When you think about what cybersecurity actually looks like, most people imagine that it’s about keeping unwanted hackers out of their systems and networks – maybe having digital safeguards posted at entry points.
But it’s so much more. It’s also about the billions of IT assets around the world, which are constantly being changed, upgraded, added and connected. Take a moment and think about the multitude of phones, tablets and computers connected to a network at any given time, as well as the lightbulbs, building and environment management sensors, car components, Wi-Fi routers, medical devices, and more. And that doesn’t even include the additional things (like game consoles, TVs and appliances) that are connected to a shared home network being used for remote work.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) estimates 5.2 billion mobile users, 21 billion devices connected with 1.3 million logins per minute.
In recent posts, we’ve talked about how to build a strong secure foundation. While IT asset management isn’t all that flashy, it’s an ongoing consideration that must be on the radar. That is especially true for organizations that have a high level of “bring your own device” (BYOD) and other assets connecting to their networks via the internet.
You Can Bet Your Assets Security is Important
Your cybersecurity solution needs to account for the new world of connected Things – IT assets. So how do you know what needs to be protected from ransomware cyberattacks? Or is your strategy to just wait until it happens to find that one compromised asset?
So what should CISOs and CIOs be focused on?
- MFA Everywhere: Keep tight controls around managing access to IT assets. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is crucial.
- Protect the Endpoint: Managing the threats, vulnerability, configuration and patching management for your IT assets is a big effort. Can you identify and know what steps to take if an IT asset is infected with malware? Can it impact other IT assets? What happens if it connects to the Internet?
- Backup, Backup and then Backup Again: Bad things happen. Sometimes hardware fails, sometimes an innocent human error causes failure, and sometimes bad actors wreak havoc. Whatever the case, when it happens are you able to recovery your information? Create muscle memory around your process and test your backups often.
- Address the Human Element: Communicate with employees with a regular cadence. Ensure they understand their security responsibility – from the IT assets they use to the security awareness training they need to take. For IT employees, keep them engaged with career path development and ongoing training and certifications.
Moving forward, the landscape will continue evolving and expanding. As your cybersecurity posture improves and matures, so will your ability to weather the storms of day-to-day business and malicious cyber-attacks. Building muscle memory around IT asset management is key to helping your organization and your teams be equipped when issues arise.
We can’t emphasize enough the importance of a strong cybersecurity foundation, especially when it comes to asset management. Start with the core components to ensure the trust and confirm paradigm, MFA and security posture. We can help you get started, or help you accelerate your cybersecurity journey. Contact us today.
Author:
Erich Escobar 2021
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