Here are some tips on how to establish a strong foundation for cybersecurity:
Learn from the failures of real businesses.
In an era of digital transformation, cybersecurity has emerged as a cornerstone of sustainable business operations. With technological advancements, the implications of AI use and processes, and the ever-evolving realm of connectivity, there are so many more aspects we need to protect within organisations as a whole.
Technology advancements come with their issues and positives, and one of those is weaknesses that can be exploited by opportunists looking for a back door into your business. With cyber threats evolving rapidly, the importance of establishing robust cybersecurity foundations cannot be overstated. There is now more than ever a need for sound cybersecurity practices, and the real-world case studies we delve into below show where inadequate security measures led to significant setbacks.
The Essence of Cybersecurity Foundations
Cybersecurity is no longer a luxury but a necessity. It is no longer a nice to have but a necessity… you get the picture. The foundational elements of cybersecurity include network security, data encryption, access control, and regular security audits. These components work in unison to create a resilient defence against cyber threats. Neglecting these fundamentals can lead to vulnerabilities, making organisations susceptible to attacks like data breaches, ransomware, and phishing scams.
Example 1: Equifax Data Breach
One of the most notable examples is the 2017 Equifax data breach. Due to outdated security systems and unpatched vulnerabilities, hackers accessed the sensitive information of approximately 147 million consumers. This breach led to a loss of trust and resulted in a settlement of up to $700 million. Equifax’s commitment to maintaining basic cybersecurity hygiene demonstrates the high costs of neglecting foundational security measures.
This has had a large economic impact that could have been avoided if their cybersecurity foundations (the bread and butter of cyber security) had been implemented and updated.
Example 2: WannaCry Ransomware Attack
The WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017 exploited vulnerabilities in outdated Windows systems, impacting over 200,000 computers across 150 countries. Critical systems, including those in healthcare and transportation, were crippled. This global attack highlighted the catastrophic consequences of not regularly updating and patching security systems.
Again, this could have been avoided had those outdated Windows systems been flagged and updated as part of cybersecurity foundation processes…
A More Recent Cyber Security Attack…
The Okta Breach of October 2023. Okta, a prominent identity management service provider, experienced a significant security breach when attackers compromised its customer support system and accessed sensitive HTTP Archive (HAR) files. These files contained crucial session tokens and cookies, posing a substantial threat to Okta's customer base and its identity management systems.
The breach was first detected by BeyondTrust in early October, but confirmation from Okta came only after two weeks. This incident highlights the challenges of timely detection and response to cyber threats. The attackers utilised the stolen information to compromise Okta customer accounts by activating inactive user accounts, tampering with multi-factor authentication settings, and attempting to disable MFA on other critical accounts.
Traffic from these activities frequently originated from Browsec VPN egress points, indicating the attackers' use of anonymising tools. This breach also impacted Cloudflare, another major player in the digital space, demonstrating the domino effect such incidents can have across interconnected digital services.
This case exemplifies cyber threats' evolving and persistent nature, underscoring the importance of robust and continuous cybersecurity monitoring and solid foundations for any cybersecurity strategy.
Lessons Learned and Best Practices in Cybersecurity
These incidents teach valuable lessons and paint a very sombre picture of how missing parts of your cybersecurity strategy can leave weaknesses that can be exploited. Regular updates and patching are crucial. Organisations must also conduct regular security audits to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
At Core to Cloud, we often discuss cybersecurity as everyone's responsibility. Regular employee training on cybersecurity awareness is essential, as human error often leads to security breaches. A robust incident response plan is also necessary to manage potential breaches effectively.
These examples underscore the dire consequences of inadequate cybersecurity foundations. In today's digital age, neglecting cybersecurity can lead to irreparable damage to an organisation's reputation, finances, and operations.
But sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees, can you? And you need to get an extra set of eyes and another level of expertise to check what is already in place and what your cybersecurity strategy is missing. At Core to Cloud we can audit and observe your processes and give you options to fortify and enhance your overall organisation’s security, let us know if you want to book in that process here.
