As cyber threats continue to increase, it's important for businesses to understand their vulnerabilities and prepare accordingly. But where do businesses start? In this article, we'll explore five ways businesses can start to gather threat intelligence and assess their cyber risks.
Threat intelligence gathering
Understanding the current and emerging threats to the organization, industry, and technology used is key. This can be done through various sources such as the federal government through CISA. Businesses need to identify the likelihood and potential impact of specific threats to their business and plan accordingly.
Vulnerability scans and assessments
Conducting vulnerability scans and assessments will help identify vulnerabilities in the organization's systems and applications. It's important to understand the hardware and software being used and whether they can be exploited by hackers. A professional should evaluate vulnerabilities and make a business decision on how to reduce the risk attack surface.
Penetration testing
Companies can hire cybersecurity experts to conduct penetration testing as part of their cyber risk assessment. Penetration testing involves simulating a hacker and identifying vulnerabilities such as poor password hygiene, stored credentials, poor data security, or data segregation. Penetration testing can be expensive but is useful in determining the depth of security measures a business needs.
Risk modeling
Using statistical and mathematical models, businesses can assess the likelihood and potential impact of specific threats based on historical data, current trends, and other factors. However, risk modeling is expensive and difficult to achieve.
Consulting with cybersecurity experts
Cybersecurity experts such as security consultants or managed security service providers (MSSPs) can help assess the likelihood and potential impact of specific threats and vulnerabilities. This expert analysis can help businesses make informed decisions about their cybersecurity measures.
Businesses need to take proactive measures to identify and assess cyber risks. Gathering threat intelligence, vulnerability scans, penetration testing, risk modeling, and consulting with cybersecurity experts are five ways businesses can start to address cybersecurity threats. It's essential for businesses to stay informed and take action to reduce their cyber risk attack surface.
