Imagine having a fortress. Not just any fortress, but a modern, high-tech, digital one. Your walls are firewalls, your moat is a strong encryption system, and your guards are multi-factor authentication protocols. 

But a fortress is only as good as its weakest point. That’s why secure systems are getting more and more advanced every year. Did you know that this year security market revenue will reach nearly 24 million US dollars? And that there will be an annual growth rate of 11% till 2028? And the number of households secured will only grow (630 million users estimated by 2028). That’s great, isn’t it?

So, let’s start on the few principles and move on to essential components and practices.

The foundation

There are some core security principles. These are like the laws of nature for cybersecurity–immutable and non-negotiable. You can also think about them as three holy laws of security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Confidentiality is all about keeping your data secret and only accessible to those who have permission. It’s like having a VIP list for your data. If someone’s not on the list, they’re not getting in.

Integrity makes sure that the data remains accurate and untampered with. Just imagine if someone swapped the treasure in your fortress with fool’s gold. Integrity checks make sure that what you put in is what you get out.

As for availability, your system needs to be up and running whenever it’s needed. A fortress that’s always locked is useless. Also, if your system is down, it’s not serving its purpose. 

Many companies nowadays operate based on these three principles. For example, the PCB assembly factory treats the data with confidentiality, whether you’re just browsing on their website or ordering PCBs. Security isn’t just a fashion trend, it’s a positive must in a world where you can trust someone only after you check them up. 

Building the walls

Have you seen the movie where the warlord claims to have the strongest gate in all the nine realms? And one warrior comes along and crushes the walls around the gate? Don’t be like that warlord. Build strong walls. 

A firewall is like the sturdy outer wall of your fortress. It filters incoming and outgoing traffic, letting only the legitimate ones pass through. Firewalls can be:

• Hardware-based
• Software-based
• Combination of both 

Packet-filtering firewalls are the basic types that inspect packets (small chunks of data) and either allow them or block them based on predefined rules. 

Stateful inspection firewalls are more advanced. They keep track of the state of active connections and make decisions based on the context of traffic. 

Next-generation firewalls (NGFW) offer additional features like application awareness, intrusion prevention, and more.

The moat around your data

Strong encryption is the moat around your data. It’s the process of converting your data into a code to prevent unauthorized access. It’s like a moat filled with sharks or piranhas–very effective at keeping intruders at bay.

Encryption can be symmetric and asymmetric. 

Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encryption and decryption. That can be fast and suitable for large volumes of data.

Asymmetric encryption, on the other hand, uses a pair of keys–one for encryption (public key) and one for decryption (private key). This way is more secure, but also a bit slower.

The gatekeepers

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds more layers of verification before granting access. Think of it as having multiple gatekeepers who each require a different form of identification. Although this process can sometimes be tiresome, it’s for a glorious purpose. For instance, signing in your PayPal account requires double authentication, and sometimes the platform goes into a loop of sending you multiple checks and codes to make sure it is really you. But imagine what would happen if there would be no MFA? Someone can pose as you and take away all your finances. 

How does an MFA usually work? 

• You have a password or PIN, which is something you know.
• There is a smartphone or security token, which is something you have.
• And there are biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition, which is something you are. 

The guards

Even with a deep moat and strong walls, a fortress needs vigilant guards. These are security practices you should adopt to keep your system safe. 

Software vulnerabilities are like cracks in your fortress walls. But they are nothing that regular updates and patch management can’t seal before they can be exploited.

Conducting regular security audits is like having a trusted advisor walk the perimeter of your fortress, checking for weaknesses. 

Internal audits can be done by your own team to assess your security posture.

External audits, however, are performed by third-party experts to provide an unbiased evaluation.

It’s also a good step to have a strong backup and recovery plan, just in case the enemy penetrates into your fortress. You can have regular backups that make sure the data is backed up regularly and stored in multiple locations. And there is a disaster recovery plan, which means having a clear plan for restoring systems and data in case of a breach.

The training grounds 

Even the most guarded fortress can be compromised if the guards fall asleep at their posts. Similarly, your team needs to be constantly alert and well-trained in security protocols.

Having training sessions on a regular basis can help your team recognize and respond to potential threats. You can create phishing simulations where you test your team to gauge their readiness. Also, seminars and workshops are a great idea to keep your team updated on the latest security trends and practices. 

You need to foster a culture where security is everyone’s responsibility. For that purpose, you can have clear policies and procedures. Have them well documented and make sure everyone understands them. Also, it would be a good idea to encourage reporting. Make it easy and safe for employees to report suspicious activities. 

The tower

Your fortress needs a high tower from where you can keep an eye on everything. In cybersecurity, this means to have continuous monitoring and a strong incident response plan. 

You can use tools that provide real-time monitoring and will alert you to potential threats. For instance, intrusion detection systems (IDS) monitor traffic in the network for suspicious activity. Similarly, security information and event management (SIEM) collect and analyze data from different sources to detect threats.

The battle 

When an incident happens, how you respond can make all the difference. 

For instance, you need to have a detailed incident response plan in place. You also need to quickly identify the nature and scope of the incident, otherwise how will you know what to do about it? 

Then, you can try to contain it. That way you’re limiting the damage by isolating affected systems. In order to be able to do that, you first need to have a compartmentalized system, otherwise everything will be quite open for the enemy. Like when you step into the football field, compared to the mall. 

Then comes the extermination or, nicely put, you’re going to remove the cause of the incident. 

When the battle is done, you still have a job to do. Make sure to restore systems so they can function properly. Also, don’t forget that every victory, just as every defeat, has a lesson to be learned from. So don’t postope on analyzing the incident to prevent future occurrences. Having systems breach is a well-known experience in a business world and it only serves as a reminder to make stronger security. 

The secret weapon 

Zero trust is like having a secret weapon–it’s a security model that assumes no one, inside or outside your network, can be trusted by default. Instead, it requires verification for every request. 

For that purpose, you have a least privilege access that gives users the minimum level of access they need to perform their jobs. 

Micro-segmentation means dividing your network into small, isolated segments to limit the spread of potential breaches. 

And continuous verification serves to monitor and verify user identities and devices. 

The final touch 

The world of cybersecurity is ever-evolving. You should stay updated with the latest security news and trends.

For example, you can follow reputable cybersecurity news websites, or join forums and communities to exchange knowledge and stay informed. 

Also, it’s a good idea to participate in conferences and webinars to learn from experts and network with peers. Some of the conferences you could be attending are Black Hat, DEF CON, and RSA Conference. 

Your impenetrable fortress

Building a security system is a continuous journey, the one that never stops. Trends are changing, technology is evolving, and you need to stay vigilant in following them, unless you want to use your recovery plan way too often. So, employ some strong security protocols, do regular backups and practices, and be proactive. 

Your fortress is never going to be perfect, but you have time to make it a strong and secure place that people can trust. And don’t forget about the three holy security principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It all starts from there. Because, no matter how strong you are, people need to know there isn’t a villain in the fortress but a hero.

 

Author Bio:  Petra Rapaić is a B2B SaaS Content Writer. Her work appeared in the likes of Cm-alliance.com, Fundz.net, and Gfxmaker.com. On her free days she likes to write and read fantasy.