There are various reasons why you need three-layer protection. According to the Ponemon Institute, 77% of organizations are not prepared for cyberattacks by the means necessary.
This begs the question: Is your website vulnerable? And what are you using for three-layer protection?
Three-layer protection is a comprehensive approach to website security that shields your data and users from various threats.
There is a need to follow data protection best practices to reduce any risk in terms of phishing or cyberattacks.
Three-Layer Protection and Why it’s Important
When it comes to powerful approaches to safeguarding your business information as well as that of your customers, three-layer data protection is an important factor.
The specific methods will vary depending on the content and the type of data involved.
Some of the general principles apply:
Layer 1: Secure Your Data With Preventative Measures
- Limit access to your data to authorized individuals.
Implement strong password policies, multi-factor authentication, and privileged access control in your secure practices.
Regularly review and update user access privileges to ensure they remain appropriate.
- Classify your data based on its sensitivity and prioritize security measures accordingly.
Highly sensitive data may require stricter controls.
- Encrypt your website data at rest (stores) and in transit (transferred).
This scrambles the data, making it more readable without the decryption key.
- Create regular backups of your data in a secure location, allowing recovery in the event of accidental deletions or cyberattacks.
- Educate users about cybersecurity best practices, like phishing awareness and avoiding suspicious links or attachments.
Layer 2: Detection and Monitoring Data Security
Implement systems that monitor network activity for suspicious behavior and can block potential threats, such as intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS).
Deploy antivirus and anti-malware software on all devices that are accessing your data. Configure the software to automatically update its virus definitions and perform regular scans.
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions that provide more advanced threat detection and response capabilities. Examples of EDR are McAfee Endpoint Security, CrowdStrike Falcon, and Microsoft Defender.
Collect and analyze logs from your systems, applications, and network devices. Look for indications of suspicious activity, such as failed login attempts, unusual file access patterns, or unauthorized configuration changes.
Making use of the Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tool (such as Splunk, ELK Stack, and SolarWinds ArcSight) to aggregate and analyze logs from multiple sources.
Use vulnerability scanners to regularly identify and assess vulnerabilities in your systems and applications, prioritizing patching the most critical vulnerabilities first.
Web Security Vulnerabilities
Many vulnerabilities aren’t close to the surface, which poses threats.
1. SQL
SQL cleans all user input before feeding it to your database, preventing malicious code from sneaking in.
It employs intrusion detection systems (IDS) to monitor database activity for suspicious patterns.
Regularly patch your website and database software to close any known vulnerabilities.
2. Cross-Site Scripting (CSS)
Validate and encode all user-generated content, ensuring it doesn’t contain harmful scripts.
Utilize web application firewalls (WAFs) to filter out suspicious traffic and block CSS attempts.
Keep your website software updated and educate users about phishing dangers.
3. Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks
Use content delivery networks (CDNs) to distribute your website traffic across multiple servers, mitigating the impact of DoS attacks.
Implement intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to automatically block suspicious traffic patterns.
Regularly assess your website’s infrastructure and performance to identify and address potential weaknesses.
Layer 3: Response and Recovery Data Breach Prevention
To ensure robust cybersecurity, a multi-layered approach is vital.
This includes establishing a formal Incident Response Plan (IRP) that outlines procedures for containing, eradicating, and recovering from security incidents.
Regularly testing IRP’s effectiveness and designating a dedicated response team are very vital steps.
Implementing Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions can safeguard sensitive data by monitoring transfers and blocking suspicious activity across various channels, such as email, USB drives, and cloud storage.
A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is vital for mitigating the impact of major disruptions, whether natural disasters or cyberattacks.
Your DRP should encompass data recovery from backups, system restoration, and the swift resumption of normal operations.
Robust Incident Response Plan
An incident response plan is a set of instructions to detect, respond to, and limit the effects of an information security event.
An incident management plan or emergency management plan provides clear guidelines for responding to several potential scenarios, including data breaches, DoS or DDoS attacks, firewall breaches, malware outbreaks, insider threats, data loss, and other breaches.
The Importance of Incident Response Plan
IRP helps reduce the effects of security events, therefore limiting operational, financial, and reputational damage.
The procedures that need to be followed and implemented under an incident response plan are:
- Recognize and respond to an incident
- Assess the incident quickly and effectively
- Notifying the appropriate individuals and organizations of the incident
- Organizing a company’s response
- Escalating the company’s response efforts based on the severity of the incident
- Supporting the business recovery efforts made in the aftermath of the incident
Benefits of A Well-Crafted Incident Response Plan:
Faster Incident Response
It helps organizations follow proper protocols to contain and recover from the event.
A formal plan uses its risk assessment and response activities to spot early signs of an incident or attack.
Early Threat Mitigation
An organized incident response team with a detailed plan can mitigate the potential effects of unplanned events.
An incident response plan can help speed forensic analysis, minimize the duration of a security event, and shorten recovery time.
Disaster Recovery Plan Launch Prevention
Fast incident handling can save organizations from possibly more complex and costly business continuity (BC) and DR plans.
Better Communication for Faster Action
Incident response teams relay the information they know to emergency management teams to best resolve the incident.
Secure Your Data With Three-Layer Protection
When it comes to establishing your online presence, GuruDesk places vital importance on offering SSL certificates as well as three-layer protection.
GuruDesk maximizes security, ensuring that your website does not get hacked. It’s not just about preventing breaches but also being prepared to bounce back the moment your website receives a possible threat.
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