you work with have robust cyber security measures and policies in place. Organisations should put in place a regular and structured method to review and assess the security levels of these external parties to ensure that attackers are not able to exploit these loopholes to access the organisation’s network.

When incidents do occur, organisations must ensure that they manage the crisis properly. A detailed crisis response plan should be in place, and well-rehearsed during “peaceful times” to ensure that everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities. Mishandling of incidents can result in much higher costs and reputational damage, from which it may be challenging to recover.

With increased connectivity across devices and systems via IoT, a once isolated attack is a much more serious issue these days. Attackers may be able to find ways to enter a particular system through another “door” which may be easier to access. This is tough to monitor, and disconnecting devices and systems is not even an option as the world continues to evolve.

Employees can be an organisation’s weakest link, but also its greatest defense. A malicious staff may sell confidential information, or even allow attackers entry into the organisation’s network. An ignorant employee may even unknowingly leave an “open door” for attackers. However, an employee who is aware of the risks and educated about signs to look out for in a breach, is an organisation’s first line of defense. Ensure that employees are familiar with the risks and responses.