Choosing the right tools for cybersecurity will have a significant impact on your organisation’s ability to respond to risks.
Cybersecurity tools are designed to protect organisations from cybercrime and/or malicious attacks. Tools for cybersecurity can either be proactive or reactive. In layman’s terms, this means that they can either help your organisation reduce cyber risk or, on the other hand, help you deal with risk better once it presents itself as a vulnerability. Organisations today will have a mix of both proactive and reactive cybersecurity tools in order to create a holistic cybersecurity posture.
Benefits of cybersecurity tools
Cybersecurity tools are deployed to meet several objectives. Using tools for cybersecurity, your organisation can:
- Analyse infrastructure data and IT configurations to detect anomalies
- Automate cybersecurity workflows
- Understand vulnerabilities from the malicious actor’s point of view
- Utilise security information already generated
- Build more web-based services and secure applications
- Monitor user activities and network operations in real time for a quick response
- Meet compliance mandates and regulatory requirements
Tools for cybersecurity must-have features
Choosing the right tools for cybersecurity will have a significant impact on your organisation’s ability to respond to risks. The EY Global Information Security Survey 2021 states that 36% of CISOs agree that it is only a matter of time before they face an attack which could have been prevented through proactive measures. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top five must-have features of cybersecurity tools:
1. Scalable
Cybersecurity tools must be scalable in terms of volume and diversity of the environment. They should protect devices and endpoints spread across a wide perimeter. They should also support on-premise systems and multiple cloud environments and be flexible to cater for your organisation as it grows.
2. Easy integration
Tools for cybersecurity rarely operate alone. They should integrate with upstream and downstream systems to allow a holistic cybersecurity workflow without fragmentation.
3. Purpose-built
The cybersecurity tools you choose for your organisation must be tailored to your network or system. Some businesses might be looking to integrate malware protection, while others might be looking for an integrated identity-based security system or both. The cybersecurity tools used must be bespoke to address different scenarios effectively.
4. Well-supported
Support is an essential parameter within any enterprise technology solution and is even more important for cybersecurity tools as they are forever evolving. Open-source tools for cybersecurity are generally supported through a peer community, but large-scale commercial products should also ideally include premium support options.
5. Widely compatible
The tools for cybersecurity you select must be compatible with your current and future technological investments. They must also be able to run on-premise or on the cloud and be compatible with different operating systems, device variants, and cloud vendors.
Top cybersecurity tools and techniques
Your network faces threats from a multitude of sources and should be prepared to identify, respond to, and defend against a full range of attacks. Your network security strategy needs to address the various methods malicious actors might employ to gain access to your network or system. With that in mind, here are the top types of cybersecurity tools and techniques you should consider:
Access control
Access control allows you to increase your network security by limiting user access and resources to only the parts of the network that are necessary.
Anti-malware software
Anti-malware software can identify dangerous programs and prevent them from spreading. Antivirus and anti-malware software may also be able to help resolve malware infections, minimising the overall damage to the network.
Anomaly detection
Anomaly detection engines (ADE) analyse your network so that when breaches occur, you’ll be alerted to them immediately and can respond quickly.
Application security
Application security establishes security parameters for applications relevant to your network security.
Data loss prevention (DLP)
DLP policies and technologies help protect staff from misusing or compromising sensitive data.
Email security
Email security identifies dangerous emails and can also be used to prevent the sharing of vital data or block attacks.
Endpoint security
Endpoint security adds a layer of defence between business networks and remote devices.
Firewalls
Firewalls manage network traffic, blocking access to non-authorised traffic.
Intrusion prevention systems
Intrusion prevention systems constantly scan and analyse network traffic so that different types of attacks can be responded to quickly.
Network segmentation
Network segmentation will grant the right access to the right traffic.
Security information and event management (SIEM)
SIEM tools give responders the data they need to act quickly.
Virtual private network (VPN)
VPN security tools provide an encrypted connection and are used to authenticate communication between secure networks and an endpoint device.
Web security
Web security is a term used to describe the network security measures businesses take to ensure safe web use when connected to an internal network.
Wireless security
Wireless security measures are necessary to ensure that malicious actors can’t gain access from the outside.
RiskXchange’s integrated risk management platform
RiskXchange’s integrated risk management platform involves the end-to-end process of not just accessing and gathering data but evaluating it and ensuring that the information you gather through this process informs your strategy, communication, reports, monitoring, and responses.
An integrated risk management platform requires a change in organisational culture to ensure that security is considered by every team member and process that leads to the final product or service. This means your organisation must facilitate more dynamic training programmes and keep teams up to date on the many advances in the cybersecurity landscape. This is necessary to maintain your risk management platform.
Not only does an integrated risk management platform ensure security across your business processes, but it also yields valuable information and various cybersecurity tools, from security ratings of your third-parties, to security assessments. This information will keep your stakeholders informed when making key decisions that affect the security of your organisation. The integration of risk management through a digital platform supports more powerful organisational security while distributing the responsibility of upholding it across your organisation.
Today, not a single company function is secure until every other piece of the puzzle is stable and protected as well. Given the current business landscape, greater integration across your risk management process is the only effective approach a contemporary business can take to bolster its security posture.
Get in touch with RiskXchange to find out more about the right cybersecurity tools for your organisation.