Ways to Protect Against Attack Vectors

An attack vector is a method or pathway used by threat actors to gain access to or breach a target network, system, application, or device. The threat surface of an organisation represents all vulnerable systems that can be targeted by threat vectors.

Attackers use a variety of tactics to gain access to corporate networks and compromise IT assets. Because specific strategies emerge on a continuous basis, IT teams must update the tools, practises, and rules they use to protect against cyberattacks on a frequent basis.

Some techniques to protect against vector attacks include:

1. Implementing strong authentication—organizations should have password policies in place to ensure that all usernames and passwords are secure and securely kept. To provide an additional layer of security, multi-factor authentication (MFA) should be made mandatory, at least for important systems and administrative accounts.
2. Performing penetration tests—penetration testing allows organizations to identify, prioritize, and test security vulnerabilities. Penetration testing are typically performed by an ethical hacker, either as an in-house employee or as an external service provider. Penetration testers use procedures similar to those used by attackers to assess the hackability of a network, application, or computer system.
3. Regular auditing and vulnerability testing—organizations should perform IT vulnerability tests at least once a quarter, with external auditors conducting tests annually. Audits and tests are critical for detecting IT resource vulnerabilities and allowing firms to update their security controls and policies.
4. Employee training—Every new employee must go through extensive IT security training. All staff should be trained on security rules and best practises on a regular (at least annual) basis.
5. Installing updates immediately—As soon as software, hardware, and firmware updates become available, the IT staff must deploy them. Field devices should automatically acquire security updates via a “push” mechanism.
6. Implementing a closed network—there are several methods to restrict access to sensitive company systems and data. Cloud-based technologies can be used to provide remote access. Organizations with BYOD policies must implement safeguards to protect their systems while enabling users to use their devices to connect to the network. One approach is to utilise virtual private networks (VPNs) to limit access to a certain group of users while not exposing data to the public Internet.
7. Encrypting data on portable devices—strong data encryption is important for securing data on edge devices like laptops and smartphones. To reduce the danger of data compromise, organisations can use a strong encryption technique such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).
8. Applying physical access controls—while most hacks and data breaches involve IT infrastructure, physical infrastructure can also serve as an attack vector. Attackers can get physical access to sensitive servers, data centres, and storage facilities. Access to physical assets, such as branch offices, field sensors, and file cabinets, must be secured and monitored by organisations.

Visibility alone is not enough to minimize risk and resist attacks. Organizations need to know their attack surface. They need to risk rank their assets based on how a bad actor would prioritize and execute their attacks.