Cybersecurity experts stress ongoing vigilance beyond October

As the world observes Cybersecurity Awareness Month, industry experts take this opportunity to underline the vital importance of cybersecurity, stressing that its significance extends well beyond a single awareness campaign. Leaders from Integrity360 and ISMS.online have shared insights on how organisations can bolster their cybersecurity efforts to face evolving threats and compliance demands head-on.

Luke Dash, Chief Executive Officer of ISMS.online, highlights that while Cybersecurity Awareness Month is pivotal in raising awareness, the path to ample cybersecurity is a continuous journey demanding constant vigilance and effort. Dash points out the relentless challenge cybersecurity professionals face as they strive to protect businesses from ever-growing threats while juggling numerous compliance demands and regulatory deadlines. He emphasises, "The growing complexity of cybersecurity demands can take a serious toll on professionals, often leading to stress, burnout, and increased staff turnover."

Dash advocates for businesses to "view this month not just as a time to promote cybersecurity awareness, but as an opportunity to consider how they can support their teams in handling these challenges long-term." He suggests organisations streamline compliance activities through the integration of frameworks and the automation of laborious processes like monitoring and reporting. He underscores the importance of businesses investing in ongoing education and cutting-edge technologies to keep their cybersecurity teams abreast of industry developments and standards.

Integral to this support is the need to foster a workplace culture that values the mental well-being of these professionals. Dash adds, "Providing sufficient resources, establishing realistic expectations, and fostering open communication about workloads can go a long way in preventing burnout."

Richard Ford, Chief Technology Officer of Integrity360, stresses businesses need to move beyond basic security measures. With cyber threats growing increasingly sophisticated, he asserts that reliance solely on traditional techniques like strong passwords and periodic software updates can leave critical gaps in an organisation's security posture. "While these fundamentals are critical, they are no longer sufficient on their own. Businesses must go beyond the basics to ensure robust protection," Ford explains.

Ford advises businesses to implement continuous monitoring systems coupled with swift response and recovery mechanisms to manage cyber risks effectively. He asserts, "To truly stay ahead of cyber risks, organisations need continuous monitoring, resilience, and rapid response and recovery capabilities." A fundamental understanding of essential systems, data, and networks, coupled with identifying crucial assets vulnerable to cyber threats, is crucial. The strategy, he suggests, should involve consideration of both the financial ramifications and potential reputational damage from security breaches.

He emphasises the creation of incident response plans that precisely outline detection, control, and remediation procedures. Developing such plans will prepare employees to respond efficiently to threats. Utilising threat hunting and detection mechanisms, enhanced by security tools such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems or Managed Detection and Response (MDR) systems, can vastly improve an organisation's ability to detect and respond to cyber threats.

Ford also suggests outsourcing to a managed incident response service provider as a viable option. This move could give businesses immediate access to expertise, emergency support during cyberattacks, and proactive advice on building an internal incident response framework.

Ford proposes additional measures to strengthen cybersecurity efforts, including adopting prioritised insights and fostering collaboration between security and IT teams. Businesses can significantly improve their overall security posture by integrating Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) and refining incident response strategies.

These expert insights encourage businesses to advance beyond standard security protocols and embrace a more comprehensive, continuous approach. This strategic shift can position them more robustly against the sophisticated threats they face today and in the future.