MAINTAINING FOCUS ON GOOD CYBER HYGIENE

A Verizon-Secret Service study* documents that as much as 97% of cyber events could have been prevented, or mitigated the damages, through the use of best practices:

1. Monitor and filter outbound network traffic
2. Ensure essential controls are met and regularly audit to in order consistent implementation
3. Change default credentials
4. Avoid shared credentials
5. Implement a firewall or access control list (ACL) on remote access/administration services
6. Utilize IP blacklisting
7. Update anti-virus and other software consistently
8. Audit user accounts
9. Restrict and monitor privileged users
10. Test applications and review codes
11. Monitor and mine event logs
12. Change the approach to event monitoring and log analysis
13. Define ‘suspicious’ and ‘anomalous’ (then look for whatever ‘it’ is)
14. Increase awareness of social engineering
15. Train employees and customers to look for signs of tampering & fraud
16. Create an incident response plan
17. Engage in mock incident testing
18. Secure business partner connections; and
19. Eliminate unnecessary data and keep tabs on what is left

If you would like explanations and examples, I can help!

* www.verizonbusiness.com/about/events/2012dbir/