5 core problems of an unhealthy cybersecurity strategy
Even the best cybersecurity tech, resources, and hardware can be undone when overlooking critical flaws. Human error is a longstanding variable in the tech industry, a small mistake causing unfortunate consequences. Sometimes it’s oversight, sometimes it’s not following specific policies. It isn’t to imply malice on behalf of the staff, cybersecurity, after all, is a complex field. Furthermore, some errors go beyond human compliance. Some weaknesses are baked into IT posture, creating a frail architecture with hazardous consequences.
Bug fixes, tracking, systemic tests, and other low-resilience issues plague organizations both large and small. Sadly, these hiccups overturn even the best and well-meaning cybersecurity operations. We’ll dive into five critical weaknesses doing serious damage to your cybersecurity posture and strategy.
Small things matter
Some of the biggest cyberattacks over the past several years have occurred due to oversight. Or, simple hack attempts by threat actors. The Colonial Pipeline attack, an infamous breach of critical infrastructure, started with a compromised password. Phishing remains a widely popular and still-valuable technique to bypass or steal credentials. There’s never a perfect cybersecurity and IT plan, but the small things hurt the most.
Oversight is an unfortunate problem, but the good news is these dangerous pitfalls can be addressed.
Compliance = Total Security
There’s an expansive list of data and compliance requirements for the modern enterprise, from HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), the European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), and even state-level regulatory standards. Any modern cybersecurity officer and CEO must comply with these standards to safeguard client data and avoid legislative snares. The penalty for compliance negligence can rack up in fees, something any organization wants to avoid.
That said, a misconception swiftly follows in that “compliance means security.” In other words, your enterprise may follow lock-step with every data management policy and responsibility, but that does not mean the organization is safe from breaches. It can create a false sense of security. Compliance is important, but it does guard against all forms of cyber-attacks.
Reactionary, not proactive
An IT team focuses on rushing to fix and amend flagged issues, ranging from minor troubleshooting issues to immediate cybersecurity concerns. There’s no space for long-term planning, ensnaring said teams in a constant reactionary state.
It’s critical to manage IT and cybersecurity policy on a proactive level, although this is easier said than done. SMBs struggle especially, as they have fewer resources at their disposal to manage long-term policy decisions.
Investing in agile resources that are also resilient – like cloud virtualization – can create a proactive work environment. IT teams should revitalize their strategy and think about preventing problems versus adopting a reactionary philosophy to troubleshooting.
Minor problems also cause issues with reduced productivity, stress, and burnout. Given the limited availability of IT and cybersecurity specialists, dealing with every issue adds to a seemingly insurmountable workload. That creates a lag in performance, cascading into potentially worse future issues.
Tools and technology for the sake of it
It’s alluring to adopt every new software suite or security solution, especially when the tech industry promises total protection and agile solutions. And while agile suites are good, integration into current infrastructure is another thing entirely. New apps and software require training time. Furthermore, CISO and cybersecurity leads have to assess the friction of new tools. Does it grate against current services? Is its complexity worth it?
As the saying goes, less is more. Simplicity goes a long way. And remember, simple human error can undo the priciest cybersecurity infrastructure. Therefore, throwing money and acquiring security tools for the sake of it isn’t a wise long-term strategy. Think of it this way: if you build a foundation on sand, the building will eventually fall.
No establishment of security culture
Cybersecurity and IT resilience are not something that should be the sole responsibility of a single department. Good defense is a fostered culture of cybersecurity, from common sense, zero-trust policies, agile reporting systems, and a cohesive workforce. For example, if a worker – remote or otherwise – is targeted by a phishing scam, what is their initial reaction? Can they recognize social engineering techniques, or fall victim to it?
Awareness is, therefore, a key component of strong cybersecurity resilience. Educating the workforce is important. The good news is, staff do not need complex knowledge of cybersecurity and IT architecture to protect themselves against it. Simple policies like multifactor authentication, zero-trust, and responsive reporting systems prove invaluable. Attacks succeed due to compromised credentials or information, but reinforcing security culture mitigates these risks.
Toxic departments and ineffective team communication
An IT team is only functional when it works together. Aside from support and resources, cybersecurity and IT departments should have a healthy, functional cadence. Communication and positivity are important.
Teams that struggle to work with each other won’t be focused on long-term security objectives. Instead, it’s HR complaints and toxic work culture building up into an untenable system. It burns out staff faster and guarantees you’ll observe high turnover rates.
If your team can’t speak to each other on a casual basis, how will they inform you about cybersecurity decisions, alerts, and infrastructure? Therefore, it’s crucial to support these departments and foster a culture of team building and communication. Otherwise, the entire security posture will decay over time.
Overview
A weak foundation topples the biggest house, and cybersecurity architecture is no different. We’ve gone over the biggest pitfalls that can undermine your security strategy, including:
- Investment in excessive software, tech, and needless resources
- Not fostering a healthy security-minded workforce
- Ignoring the importance of team communication with IT departments
- Erroneous assumptions about total security after complete compliance
- Reactionary instead of proactive cybersecurity posture
In essence, though cybersecurity seems like a complex venture, even an enterprise minding smaller budgets can achieve a strong security posture with good fundamentals. Avoiding the critical weak areas we’ve discussed assures a healthy, resilient climate.
