When discussing cyber security, government agencies often focus on the threats that affect their cyber systems. While the impact of these threats is important, there is more to uncover. What about the effectiveness of those cyber systems and the teams that run them? The recent Deep Dive into Cyber Reality Security Effectiveness Report explores the challenges that agencies are facing with cyber teams and systems as well as how organizations can improve their cyber posture.
“Every organization wants reliable data that tells them if their security investments are delivering real value and protecting them from becoming the next major cyber-attack headline,” said Chris Key, Senior Vice President at Mandiant Security Validation. “Our research shows that while the majority of companies assume that they’re protected, the truth is that, more often than not, they are exposed.”
According to the report, when different cyber threats were tested within an environment, the attacks were only detected or prevented 45 percent of the time. This is a concerning number for government agencies that hold large amounts of valuable data – and even more so with the current threat landscape and rapid shift to a remote workforce.
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A letter from the National Governors Association submitted to Congress to solicit additional cyber funding stated that:
“COVID-19 has required our workforces, educational systems and general way of life to quickly move remotely, exerting greater pressure on cybersecurity and IT professionals and increasing the risk of vulnerabilities and gaps to state and local networks. These gaps are exacerbated by systems requiring modernization that do not foster remote work, which also increases the risks to employees supporting these systems.”
But remote work is just one threat area impacting today’s agencies. The report uncovered three issues that organizations must consider to improve their cyber security posture. These risks can be neutralized with the right partners and technology.
Cloud
Many organizations are making the journey to the cloud, but there are plenty of risks along the way. Network segmentation, credential management, and visibility become more complicated. Misconfigurations within the cloud can leave agencies vulnerable to breaches.
IT and Security
An organization’s IT team handles infrastructure and the security team is responsible for protecting data assets. A disconnect between the security and IT team can increase risk for an organization with uncommunicated shifts in tools and applications.
Technology Overload
The report found that the average enterprise has between 30 and 50 security tools. Why are so many systems being used? It’s clear that agencies must look to enterprise systems to reduce the number of tools used and bolster security.
“Whether or not they realize it, organizations across all industries need to combat the alarming reality that is revealed in our Security Effectiveness Report,” Key said. “The only proven way to do that is through continuous validation of security controls against new and existing threats, with technology that automates the measurement of security effectiveness and provides data efficacy of measured outcomes.”
Ready to learn more? Download the report here.
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