Discovering 10 Cybersecurity Practices for Enhanced IT Infrastructure Protection

Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing concern for organizations today. With the increasing reliance on digital systems, cyber threats have become a major challenge for companies of all sizes. Cyber attacks can result in data breaches, theft of sensitive information, financial loss, and damage to a company's reputation 🤯

This article aims to delve into the main levels for approching cybersecurity and provide a comprehensive overview of the measures that organizations can take to protect their IT infrastructure 💪

What Are the 4 Levels to Approach IT Infrastructure Security 🧐

Can you imagine that a cyberattack happens once every 39 seconds? In fact, more than 2000 cyberattacks are launched daily against internet-connected, unprotected systems.

CIOs rank cybersecurity above more strategic IT investments like the cloud or AI. They use several strategies to protect their devices and systems from both physical and digital threats. Typically, there are four tiers for managing IT infrastructure security:

#1. Data 🗄

The more data you have, the harder it is to secure it across your corporate network. This means more endpoints to keep an eye on.

Enterprise endpoint cyber security tools include:

• URL filtering;
• Antivirus programs;
• Sandboxing;
• Secure email gateways (SEGs);
• Endpoint detection and response tools (EDRs).

Another effective strategy is encoding data to restrict access to only authorized individuals. Additionally, data encryption, backups, and anonymization techniques are all part of data security.

#2. Application 📲

Security at the application level involves safeguarding databases from incidents like SQL injections. This also means fortifying other programs against unauthorized access or harmful activity.

Hackers can enter your IT system through flaws in outdated software. Patching is one good method to address this problem. It guarantees your software and firmware upgrades are distributed throughout a corporate network. The strategy deals with security gaps and offers extra functionality. Patching also improves performance and fixes bugs for corporate applications.

#3. Network 🌐

A firewall is frequently the primary defense mechanism in terms of corporate network security. It creates a barrier between the secure network of your business and the suspicious ones (e.g., open Wi-Fi).

The protection of data as it enters, leaves, and moves within the network is the main goal of network security. This involves identity and authorization systems, effective firewall management, and traffic encryption. It can be on-premises or in the cloud (in this case, we deal with cloud security).

IT infrastructure security policies are crucial for network security. They define the network traffic that can access trusted network resources. You can manage it by controlling inbound and outgoing network traffic. Also, multi-factor authentication (MFA) safeguards your network. It requires two (or more) forms of verification before allowing the use of network resources.

#4. Physical 🖥

Physical security is just as important as cybersecurity. Your IT infrastructure needs to be physically protected. This includes things like fences, security cameras, backup generators, and closed doors. Failure prevention techniques are also a part of physical security. This step involves placing backup equipment in a different region of the world.

Cybersecurity doesn’t shield your digital assets against physical theft. Or even vandalism and natural catastrophes. Thus, a physical security plan should include data recovery procedures. And it’s recommended that they use offsite backups situated in several geographical regions.

Top 10 Cybersecurity Practices to Prevent Cyber Attacks 🔐 📋

Just think about it: the cost of cybercrime will hit $10.5 trillion by 2025, as per the “2022 Cybersecurity Almanac”. Adopting cybersecurity practices today will save your business from such a financial loss in the future.

Here are the top ten practices to enhance your server and infrastructure security strategy in business:

#1. Smart Cybersecurity Policy 📃

Understanding and addressing all the hazards is crucial for cyber security management. Establishing security standards should be your first step. They must be relevant to your company’s operations, your niche, and the skills of your personnel.

You should also clearly define the regulations for employee and administrative access to your systems. These include passwords, other end-user credentials, and content-filtering procedures. This will put IT infrastructure security policies in place.

Password security should be taken very seriously. Create strong passwords for every login and use two-factor authentication. Also, specify who handles what while handling cyber risks.

#2. User Access Review 👨‍💻 👩‍💻

Regularly check user permissions. Remove those that are no longer required, as well as any that are granted to users who leave the company to prevent unauthorized access. It’s best to use privileged access and access management technologies to limit the number of users who can obtain information.

Additionally, one of the greatest practices for network security is efficient password management. The rule is as follows: at least 10 characters in a password and periodical updates. You can use systems for managing passwords or include multi-factor authentication.

#3. Secure Protocols 📕

Security protocols rely on the cryptography technique. This helps them protect sensitive data, financial data, and file transmission. They provide information on the data structure and data representation, as well as how the algorithm functions.

Make sure your web assets are using secure protocols. For example, Safe Socket Layer (SSL) and Secure Shell (SSH) offer a secure path for communication even across unsecured networks.

#4. Validated Software and Hardware 💻

Choosing hardware and software, available at a price or even free, is really attractive. But making such a decision has certain unspoken dangers. You may select solutions that already have an efficient security mechanism built in. Yet this usually comes at a cost.

Besides, it’s crucial to refrain from obtaining software from unreliable sites. They could include malicious software in them. It can infiltrate your system and provide others with access to the private information of your enterprise.

#5. Robust Firewall System 🔒

A key component of any cybersecurity strategy should include firewalls. Make sure they are set up correctly because a poorly set firewall poses just as much risk as none at all.

Yet, a lot of businesses struggle with network-level firewall installation. Each employee’s gadget must have a firewall, but the overall systems should also be secured. Thus, it is strongly advised to set up hardware and packet-filtering firewalls. They add another layer of network infrastructure security.

#6. Code Aligning with Safe Development Rules 👨‍💻 🗒

A framework like DevSecOps might be helpful for protecting your technological infrastructure. It can establish a security-focused attitude within the development team. Ensure the code complies to secure development principles.

#7. Data Encryption 🔐

Whenever possible, rely on data encryption. For hackers who successfully breach the system but lack the keys, encrypted files are generally worthless.

IT firms must regularly test data categorization and use encryption where necessary. Besides, VPNs can add another degree of cybersecurity. This concerns your employees who may need to access sensitive information from faraway locations.

#8. Backup Copies 📝

Back up all your systems on a regular basis. Offsite backups are your best line of security against ransomware assaults. Back up both highly sensitive and operationally significant data. This is essential when dealing with cybercrime.

#9. Regular System Testing ✅

Conduct frequent system stress tests for the ultimate security resilience in your organization. To find vulnerabilities, conduct security scans and penetration testing.

#10. Hiring Cybersecurity Expert 👨‍💼

Even the finest practices for IT infrastructure protection might not always help. Companies still struggle to manage their time and resources to set cybersecurity in motion. Working with a cybersecurity specialist can help you avoid this hazard.

Let's Wrap Up 📍

Cybersecurity practices play a crucial role in protecting IT infrastructure from cyber attacks and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information. Implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that includes regular security audits, network security measures, employee training, and incident response plans can go a long way in reducing the risk of successful cyber attacks.

Furthermore, organizations must also stay informed about the latest security threats and update their security measures accordingly. With a proactive approach to cybersecurity, organizations can protect their IT infrastructure and minimize the potential harm caused by cyber attacks.

Also published here.