What is cyber defense?

Cyber defense definition

Why is cyber defense important?

Cybercrime is surging as the world becomes increasingly reliant on digital technologies, and the repercussions of cyberattacks can be costly. According to the FBI’s 2022 Internet Crime Report, businesses lost $2.7 billion due to compromised emails. Moreover, sensitive data like login credentials and financial information is often stored in cloud-based and on-premises servers, which can be breached with targeted cyberattacks. These cyber vulnerabilities highlight the need for a multi-pronged cybersecurity defense.

Cyber defense strategies

A well-planned cyber defense strategy can help a business avoid financial loss during a cybersecurity incident. This strategy should consider multiple factors, such as risk assessment, data management, network security, and regular monitoring. The plan should also outline how a business will protect itself from different types of cyber threats.

Proactive vs. reactive cyber defense

Proactive security focuses on preventing threats before they can materialize. This way, developers can focus on more strategic and productive work instead of constantly putting out fires.

Here’s what you can do to proactively defend your systems:

• Conduct penetration testing to uncover vulnerabilities.
• Provide security awareness training to help employees identify signs of phishing, social engineering, and other cybersecurity threats.
• Implement intrusion prevention via machine learning.

Reactive security defends systems after a breach by detecting anomalies like malware.

Layered security approach

The layered security approach, also known as “defense in depth,” uses multiple security layers to safeguard an organization’s network and resources. The key idea is that when one layer is breached, others provide protection. These are some of the layers in the defense-in-depth approach:

• Physical controls, such as limiting access to IT systems and hardware. This step can be achieved by installing security cameras and alarms, using ID card scanners, and biometric security.
• Technical controls, such as installing firewalls, intrusion detection or prevention systems, and anti-malware as well as using multi-factor authentication.
• Administrative controls, such as limiting user permissions according to job roles. These controls include training staff to keep data confidential and avoid exposing systems to unnecessary risks.

Endpoint security

Endpoint security focuses on protecting devices and digital assets with these measures:

• Adding solutions like NordVPN’s malware blocker tool.
• Implementing endpoint detection and response (EDR), which includes real-time threat monitoring and response.
• Routinely updating software.

Network security

Network security is a part of the defense-in-depth approach. It involves securing infrastructure to protect underlying networks from unauthorized access, misuse, or theft. Organizations can secure their networks in several ways:

• Limit administrative access to select users. This step reduces cyberattack touchpoints.
• Use a firewall to create a barrier between trusted and untrusted networks. Next-gen firewalls contain intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) that monitor network traffic for suspicious activity.
• Use a VPN to secure communication between devices and networks.

Application security

Mobile and web applications are available over various networks connected to the cloud. This makes them vulnerable to security breaches. Application security can uncover these vulnerabilities.

Application security involves authenticating and authorizing users, encrypting sensitive data, logging security breaches, and regularly testing for security gaps.

Cyber defense tools and technologies

Cybersecurity tools are the ultimate line of defense. They offer protection against cyber threats and identify vulnerabilities in your systems.

Encryption technologies

Encryption tools make data unreadable when at rest and undetectable when in transit. They scramble data into an unidentifiable code that can only be unlocked with a unique digital key. RSA and AES are the two most commonly used encryption algorithms.

Firewalls

Firewalls can be placed in a company’s intranet (internal network) to prevent unauthorized users from accessing data. They monitor incoming and outgoing traffic, deciding whether to block access based on predefined rules.

VPNs

A VPN lets you make an encrypted connection to the internet. Say you want to transfer sensitive data online. A VPN will prevent unauthorized people from eavesdropping on the traffic.

Antivirus and anti-malware software

Antivirus and anti-malware solutions help protect your systems against malicious software and provide internet security. They regularly search, detect, and remove threats before they can harm your systems.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning

AI-powered systems can analyze large volumes of data and detect patterns indicative of cyber threats. Moreover, machine learning solutions provide robust cyber threat intelligence features, sending real-time alerts for potential attacks.

Building a cyber defense team

Effective cyber defense is a team effort. Add these roles to your organization to build a comprehensive cyber defense strategy.

• Chief information security officer (CISO): Responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining security processes.
• Security analysts: They ensure that your organization and employees adhere to security policies.
• Incident responders: Responsible for quickly managing and mitigating security risks after an attack. They help minimize damage and ensure your business doesn’t suffer.
• Threat hunters: Threat hunters proactively identify potential security risks and threats before they cause significant damage.

Cyber defense best practices

Given the evolving nature of cyberattacks, it’s important to follow some best practices for maintaining security and preventing the chances of an attack.

• Regular software and system updates: Outdated hardware and software systems may not support the latest security patches, increasing their vulnerability to advanced attack tactics.
• Employee training and awareness programs: Ensure employees receive effective training to identify phishing and malware attacks.
• Implementing strong password policies: Encourage everyone to create strong passwords that use random words and terms while avoiding common concepts like birthdays and maiden names.
• Data backup and recovery planning: Minimize the risk of data loss by regularly backing up important data to secure on-premises or cloud-based storage.
• Network segmentation: Divide the network into small and isolated segments or subnetworks. This step will prevent lateral movement (moving from one network segment to another) and improve access control while following the least privilege and compliance requirements.

The future of cyber defense

Cyber threats are constantly evolving. Luckily, the tools to fight these attacks are evolving, too. So while attacks like ransomware and phishing will continue, you can choose from more options than ever to take charge of your cyber defense.