Cyber security covers the protection of computers, smartphones and other devices; networks; and the cloud from cyber attacks. The goal is to keep hackers and other bad actors from accessing sensitive data or disrupting business operations. There are a lot of tools and techniques that cybersecurity professionals use to achieve this goal, but the most effective approach is to make sure all elements of protection are continuously updated.

That means assessing risk to determine how well current measures are protecting the organization and what further steps should be taken. Performing an assessment involves identifying all assets, analyzing all potential threats and vulnerabilities and addressing any known gaps in the organization’s defenses. It also requires evaluating whether existing practices are adequate and considering any additional steps that may be necessary to address evolving attack methods, such as distributed denial-of-service attacks, malware attacks, ransomware, man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks and credential-based attacks.

Having the right tools, processes and personnel to protect the organization is important, but it’s equally crucial that CIOs and CISOs have a framework for dealing with attempts at and successful cyberattacks. One widely respected framework is the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) cybersecurity framework, which lays out a process for defining attacks, securing systems, detecting them and responding to them.

Even with the best technology in place, a business can still face cyberattacks. Human error is a common issue that can lead to breaches. Educating employees about the importance of following cybersecurity protocol and conducting regular training to ensure that people are aware of how to avoid mistakes can make a significant difference in an organization’s security posture. MDR