Cybersecurity professionals are constantly facing a challenge as bad actors have the upper hand in determining when and how to strike an enterprise. The increasing use of cloud computing, remote employees, and Software-as-a-Service applications only expands the attack surface for hackers. To combat this, security teams are shifting their approach from a threat-based to a risk-based mindset. This approach prioritizes reducing overall risk, rather than focusing on compliance and regulations.
To implement a risk-based approach, technology leaders must first define and prioritize all assets critical to the business, implement robust policies for user access, enforce zero-exception access controls, log all unauthorized access attempts, and conduct regular attack and user error simulations. This holistic approach allows for a clearer understanding of where and how likely a breach may occur and how to effectively mitigate high-risk areas. Additionally, technology and business leaders must work together to align security with necessary business goals.
The ever-evolving threat landscape requires security teams to adapt and shift their approach from solely relying on compliance and regulations to a risk-based mindset. This approach focuses on identifying and mitigating potential risks to the organization, rather than just addressing active threats. By taking a proactive approach and assessing the overall risk to the organization, security teams can better protect against potential breaches and attacks.
A risk-based approach to security requires technology leaders to consider the worst-case scenario and its potential impact on the organization. By asking "what's the worst thing that could happen," technology leaders can gain a better understanding of the potential risks facing the organization and take steps to mitigate them. This proactive approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of an organization's vulnerabilities and the necessary steps to recover from a potential worst-case scenario.
Making the change
Many large organizations are now shifting towards a risk-based approach to security, recognizing that traditional threat-based methods often fall short. The latter tend to focus on meeting compliance requirements and completing checklists, rather than the key aspect of security, which is to reduce risk. This shift towards a risk-based methodology, takes a more comprehensive view of an organization and prioritizes the potential risks and vulnerabilities, rather than just addressing the active threats. This proactive approach allows organizations to better protect themselves against potential breaches and attacks.
Many security experts argue that compliance does not equal security. Compliance sets standards and goals for an organization but it does not necessarily guarantee the safety and security of the organization's assets. Compliance can be viewed as a necessary step, but it should not be the only focus of an organization's security efforts. Compliance can reduce an organization's liability in the event of a breach, but it does not necessarily prevent breaches from occurring in the first place. Therefore, it is important for organizations to take a holistic approach to security, by going beyond compliance and addressing the overall risks to the organization.
A risk-based approach to security involves evaluating the entire organization and its critical assets, to identify and prioritize potential threats. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of an organization's vulnerabilities and the likelihood of a breach. By taking a holistic view and not considering individual security controls in isolation, a risk-based approach gives a clearer picture of where an organization is most at risk and how to effectively mitigate those risks.
A threat-based approach focuses on identifying and mitigating active and prospective threats, such as hackers or malware, once they have entered the system. The main objective is to quickly identify the bad actors and take action to prevent further damage. However, in a siloed environment, where business processes and security needs are not fully integrated, it can be difficult to effectively mitigate high-risk areas.
To effectively implement a risk-based approach to security, technology leaders should consider the following best practices:
- Define and prioritize all assets critical to the business. This includes taking stock of all technology assets, including those on the internet and creating a list of assets, determining their value and associated risks.
- Implement robust policies for defining user and system access to critical assets. Organizations should focus on user identity and access with a risk-based approach and leverage technologies and tools that create strong authentication profiles to limit user movement.
- Implement a zero-exception enforcement policy. This means instituting access controls and sticking to them even if it proves difficult. This is a critical step that aligns with popular security methods like Zero Trust.
- Ensure that unauthorized access attempts are logged and analyzed. This information can help understand the origin of attack attempts and potentially strengthen security protocols around popular targets.
- Conduct regular attack and user error simulations. An emergency is not the best time to learn, so conducting simulations provides invaluable experience for team members and prepares them for how to act quickly in case of an emergency.
The shift towards a risk-based approach to security is becoming increasingly necessary in today's rapidly changing technology landscape. With the growth of cloud computing and remote work, networks are being stretched in new ways, making it essential to take a longer-term view of the threat landscape and adjust our approach accordingly.
As security leaders, it is crucial to stay vigilant and adaptable to the ever-changing nature of bad actors. Technology leaders must be willing to move away from traditional ideas and embrace new methodologies and ways of thinking.
In today's technology-driven world, organizations have a growing number of technology assets that need protection. Adopting a risk-based approach and utilizing tools that provide visibility, automation, and true insight into enterprise operations can greatly enhance security. Additionally, implementing strong authentication tools and providing regular training and simulations for the team can improve identity management and overall security.
It is important to remember that the technology world is constantly evolving and in order to stay secure, we must adapt and change with it.