Uncovering Your Business’s Hidden Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

By now, most organizations have a pretty good understanding of the importance of cybersecurity. Each coming year  introduces a completely new list of threats to look out for and updated strategies on how to avoid them, it is constantly evolving.

But while most are focused on larger, more noticeable threats and taking action to protect themselves, they may often forget to look at what’s right below the surface of their business. Sometimes, the largest threats businesses really face are the smaller cracks in their security that can quickly spread if they’re not  addressed.

Understanding the Human Element in Cybersecurity

We all know that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This statement couldn’t be truer when planning your cybersecurity initiatives. It doesn’t matter how much you invest in new technologies and strict security protocols, if certain fundamental components are left unchecked, all your investments can become obsolete.

One of these core security components in your business isn’t a piece of software or hardware – it’s your employees. Whether they know it or not, they’re your critical first line in defense against cybersecurity threats.

Combating Insider Threats

When hearing the term “cyberattack,” most businesses immediately think of the dangers just outside their business. However, they don’t always consider the dangers that could be inside their digital or physical security perimeters.

While every business should trust their teams, there’s always the possibility that current or past employees may have malicious motives. They could leverage the trust the business has given them, along with their administrative access, to copy and sell sensitive business information or try to damage critical networks or systems.

Now, while this is a relatively rare situation, the larger your business is, the more exposed you are to these risks. To help manage those risks effectively, it’s critical that you have various protocols in place to give yourself better visibility and control of your individual user access. 

Ensure that all employees, regardless of their position, only ever have the amount of access needed to do their jobs effectively and continuously monitor network activity to look for signs of strange usage behaviors or potential malicious intent. 

Reducing Human Error

Even though the employees who are actively trying to cause harm to the business are exceedingly rare, this doesn’t mean they still can’t introduce new threats to the organization unconsciously. Most cyberattacks happen due to simple errors in security configurations, poor password practices, and a lack of awareness.

Investing in regular cybersecurity training is a critical element for helping all employees to recognize the potential security implications of their actions or inaction. Creating format training programs for teams gives your business the opportunity to establish clear guidelines that they can follow to better protect themselves and the organization.

While security protocols are important, your training sessions can also cover other important areas like the ethical use of AI tools and the responsible handling of personal data inside and outside of business networks.

Addressing Shadow IT

A common hidden danger that many businesses expose themselves to as they scale is shadow IT. This is essentially when employees start installing or subscribing to unsanctioned third-party tools or services and using them in the course of business without approval.

The Security Challenges of Unsanctioned Software

Although not all tools or services are inherently harmful, when your business lacks visibility on what employees are using every day or connecting to your networks, there is a range of risks that come with this. These risks include:

• Outdated Software – It’s important to always make sure the software your business uses is regularly updated to ensure not only performance but also security. Shadow IT relies strictly on users to maintain this best practice, which, unfortunately, is much harder to enforce.
  
• Less Access Control – When users install their own software – typically on a personal device attached to company networks – business administrators don’t have direct access control. Because of this, it can be harder to control and monitor user activity.
  
• Inconsistent Levels of Security – Although many third-party solutions have their own security protocols in place, very few maintain the same standards. When used to access company data, software that lacks certain security protocols could actually breach certain data security and compliance regulations that the business is liable for meeting.

Security Risks Within Your Partnership Network

Chances are, your business relies on a network of partnerships to help keep your operations running. While this is common practice for most organizations, it’s important to keep in mind the potential risks of expanding your business connections.

The more partnerships you create over time, the more you grow your digital attack surface. As your company data moves between multiple entities, it carries with it the same level of vulnerability and potential for exposure. Even if you’re relying on your partners to maintain adequate security to protect your digital assets, in the event of a breach, your business will still share ownership over any compliance breaches that come from it.

Because of this shared responsibility, it’s critical that you properly vet your third-party vendors to ensure they’re maintaining strict security standards that not only protect their best interests, but also yours and your customers’.

Before signing any new contracts, take the time to assess all of the layers of protection your potential partners maintain. This might include using data encryption technologies, segmenting their cloud networks, and hiring penetration testing services to validate security effectiveness.

By thoroughly evaluating and monitoring your vendor’s security standards, you can make more informed decisions about where and how to expand your outside partnership network. 

Look Below the Surface When Strengthening Your Business Security

There is no shortage of cyber threats that businesses should continuously be aware of as they scale their operations. However, before focusing your attention outside your business, it’s important to look below the surface for potential security cracks that need to be mitigated. By following the guidelines discussed, you can make small, but essential steps to help strengthen your business security.

Article written for SystemTek by Nazy Fouladirad who is the President and COO of Tevora, a global leading cybersecurity consultancy. She has dedicated her career to creating a more secure business and online environment for organizations across the country and world. She is passionate about serving her community and acts as a board member for a local nonprofit organization.